Cavaliers forward LeBron James taught Magic forward Tobias Harris a lesson: Never talk trash to The King.

ORLANDO, Florida – Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris was having a nice game. He was scoring at will as he mixed it up on his defender, Cavaliers All-Star LeBron James.

He even played some defense, swatting one of James' layup attempts into the front row. The fourth-year small forward had it going and his team was in control.

James looked out of sorts. Disinterested. He had three turnovers in the first 10 minutes.

Orlando was up 64-62 in the third quarter and a coasting James was 5-of-13 from the field. The Magic was on pace to steal one. Harris, acting as the catalyst, had 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

Then things suddenly changed.

Midway through the third, Harris was going to work on James in the mid-post area and to create some separation; he flung his elbows around in the vicinity of James' face. James backed up to avoid the connection, but he took exception and said something to Harris.

The two jawed back and forth at one another and had to be separated. While walking away, Harris yelled, "Stop flopping."

"He barked up the wrong tree," the Cavs' Dion Waiters said of Harris after the game.

A sleeping giant was awakening.

Two possessions later, James stole a crosscourt pass and shot out on a one-man break. Orlando's Elfrid Payton managed to get a hold of James from the back and James took him along for the ride to finish the left-handed layup, plus the foul.

The four-time MVP proceeded to trot past Orlando's bench to have a few words before taking his foul shots. Just like that, James was awakened.

"That's the best player in the world," the Cavs' Kevin Love said. "That's something you don't want to do."

From that point on James dominated Harris, going 5-of-7 in the final 17 minutes. He scored 15 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth. After that alteration with James, Harris only scored one point. He finished with 17 points on 6-of-12.

Cleveland won 89-81 after holding the Magic to 14 fourth-quarter points. James said Harris "absolutely" fired him up, but it wasn't the flying elbows that pushed his button.

"It wasn't the shoulder or the elbow, it was the words that he said that got me going," James acknowledged. "I was actually in chill mode tonight but chill mode was deactivated after that."

James wouldn't reveal which one of Harris' trash-talking comments got to him. At any rate, it didn't matter. Harris shouldn't have gone there and has no one else to blame but himself.

Why would Harris do such a thing when his team had the momentum for much of the game?

"I have no idea. I have no idea," James responded. "I have zero problems with Tobias Harris. I don't. I have no problems with him. I don't know what he has with me, but I have zero problems with Tobias Harris."

Did Harris learn a lesson?

"I'm not going to back down from anybody. That's my game," Harris said. "I'm going to give you 100 percent every night no matter who it is. I know we got into a little talking, that's all part of the game. It's just to fire my team up, that's it."

But it had the reverse effect. It fired up James and the Cavaliers. The moral of this story is let a sleeping giant sleep. One that is awake can do only one thing: bite.

"I don't bother nobody, man," James said with a laugh. "I stay to myself. It is what it is."

Jacoby Brissett threw for 262 yards and one touchdown.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- North Carolina State took another step forward in its turnaround under coach Dave Doeren with a strong performance in the Bitcoin Bowl.

Jacoby Brissett threw for 262 yards and one touchdown and Matt Dayes scored on runs of 24 and 15 yards to help the Wolfpack beat Central Florida 34-27 on Friday night at Tropicana Field.

Brissett tossed a 37-yard TD pass to Johnathan Alston to put the Wolfpack (8-5) ahead for good in the second quarter. Running back Shadrach Thornton got NC State going early with an 18-yard scoring pass to Jaylen Samuels.

UCF (9-4) began the night ranked in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed per game, as well as pass efficiency, rushing and scoring defense. But American Athletic Conference co-champions had no answers for Brissett and a supporting cast that amassed 488 yards of total offense -- over 200 more than opponents averaged against the Knights during the regular season.

Brissett was 15 of 26 with no interceptions, completing passes to eight receivers. Thornton rushed for 96 yards on 17 carries and Dayes finished with 78 yards on 13 attempts to key a ground attack that produced 188 yards.

UCF's Justin Holman threw for 291 yards, including TD passes of 6, 14 and 2 yards to Josh Reese, who had six receptions for 75 yards. Reese's second touchdown cut it to 34-20 with 11 minutes remaining.

The Knights got the ball back three more times, but couldn't get any closer until Holman threw his 2-yarder to Reese with 1:44 left. NC State's Tyler Purvis recovered the ensuing onside kick, and the Wolfpack ran out the clock.

UCF is a year removed from arguably the biggest victory in school history, an upset of Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl that capped the Knights' first 12-win season.

Going from appearing in a BCS game for the first time to ending the year in St. Petersburg for the second time in three seasons might have been perceived as a letdown except the Knights have continued to prosper after losing star quarterback Blake Bortles to the NFL draft, where he was the third overall selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Holman's Hail Mary pass to Breshad Perriman as time expired gave UCF a 32-30 victory over East Carolina and a share of its second straight AAC championship.

NC State is in its second season of rebuilding under Doeren, who took over after a highly successful stint at Northern Illinois. The Wolfpack went 0-8 in the ACC and 3-9 overall in 2013, and the four-game improvement in their regular-season record this year matched Mississippi State for the second-biggest in the five power conferences.

The Bitcoin Bowl was a homecoming of sorts for Brissett, who is from West Palm Beach and transferred to NC State from Florida. The 6-foot-4, 231-pound redshirt junior completed 10 of his first 12 passes for 197 yards, including his TD pass to Alston that put the Wolfpack up 14-10 early in the second quarter.

Thornton's first pass attempt of the season resulted in the first TD reception of Samuels' career.

Perriman finished with nine receptions for 138 yards for UCF, which was trying to finish with at least 10 wins for the fourth time in five seasons.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers' defense come alive in the fourth to get the win.

