Freshman Nick Chubb ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 13 Georgia overcame an injury to starting quarterback Hutson Mason to beat 20th-ranked Louisville 37-14 in the Belk Bowl on Tuesday night.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Freshman Nick Chubb ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 13 Georgia overcame an injury to starting quarterback Hutson Mason to beat 20th-ranked Louisville 37-14 in the Belk Bowl on Tuesday night.

Chubb averaged 8 yards per carry and the Bulldogs (10-3) piled up 301 yards rushing against the nation's second-best run defense.

Mason threw for 149 yards and a touchdown before leaving with blurred vision in the second quarter with the Bulldogs ahead 20-7. He was replaced by Brice Ramsey, whose primary duty was to hand the ball off to Chubb.

Georgia's defense came up with four turnovers, with Dominick Sanders recording two interceptions.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Kyle Bolin made his first career start for Louisville and finished 20 of 40 for 301 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown. Brandon Radcliff ran for 91 yards and a touchdown.

The Georgia running game appears to be in good hands, even with Todd Gurley headed to the NFL.

Freshman Nick Chubb ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 13 Georgia overcame an injury to starting quarterback Hutson Mason to beat 20th-ranked Louisville 37-14 in the Belk Bowl on Tuesday night.

Chubb averaged 8 yards per carry and the Bulldogs (10-3) piled up 301 yards rushing against the nation's second-best run defense.

Chubb's rushing total was second highest in school history, behind only Herschel Walker's 283 yards rushing against Vanderbilt in 1980.

Chubb finished his first season at Georgia by running for 1,323 yards and 12 touchdowns in last eight games after taking over as the primary ball carrier after the NCCA suspended Gurley for four games for taking $3,000 for autographed memorabilia and other items over two years. Gurley later injured his knee in his first game back from the injury.

Mason threw for 149 yards and a touchdown before leaving with blurred vision in the second quarter with the Bulldogs ahead 20-7. He was replaced by Brice Ramsey, whose primary duty was to hand the ball off to Chubb.

Georgia's defense came up with four turnovers, with Dominick Sanders recording two interceptions.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Kyle Bolin made his first career start for Louisville and finished 20 of 40 for 301 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown. Brandon Radcliff ran for 91 yards and a touchdown.

Chubb set a new Belk Bowl rushing record, eclipsing the 174-yard effort set by Boston College's Andrew Callender in 2004.

The Bulldogs leaned heavily on the 5-foot-10, 228-pound Chubb after Mason left the game and Ramsey was intercepted on his first play from scrimmage.

Louisville's defense came into the game allowing just 93.7 yards per game on the ground. Chubb nearly had that in the first half, rushing for 78 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. He added an 82-yard run in the second half that led to another Georgia score.

Louisville never led.

The Bulldogs roared to a 20-7 lead in the first half as Mason found wide open flanker Chris Conley down the middle of the field for a 44-yard touchdown strike for a 7-0 lead before Chubb broke off a 31-yard scoring run.

Leading 17-7, the Bulldogs had two chances to blow the game open late in the half when Sanders intercepted Louisville backup quarterback Reggie Bonnafon and returned it 40 yards to the 8-yard line. But Georgia would have to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Marshall Morgan after Malcolm Mitchell couldn't come down with a high pass from Mason in the end zone.

With his team down 13, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino called for a fake punt from his own 31 on fourth and 5, but punter Ryan Johnson couldn't hook up with a wide open Gerald Christian. Ramsey, however, replaced Mason on Georgia's next possession and gave the ball right back to Louisville when he was intercepted on his first play from scrimmage.

The Bulldogs (10-3) made it a three-possession game late in the third quarter when Chubb broke free from his own 3 and raced 82 yards, setting up a 2-yard touchdown run by Sony Michel.

Louisville's only scores came on an 11-yard scoring strike from Bolin to Christian and a 6-yard run by Radcliff.

See Ohio high school boys basketball statewide scores for Dec. 30, 2014.

See Ohio high school boys basketball statewide scores for Dec. 30, 2014.

The undermanned Cavaliers were scrappy but lost in Atlanta on Tuesday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers lost to the Atlanta Hawks, 109-101, Tuesday night at Philips Arena in Atlanta. Here is a capsule look at the game from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff:

Slumping: The Cavs (18-13) have lost two in a row and three of four. They are 7-7 on the road.

Sizzling: The Hawks (23-8) are 18-3 since Nov. 21.

Moral victory of sorts: The undermanned Cavs rebounded admirably from an embarrassing home loss to Detroit on Sunday. They competed and scrapped and sustained their energy level. They mounted several comeback attempts and made the Hawks sweat deep into the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, in Chicago: At least the Cavs weren't the Bulls, who were handled by the Brooklyn Nets, 96-82. The Bulls (22-10) had won seven straight.

No King = big problem: LeBron James, who turned 