ORLANDO, Fla. – LeBron James and the Cavaliers' defensive intensity came alive in the fourth quarter to sneak out with a hard-fought 98-89 road victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday.

After starting off on a subpar note, James flipped the switch and registered 15 of his game-high 29 points n the final quarter. Orlando (11-21) had the momentum for three quarters until Cleveland (18-11) locked in on defense, limiting the Magic to 5-of-21 shooting that resulted in 14 fourth-quarter points.

Kyrie Irving was a late-game scratch with a left knee contusion. Before the game, Cavs coach David Blatt said his point guard would play. Irving went through a pregame warmup and determined he wasn't quite ready.

Backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova got the start in Irving's place.

Defensive mishaps plagued the Cavaliers early on. The Magic put up 32 first-quarter points on 72 percent shooting. James looked disinterested initially, turning the ball over three times in the first 10 minutes.

In the second quarter the second unit picked up the energy level on both ends and Dion Waiters was the catalyst. With Orlando increasing its lead to 10, Waiters proceeded to score 10 of his 17 points in the second quarter and got some deflections that led to turnovers. Orlando was held to 21 points while shooting 33 percent in the quarter and took a four-point halftime lead.

Both teams equaled each another in the third, but in the fourth Blatt saw a formula that worked. He finished the game with Dellavedova, Waiters, Mike Miller, James and Tristan Thompson.

Kevin Love had 22 points and seven rebounds. Blatt chose not to play him in the fourth to ride with the nucleus that turned things around. He made a tough call, but it was the right call on this night.

Tobias Harris led Orlando with 16 points and Evan Fournier provided 15 points and four rebounds off the bench.

Bench update

Waiters and Shawn Marion accounted for all of the Cavaliers' bench points. They were outscored by Orlando, 42-21.

Replacing Anderson Varejao

Tristan Thompson got the start at center to match up with Orlando's big man Nikola Vucevic. He had six points on 3-of-8 from the field to go with a game-high 12 rebounds. Shawn Marion started in Thursday night's loss to the Miami Heat.

Who's on deck?

The Cavaliers will get a look at the Detroit Pistons for the first time this season at The Q on Sunday. Detroit (5-23) just recently waived one of its best players in Josh Smith, who later signed with the Houston Rockets.

The one-game suspension of Josh Gordon is the latest attempt by the duo to promote team ahead of talent.

BALTIMORE, Maryland – Two days before the Browns won in Cincinnati, general manager Ray Farmer delivered a state-of-the-franchise address with the season at its midpoint.

The club was about to go a surprising 6-3 with its best offensive weapon, receiver Josh Gordon, on the cusp of return from a 10-game drug suspension. Farmer spoke of the All Pro's potential influence on the season, hardly overselling it before adding he'll have "as much of an impact as he's prepared to have and as much of an impact as we give him an opportunity to have."

Asked if he knew any reason why Gordon shouldn't be given a "big opportunity," Farmer replied:

"I think that teams win, talent doesn't," he said on Nov. 4. "It's really about building a team, and people have to find a way to fit into the team. I think that's what we're looking for here is a championship-level team."

The Browns (7-8) suspended Gordon for the finale for violating teams rules as he missed Saturday's walk-thru before the club flew to Baltimore. There's plenty of moving parts to the story including what the latest ban means to the receiver's potential free agency after the 2015 season. It could get messy with lawyers, agents, arbitrators and the union.

But the Gordon strand is only the latest bit of unraveling in a once bright season. It's late December and the franchise is again in chaos with four consecutive losses and the commitment levels of high draft picks Justin Gilbert, Johnny Manziel and Terrance West called into question. Naturally, the Gordon news broke on a day Cleveland sports marks 50 years without a title.

When coach Mike Pettine walked out of the Georgia Dome with an improbable 26-24 last-second win over the Falcons he must have thought the "dysfunctional Berea" narrative was overblown. The Browns were 7-4 on Nov. 23. It hasn't stopped raining anvils since that day.

Farmer and Pettine are trying to weather the storm without compromising principles. People make light of the "Play Like a Brown," and, by extension, "act like a Brown" credos, but that's what they're attempting to establish and defend. It's not easy, especially when this resembles so many Decembers since 1999.

Will owner Jimmy Haslam – who Pettine said this week shares his same vision – support them? We'll see.    

Both general manager and coach have made some rookie mistakes. Gilbert's attitude and lack of professionalism in regards to preparation are worrisome and reflect poorly on those drafting him. Same with West. Beyond his off-field drama, Manziel looks like a reach at No. 22 although his sample size remains small.

Farmer and Pettine, however, deserve credit for holding players accountable. You can sense the veterans in the room appreciate it. They took the hit and cut brooding free-agent acquisition Ben Tate. They have disciplined and called out draft picks Gilbert and West. Even after Gordon had a monster first game against the Falcons, Pettine said the receiver needed to fight harder for contested passes.

A first-year coach could have looked the other way on some infractions, especially amid the late-season swoon when the club didn't need additional negative publicity. That's not how Pettine is wired, though. He's consistently explained what's expected and what won't be tolerated. That's how you set standards. It's why Manziel, who's on injured-reserve, also was fined Saturday for being late for treatment on his hamstring.  

Gordon looks like someone who doesn't want to be here. I lobbied a year ago to keep him at the trade deadline and not to release him in May when word of his latest drug ban leaked out. He doesn't appear engaged, however.

Northeast Ohio Media Group's Mary Kay Cabot reported that Saturday's suspension was the next step for a receiver who's been late for other team functions. Is this Gordon's idea of gratitude to a franchise that's stood by him? Granted, the organization wouldn't have done it for a lesser talent.

Maybe Gordon sees the Browns' commitment to the run or instability at quarterback as costing him millions in free agency whenever that comes. Who knows, but the club seems ready to play hardball with his contract. He required six games to accrue a season toward free agency and the suspension leaves him one short.

The Browns need every bit of leverage if the plan is to trade him. His agent Drew Rosenhaus and the union likely will fight it. An extra year benefits the club regardless of their next move with Gordon.

The season ends Sunday and most likely with a fifth straight loss. Pettine and Farmer came within a month of escaping the zaniness that usually engulfs the decision makers in Berea by early November.

It's easy to be men of principle when you're 7-4. The new coach and general manager are trying to stick to theirs as a season collapses at their feet.

Is the team-ahead-of-talent approach going to work? Will the owner give it time to work? There's something admirable about the quest, but it's not going to mute the cries of Same Old Browns.

 

Cooper had 170 yards receiving as South Carolina held off Miami in the Independence Bowl.

SHREVEPORT, La. -- Dylan Thompson threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score in South Carolina's 24-21 victory over Miami on Saturday in the Duck Commander Independence Bowl.

Pharoh Cooper was Thompson's favorite target, catching nine passes for 170 yards, including a spectacular 25-yard grab on the decisive drive late in the fourth quarter.

Thompson completed 22 of 34 passes.

South Carolina (7-6) has won a school-record four straight bowl games. Miami (6-7) ended the season on a four-game losing streak and hasn't won in the postseason since 2006.

Miami's Duke Johnson ran for 132 yards and caught five passes for 51 yards, but his costly fumble with a little more than 5 minutes remaining set up South Carolina's winning drive.

Miami's Brad Kaaya threw for 236 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has had one losing season in 25 seasons as a college head coach -- back in 1987 with Duke.

It was an another impressive game for Johnson, the 5-foot-9, 206-pound junior who has likely played his last game with the Hurricanes and is expected to declare for the NFL draft.

But he fumbled on Miami's 29 with 5:24 remaining and South Carolina recovered.

Johnson also appeared to suffer a right leg injury on the play and didn't return to the game, though he was up and walking on the sideline in the final minutes.

Two plays later, Thompson hit Cooper on a spectacular pass and catch to get down to the Miami 2. Thompson fit the ball into a tight window and Cooper helped him by leaping over the defender to make the grab.

Thompson trotted into the end zone untouched on the next play and the Gamecocks had what proved to be an insurmountable 24-14 lead with 4:13 left.

Miami was in control early, but its long drives were stuffed in the red zone. Michael Badgley made field goals from 27 and 26 yards to give the Hurricanes a 6-0 lead by early in the second quarter.

South Carolina, meanwhile, struggled to get anything going until midway through the second quarter, when Thompson connected on a long throw over the middle to Cooper, who ran the rest of the way for a stunning 78-yard touchdown score.

Just like that, the Gamecocks looked comfortable. Thompson scrambled out of the pocket a few minutes later on a broken play before finding Mike Davis on a 15-yard touchdown pass. Elliott Fry made a 32-yard field goal with 1:39 left as South Carolina scored 17 straight points to take a 17-6 lead into halftime.

The Gamecocks' defense -- maligned for much of the season -- didn't give up a touchdown until late in the third quarter when Gus Edwards' 3-yard touchdown run and the Miami's ensuing 2-point conversion pulled the Hurricanes to 17-14.

There had been rumbling for a few weeks that Josh Gordon wasn't paying attention to his job.

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Josh Gordon and his supporters will probably find a way to portray the Browns receiver as a victim.

Yes, he missed the morning walk-through before the team flight to Baltimore for Sunday's game with the Ravens, but did the Browns really need to suspend him?

Gordon's camp will argue that the receiver was suspended to prevent him from coming a year closer to unrestricted free agency. He needed to play six games this season in order to become a free agent after the 2015 season.

Now, it will be after 2016 -- unless Gordon's agent (Drew Rosenhaus) appeals and wins. Somehow, they will try to blame the team for what has happened to the former Pro Bowl receiver.

But all Gordon had to do was show up for the Saturday morning practice, and this would not be an issue.

All Gordon had to do was be on time for meetings, but he had been late at least a few times for practices and film sessions since returning from his 10-game suspension on November 23.

All Gordon had to do was the basics -- be on time, do you job. Then there would have been no suspension.

So I don't want to hear any of the excuses, no explanations. Any problems that Gordon is facing right now have been caused by Josh Gordon.

THE RUMBLINGS

More than a week ago, I heard there were problems with Gordon. I wrote this in my Sunday notes of December 21:

"Not much is being said about it, but one of the players that has frustrated the coaches is Josh Gordon. He continues to struggle with understanding the offense. He has played in four games, so there was reason to hope for more progress after his 10-game suspension.

"Gordon ran some wrong routes for Brian Hoyer that led to at least two interceptions. It's hard to judge Gordon's body language. Even when he's playing well, he seems to be almost jogging. He can appear disinterested.

"With Gordon, you simply have to look at the results. He had eight catches for 120 yards in his first game back, a 26-24 victory in Atlanta. In the last three games, Gordon has 12 catches for 138 yards. He has yet to catch a touchdown pass this season..."

The Browns were surprised by Gordon's struggles to learn the plays and his general lack of enthusiasm for playing. They were counting on him to be a major spark for their offense. Gordon is such a gifted athlete. If anyone can come back after missing 10 games and play well, it's Gordon.

It also was in his self interest to produce. If he impressed the new front office and coaching staff, perhaps they would have been ready to work on some type of contract extension.

Instead, he floated. He caught only nine passes for 108 total yards in the last three games. He has lined up in the wrong spots, and continued to run the wrong patterns.

Maybe he wanted out of Cleveland. Maybe he believed that looking disinterested would help his agent engineer a trade. Maybe he was still mad about the 10-game suspension. Maybe he believes this team with its usual quarterback questions and emphasis on running the ball is the wrong place for him.

But after all his drug suspensions and other problems, Gordon should be thankful that he's in the NFL. Rather than make the most out of the last six games by being attentive at practices and productive in games -- he was almost asking to be suspended.

Now that it has happened, he only has himself to blame.

THE TOUGH APPROACH

Some fans have wondered what's going on with the Browns. Veterans Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner publicly criticized rookie Justin Gilbert for his poor practice habits.

Rookie Johnny Manziel was fined for being late for a practice, and his work ethic also has been questioned. He also showed little on the field, which is why earlier in the week, I wrote a column questioning his future as an NFL quarterback.

During the season, Coach Mike Pettine has mentioned how rookie running backs Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West both had playing time cut because they did a lousy job in practice.

You can say that the coaches aren't controlling the players.

I say that this front office and coaching staff is refusing to tolerate some of the behavior that was accepted in the past. Last season, the front office wanted the coaching staff to cut Greg Little because of attitude and performance issues. The coaches refused.

General Manager Ray Farmer and Pettine have adopted the "play like a Brown" motto as a way of saying, "This is how we will now do business."

It's not about playing like the Browns who are always 4-12 and 5-11. It's about being a professional and acting like players do on winning teams.

Some people will say the Browns should just cut Gordon. I wouldn't do that.

But I would trade him, even if he brings back very little in return. There always is a team willing to take a chance on a player with talent, even if he needs a moving van to carry all the baggage that he brings along.

Gordon clearly wants out, and the Browns should accommodate him. Let another team worry about him passing drug tests, being on time and learning the play book.

To see previous Brownstowns from this season, click here.

To see previous Brownstowns from this season, click here.

Both Alabama and Ohio State arrived in New Orleans on Saturday afternoon and will begin practice on Sunday in the city before Thursday's Sugar Bowl. Watch video

NEW ORLEANS -- Well, Ohio State's plane was bigger.

The 350-seat double-decker 747 that the Buckeyes landed in New Orleans on Saturday afternoon dwarfed the Alabama charter that followed soon after, as Ohio State was delayed in leaving Columbus and pushed the arrivals of the two Sugar Bowl combatants closer together than planned.

"That was the biggest plane I've ever been on in my life, the biggest plane I've ever seen," Ohio State defensive tackle Adolphus Washington said. "The seat turned into a bed."

• Meyer hoping Dontre Wilson can play a bit in Sugar Bowl

So big, that Alabama quarterback Blake Sims, whose fear of flying is a running joke with teammates, said he wouldn't have flown on it.

"First time I've been on one of those," Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said. "I actually walked upstairs to see what it looks like."

Arriving in style, Meyer was asked?

"Style? Yeah I guess," he said. 

Both teams had the option of arriving either Friday or Saturday for their College Football Playoff semifinal, and both chose late Saturday afternoon. No. 1 Alabama had three days off for Christmas and got back together for two days of practice in Tuscaloosa before flying in, while No. 4 Ohio State had four-and-half days off and got back together for a practice in Columbus before heading south.

The tarmac welcome was a staged media event made slightly more festive by a jazz quintet. Injured H-back Dontre Wilson limped off a in walking boot, while injured quarterback J.T. Barrett hopped down the steps and immediately got on the scooter that supports his broken right ankle. The other injured quarterback, Braxton Miller, was there was well, in gold headphones.

Offensive coordinator and new Houston head coach Tom Herman disembarked with his family, as all the coaches' families joined the charter, and yes, he looked a little tired.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said H-back Dontre Wilson will be a game-time decision against Alabama, but he's hoping to get some plays out of Wilson in the Sugar Bowl. Watch video

NEW ORLEANS — Dontre Wilson limped gingerly from Ohio State's massive Boeing 747 jet to one of the team buses lined up on the tarmac at Louis Armstrong International Airport.

He was sporting a walking boot on his right foot, the one Ohio State's H-back broke in a win over Michigan State in November. The foot required surgery and has kept him out of action since then.

• See the Ohio State Buckeyes arrive in New Orleans for the College Football Playoff (photo gallery)

Wilson's gait looked to be a bit uncomfortable. He didn't look like a guy who was going to play in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama in five days. But Urban Meyer is still holding out hope.

"Dontre is 50/50 for the game," Meyer said Saturday during a brief session with the media at the airport, echoing his sentiments at his last media availability in Columbus. "He's still in a boot, but at least a few plays we're hoping to get out of him for the game."

That would be huge for the Buckeyes: Another playmaker and another weapon for quarterback Cardale Jones in the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Crimson Tide.

Maybe it was some gamesmanship from Meyer. Alabama's plane pulled in just a few minutes after Ohio State's after all. Perhaps the Buckeyes' coach was just giving Tide coach Nick Saban something else to think about.

If Wilson can't go, it won't be anything new for the Buckeyes. They've made do with Jalin Marshall almost exclusively in that H-back role, and running back Curtis Samuel has the skill set to play there, too.

Wilson and his walking boot are the only injuries Meyer had to report on Saturday. Nickelback Armani Reeves, whom Meyer said was "dinged" during practice last week in Columbus, is now a "full-go."

"Everyone is here who should be here," Meyer said.

• Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones will be making his second career start in the Superdome on Jan. 1. He surprised just about everyone in college football with his play against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship.

Now he's got a bit of a national following.

Jones appeared on the covers of Sports Illustrated and ESPN Magazine during the break between the conference title game and the playoff.

Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett said the attention hasn't gone to Jones' head.

"He's got a lot of charisma to him," Vannett said. "In practice he's got a lot of confidence in himself. It's easy for other guys to have confidence in him. It's been easy offensively when you have a guy step into the leadership role and own up to it. He's doe a great job being a leader for the team and moving the offense forward."

• A lot will be made this week about Meyer's past battles with Saban and Alabama, but Buckeyes defensive tackle Adolphus Washington said the familiarity with Saban that Meyer gained at Florida will help Ohio State.

"I think that helps us a lot," Washington said. "There's a lot of Big Ten-SEC rivalry talk. With our coach coming form the SEC and playing against them so many times, that helps us out a lot."

So if Meyer knows so much about the SEC, what makes Alabama so good?

"The quality of player," Meyer said. "I think they've won the recruiting battle just about every year. You can see all that development of players that they have. I think the biggest thing you see is depth and rotation, particularly on the defensive line. I think for years that's what separated the SEC from other conferences and you can see it with this team."

 

The difference was a missed extra point by Boston College in overtime.

NEW YORK -- Christian Hackenberg hit Kyle Carter for a 10-yard touchdown pass in overtime and Penn State kicked the extra point that Boston College could not, lifting the Nittany Lions to a 31-30 win in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night.

The Nittany Lions (7-6) played in a bowl game for the first time since January 2012 after the NCAA lifted the most severe sanctions levied against the program in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

Penn State's Sam Ficken used retired New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter's locker and some of his clutch postseason play appeared to rub off on the kicker.

He sent the game into OT with a 45-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in regulation and won it with his extra point.

Tyler Murphy hit David Dudeck for a 21-yard touchdown past on Boston College's drive. Mike Knoll shanked the extra point for the Eagles (7-6) and that was the opening Penn State needed to complete its comeback from a 21-7 deficit late in the third quarter.

Penn State has played under the cloud of scandal and sanctions for the most of the last four years, tearing at the fabric of the community known as Happy Valley and tarnishing the legacy of Joe Paterno.

Moments after Penn State hoisted the bowl trophy on the field, first-year coach James Franklin took the microphone and thanked the seniors "who stayed with this program when we needed them most."

He told the thousands of die-hards that packed the stadium, "You want to talk about closure? Look around! This is closure!"

The Eagles left stunned after blowing the lead and missing their eighth extra point of the season.

Knoll put the Eagles ahead 24-21 on a 20-yarder with 2:10 left in the fourth.

Ficken, who won the opener in Dublin with a 36-yard field goal as time expired, bookended the season with his biggest kick yet. Captain to captain, Ficken had the honor of using the retired Jeter's locker Saturday. Ficken is Penn State's special teams captain.

Hackenberg played more as he did freshman year, when he had NFL scouts raving about first-round potential rather than this season's erratic sophomore effort. He set Penn State records for completions and yards passing (34 of 50, 371 yards) and earned MVP honors. He went over the middle and hit DaeSean Hamilton to make it 21-all with 6:48 left in the fourth.

Hackenberg should have been eligible for a potential bowl game his senior season. But when the bowl ban was lifted this season, the Nittany Lions earned the chance to play in front of 49,012 fans at Yankee Stadium.

Murphy and Jon Hilliman had run wild for the Eagles to build a lead.

Murphy found Shakim Phillips in the corner end zone for a 19-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead early in the third. He then showed how he set the ACC's single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,079 yards in 2014 with a 40-yard dash that put the Eagles ahead 21-7.

Hilliman, who led the team with 12 rushing TDs, broke through early with a 44-yard run that gave him more yards on one carry than three teams had in a game this season against Penn State: Central Florida (24), Massachusetts (3) yards and Maryland (25). He averaged a whopping 19.2 yards-per-carry on just five attempts for 101 yards in the first half.

He found a huge opening late in the first quarter for a 49-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 7.

The Nittany Lions scored first on Hackenberg's 72-yard TD pass to Chris Godwin down the right sideline with 5:22 left in the first.

The score earned a booming "We are! Penn State!" chant from the Penn State fans that helped fill Yankee Stadium.

The Nittany Lions turned the Bronx into a miniature Happy Valley, flooding the train from Philadelphia to New York on Saturday afternoon, then overtaking the subway lines.

Once they emerged at the corner of 161st Street and River Avenue, Yankee Stadium may as well have been Beaver Stadium. Mark Holtzman, who runs non-baseball events for the New York Yankees, said tickets sold out in 36 hours, the fastest of the five Pinstripe Bowls so far.

D'Angelo Russell scored 24 points on a stellar shooting night and Amir Williams added a career-high 21 to lead No. 21 Ohio State past Wright State 100-55 on Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — D'Angelo Russell scored 24 points on a stellar shooting night and Amir Williams added a career-high 21 to lead No. 21 Ohio State past Wright State 100-55 on Saturday.

The Buckeyes (11-2) begin Big Ten by hosting Iowa on Tuesday. They have won all 11 home games but have gone 0-2 away from Value City Arena — against the best two teams they played, No. 4 Louisville and No. 20 North Carolina.

Russell was 7 of 8 from the field, including 6 for 6 behind the arc, and 4 of 5 on free throws. Williams' previous best was 18 points a year ago against North Florida.

Kam Williams added 15 and Marc Loving 13 points for Ohio State, which shot 61 percent from the field.

Grant Benzinger had 12 points and Joe Thomasson 10 for Wright State (8-6), which has lost two in a row after a four-game winning streak.

The Buckeyes rolled to a 10-0 lead and never looked back. After the Raiders pulled as close as 20-11, Ohio State ran off 18 of the next 21 points for a 38-14 upper hand.

Amir Williams scored the Buckeyes' first five points and seven of the first 14.

Up 47-18 at the break after shooting 59 percent (16 of 27) from the field, the Buckeyes pulled away.

TIP-INS

Wright State: The Raiders have not had much success on the national stage lately, but they did shake up the Big Ten — and the national rankings — almost exactly 15 years earlier.

Michigan State (8-4) was ranked No. 8 when it played at Wright State's Nutter Center on Dec. 30, 1999. The Raiders were just 3-8 coming in.

But, at least for one night, they played a flawless game. They hit eight consecutive free throws in the final 3:15, including two clinching shots by Marcus May with 13 seconds remaining, to stun the Spartans 53-49.

How big of an upset was it?

The Raiders finished up 11-17 — 0-13 on the road and 11-3 at home.

And Michigan State, which did not have superlative point guard Mateen Cleaves that night because of a stress fracture in his foot, went on to win the national championship.

Ohio State: The game against Wright State was the Buckeyes' last before beginning Big Ten play.

There has been much criticism of Ohio State's non-conference schedule, which has included games against UMass-Lowell, Sacred Heart, Campbell, High Point and North Carolina A&T. Coach Thad Matta likes an easy schedule in November and December so he can develop his younger players and build up their confidence to the start of conference play.

It's hard to argue with his record. In Matta's 10 previous years at Ohio State, the Buckeyes have won at least a share of the regular-season title five times and have added four Big Ten tournament titles (and three losses in the finale).

UP NEXT

Wright State: The Raiders open Horizon League play on Friday against Detroit.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes begin Big Ten play at home with two games against I-schools: Iowa on Tuesday and Illinois on Jan. 3.

The Lake Erie Monsters lose their second in as many nights, falling to the Utica Comets, 6-3.

UTICA, New York -- Utica Comets right winger Brandon DeFazio scored three times in the first 24 minutes here Saturday as the Comets defeated the Lake Erie Monsters, 6-3.

The loss, the second in as many nights for the Monsters, dropped their record to 13-11-2-3. They fell at Rochester on Friday, 4-1 and will complete their three-game road trip on Tuesday at Milwaukee.

DeFazio recorded his 10th, 11th and 12th goals of the season, spotting the Comets a 3-0 lead at the 3:46 mark of the second period. He opened the scoring in the first period, then got his second goal just 18 seconds in the second period.

Goals by Wacey Hamilton and Brendan Gaunce made it 5-0 before Karl Stollery finally got the Monsters on the board with an unassisted goal at 7:09 of the third.

Paul Carey scored his eight goal of the season on a power play at 11:40, then Troy Bourke scored at 16:58 to cut Utica's lead to 5-3, but the Comets added an empty net score by Darren Archibald with 1:07 remaining to put it away.

Roman Will started in goal for Lake Erie and stopped 22 of 26 shots before giving way to Sami Aittokallio who stopped nine of 10 shots in the third period after being sidelined with an injury since Dec. 13. Joacim Erikkson had 26 saves for Utica to improve to 12-3-4.

The Monsters were outshot, 37-29, and had 16 penalty minutes to just six for Utica. Mike Sgarbossa had a pair of assists for the Monsters.

Notes: The Monsters finish the season series against Utica with a record of 0-2-0-0... The Monsters are 5-7-2-1 on the road this season, and are winless (0-2-0-1) over their last three games... Sgarbossa's two assists give him a team-leading 15 helpers on the season... The Monsters are 6-4-0-1 over their last 11 games... The Monsters are 2-2-0-1 all-time in Utica... The Monsters were 1-2 on the power play, and Utica was 1-7... The Monsters killed off a pair of five-on-three Utica power plays; one that was 44 seconds long, and one that was two minutes long.

See Kenston Invitational Wrestling Tournament team standings after Saturday’s opening day, as well as semifinal pairings.

See Kenston Invitational Wrestling Tournament team standings after Saturday’s opening day, as well as semifinal pairings.

St. Edward has six wrestlers in the semifinals at the MIT.

St. Edward has six wrestlers in the semifinals at the MIT.

Marisa Finazzo scores 15 to lead Gilmour girls basketball past Elyria Catholic.

Marisa Finazzo scores 15 to lead Gilmour girls basketball past Elyria Catholic.

Check out box scores and highlights from area gymnastics and hockey for Dec. 27, 2014.

Check out box scores and highlights from area gymnastics and hockey for Dec. 27, 2014.

The MIT concludes Sunday at Medina High School.

The MIT concludes Sunday at Medina High School.

SAN DIEGO -- Adoree' Jackson scored on a 98-yard kickoff return and a 71-yard pass from Cody Kessler, and No. 24 Southern California blew most of an 18-point, third-quarter lead before beating No. 25 Nebraska 45-42 in the Holiday Bowl on Saturday night. Kessler completed 23 of 39 yards for 321 yards and three touchdowns for USC (9-4), which was...

SAN DIEGO -- Adoree' Jackson scored on a 98-yard kickoff return and a 71-yard pass from Cody Kessler, and No. 24 Southern California blew most of an 18-point, third-quarter lead before beating No. 25 Nebraska 45-42 in the Holiday Bowl on Saturday night.

Kessler completed 23 of 39 yards for 321 yards and three touchdowns for USC (9-4), which was playing Nebraska (9-4) in a bowl game for the first time.

The Trojans took a 45-27 lead after Kessler threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Bryce Dixon with 2:03 left in the third quarter.

Armstrong brought the Huskers back with a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Westerkamp with 24 seconds left in the third quarter and then a 15-yard keeper with 6:52 left in the game. His 2-point conversion pass to Kenny Bell pulled Nebraska to 45-42.

USC held De'Mornay Pierson to a 1-yard gain on a pass from Armstrong on fourth-and-3 from the USC 31 with 2 1/2 minutes left.

Armstrong completed 32 of 51 passes for 381 yards and three TDs, with one interception.

USC had 515 yards of total offense and Nebraska finished with 525.

Kessler tied the USC single-season record of 39 touchdown passes set by Matt Barkley in 2011.

Barney Cotton coached Nebraska, which fired Bo Pelini on Nov. 30. New coach Mike Riley watched from a skybox.

USC's Javorius Allen gained 152 yards on 26 carries and scored on runs of 2 and 44 yards.

After Nebraska's Drew Brown kicked a 34-yard field goal early in the first quarter, Jackson caught the kickoff at the 2 and ran it up the right sideline for the longest kickoff return in Holiday Bowl history.

His 71-yard TD on a catch-and-run came on the first play from scrimmage after Nebraska punted on its first possession of the second half. He caught a short pass from Kessler and weaved through defenders to give USC a 31-17 lead.

Browns rookie Connor Shaw has gone from the practice squad to the Raven's nest: he'll be starter No. 22 since 1999 for the Browns in the season finale.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Connor Shaw's college football coach Steve Spurrier never understood why his former star quarterback went undrafted and wasn't given a chance to compete for the Browns' starting job in training camp.

Afterall, he beat Johnny Manziel in all the drills at the NFL Scouting combine and left South Carolina as the winningest quarterback in team history at 27-5. He also threw 24 touchdown passes and only one interception as a senior.

"It always amazes me, for some reason they just don't assume that he is really a top quarterback and he is,'' Spurrier told the Greenville News in August. "I mean, look at his statistics. He's a winner. He makes plays. I wish they would put him in the hunt for the starting job."

Spurrier and the rest of the football world will get a chance Sunday against the Ravens in the season finale to see if the Browns should've taken Shaw more seriously in camp, especially after his spirited performance in preseason against the Redskins. That night, he completed 8-of-9 attempts for 123 yards, with a 45-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired in the 24-23 Browns loss.

He earned a 155.8 rating, which blew the other two quarterbacks out of the water. Brian Hoyer earned a 42.4 rating and Johnny Manziel a 76.3.

Shaw, elevated from the practice squad on Saturday, will become the 22nd quarterback to start a game for the Browns since 1999. He'll replace Manziel, who's on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, and Hoyer, who's doubtful even to be the backup with a shoulder and bicep injury. Shaw will try to snap the Browns' four game losing streak, close out the season at 8-8 and beat the 9-6 Ravens, who need to win to keep their wildcard hopes alive.

"I think I proved to myself that I can play in this league,'' said Shaw, who endeared himself to Browns fans with that preseason outing. "Hopefully, I'll make some plays and we can come out with a win."

Of course, the game won't be any easier for Shaw now that star receiver Josh Gordon has been suspended for missing the walk-through Saturday morning in Berea.

But Shaw has the right mentality for the tall order he's about to face in Baltimore, where the Ravens have the second-best home record in the NFL since 2008 (44-11 to New England's 49-6).

"I'm a tough, gritty guy,'' said Shaw. "I feel like I'm smart with the ball. It's similar to Johnny's play like I did in college. We'll see. I haven't had a whole lot of reps in the NFL, especially live reps so we'll see how it plays out if I suit up."

Even offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan had some fun with the Shaw-Manziel comparison this week.

"They're both mobile guys,'' said Shanahan. "I'd say that's where the main similarity is. Connor, we like to mess with him when we say Connor's a little faster because his 40 time was better at Indy. Johnny's probably a little bit quicker, but they are similar in terms of their mobility."

Shaw, who finished second on the Gamecocks with 558 rushing yards last season, beat Manziel in all of the drills at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran the 40 in 4.66 to Manziel's 4.68, he measured 34.0 in the vertical leap to Manziel's 31.5 and recorded a 116.0 broad jump to Manziel's 113.0.

Still, he went undrafted while Manziel went No. 22 overall to the Browns. The Browns -- who conducted a private workout with him and were the only team to bring him in for a visit -- signed him as an undrafted rookie a few days after the draft and added him to the practice squad when he didn't make the final roster.

"I knew I'd have to prove myself once I got in the locker room anyways if I got drafted or signed as a free agent after the draft so it worked out,'' he said.

Coach Mike Pettine praised Shaw effusively.

"It's just that 'it' factor that a guy...you just look at him, and does he pass the eye-ball test? No.'' said Pettine. "He doesn't have the strongest arm, and he's not the fastest. He's not the biggest, but he just found a way. He's just got something about him. He's well-respected by his teammates. He goes out, and he works his tail off on the practice field.

"He's a guy that you like having around just because there's a lot of positive energy coming from Connor. He was a guy that we did like. I don't know exactly where he ended up in the final draft rankings. He was a guy that we targeted, and we felt very fortunate to get him here after the draft."

Of course, Pettine has a soft spot for any guy that played for his father in high school like he did. Shaw's father, Lee, coached him at Flowery Branch High School in Georgia.

"We did talk briefly about it when I first took the visit,'' Shaw said. "It was pretty neat hearing his story, and we could relate a little bit. It's been really joyful playing for him this year."

In addition to his father coaching him, his brother Jaybo played quarterback at Georgia Southern and is currently the receivers coach at Western Carolina.

"It's definitely a football family,'' said Shaw. "That's the way I was raised. I was raised in a football family. My dad was my head coach. I played for coach Spurrier, who is very demanding so I know how to prepare for the game.''

Which is also why Shaw has wanted to become a pro football player since he was five years old.

"This is a dream come true,'' he said. "I'm excited about it.''

Besides, the expectations are low.

"The obvious statement is that you're starting an undrafted rookie quarterback,'' said Pettine when asked if he needs the defense to play well for Shaw. "I don't think that we're going to look to go down there and try to win one 41-38. It needs to be along the lines of 3-2."

Shaw was undaunted by the prospect of facing an attack-minded defense and premier pass-rushers Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs, who have 28 sacks between them.

"I couldn't imagine a better team to do it against. It'll be a challenge, but I'm excited for the opportunity,'' he said. "I've just got to be aware of them. I've got to stay in the pocket. I've got to step up when they rush wide. I'm just going to go play the game like I know how to play. Of course, they're really good athletes, good players, but I trust my left tackle and right tackle to get the job done."

It's been a whirlwind year for Shaw, who got married in July and had a baby girl, Mila, in August. Now, he's made the jump from practice squad to starter in a week. His parents and his brother will be in Baltimore for the big debut.

"It's been such a blessing,'' he said. "It's such an awesome year for me and my family to be able to live my dream and have a beautiful daughter and marry my high school sweetheart. It's been awesome for me, and hopefully we can cap it off with a win."

Top storylines, plays and performers from the final Sunday of the NFL's 2014 regular season.

The last Sunday afternoon of the NFL regular season has come and gone. At long last, we have a clear view of who will be taking part in the postseason and when they'll be playing. Here we go...

Headlines

• The road to the postseason was laid bare in front of the Chargers. Beat the Chiefs and they'd make the playoffs. But backup quarterback Chase Daniel led Kansas City to four fields and a touchdown to sting the Chargers, who managed to score but once in a 19-7 loss.

San Diego will sit home next weekend...

• ... and watch the Ravens, who clinched the AFC's sixth and final playoff spot by virtue of their 20-10 win over the Browns and the Chargers' loss. Don't be misled: This was not an easy win for the Ravens, who rallied into the postseason with 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter buoyed by two touchdown passes from Joe Flacco to Torrey Smith. While the Ravens will travel to division rivals Pittsburgh or Cincinnati next weekend, the Texans will also watch from home knowing a Ravens rally was the only thing that kept them out of the playoffs after topping the Jaguars, 23-17.

• The Panthers held on to the final spot in the NFC with a 34-3 win over the Falcons in Atlanta. The Panthers, just 7-8-1 this season but entering the playoffs by virtue of winning the NFC South, will host a playoff game for a second consecutive season. The No. 4 seed will entertain the No. 5 Cardinals next weekend.

How bout that Defense? @TreBos10 high steps into the end zone for the #Panthers second PICK 6 of the day! #CARvsATL pic.twitter.com/wrs7ZarRlR

-- Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 28, 2014

• Fittingly, a member of the lowly NFC South also wrapped up the top spot in next year's NFL draft. The honor (or is it?) belongs to the Buccaneers, who lost 23-20 to the Saints and finished the season 2-12.

Playoff picture

• Packers quarterback and MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers was carted off the field with a calf injury in the second quarter of the NFC North title game against the Lions. But thanks to some work from the Packers training staff and a magic beard (see below), Rodgers returned to lead the Packers to a fourth-straight division crown and a first-round bye with a 30-20 win. The Packers are the NFC's No. 2 seed, while the No. 6 Lions have a tough task in Dallas against the No. 3 Cowboys next weekend. 

VIDEO: Aaron Rodgers leaves game with calf injury following this TD toss to Randall Cobb. #DETvsGB http://t.co/CGR6QvyBIC

-- NFL (@nfl) December 28, 2014

• For the second consecutive season, the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through Seattle. The Seahawks beat the Rams, 20-6, to clinch the NFC's top seed with their sixth consecutive win to close the regular season (in fact, they've lost only once since Oct. 26). The Cardinals, 20-17 losers to the 49ers, take a wild-card slot and will visit the Panthers.

• The Broncos will be the No. 2 seed behind the Patriots in the AFC and watch wild-card weekend from home after beating the Raiders, 47-14.

• The Steelers and Bengals play Sunday night in Pittsburgh to determine the winner of the AFC North. If Cincy wins or the game ends tied, the Bengals host the Ravens as the AFC's No. 3 seed. If the Bengals lose, Pittsburgh takes that slot. The team that does not win the AFC North heads to Indianapolis to face the Colts next weekend.

Sunday studs

• For the second year running, Geno Smith concluded the regular season with a fine performance in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Jets quarterback threw for 358 yards and three touchdowns and had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in a 37-24 win over the Dolphins.

• In leading the Ravens into the postseason, Joe Flacco had 312 yards passing and a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns.

• Where was this all season? Eric Decker become the sixth receiver in Jets history with at least 200 yards receiving in a game. His final total Sunday: 221 on 10 catches. 

• Giants rookie Odell Beckham Jr. gave a curtain call to the Meadowlands crowd. He had 185 yards receiving and a touchdown Sunday. Teammate Reuben Randle had 158 yards receiving.

• Dez Bryant scored a pair of touchdowns to set the Cowboys' single-season record with 16. DeMarco Murray rushed for 100 yards to top Emmitt Smith's franchise single-season rushing record.

Congratulations my man @DeMarcoMurray Great season lets win this game now.

-- Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) December 28, 2014

They said it

Torrey Smith set the Ravens' franchise mark with his 30th career touchdown reception Sunday and lifted his team into the postseason thanks to a big fourth quarter.

FAITH! FAITH! FAITH! Wouldn't change a thing about this season. We have our chance to make... http://t.co/uatcr20cU3 pic.twitter.com/TprATJoc8Y

-- Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) December 28, 2014

Key moments

The Good

J.J. Watt completed what may be the third MVP season for a defensive player since the 1970 NFL merger with three sacks and a forced fumble against the Jaguars. With his third sack -- a safety -- Watt reached 20 1/2 for the season, becoming the first NFL play to notch two 20-plus sack seasons. (He also had 20 1/2 sacks in 2012.)

Only ONE player has two seasons of 20+ sacks. Justin James Watt. Stop. And watch Watt re-write NFL history. http://t.co/NbfP1qOL6U

-- NFL (@nfl) December 28, 2014

The Bad

The Jets defense has been leaky this season, one reason why coach Rex Ryan was reportedly cleaning out his office prior to this Week 17 trip to Miami. The gashes opened again Sunday, when the Jets defense could barely get a hand on Lamar Miller as he busted a 97-yard touchdown run, the longest play from scrimmage in the NFL this season.

The Bizarre

Perhaps Santa Claus had one last gift left for the Packers. After Aaron Rodgers was wheeled off the field on a cart with an injured calf, he returned to the sideline in the second half, tugged a suspiciously familiar-looking man's beard and led the Packers to the NFC North title over the Lions.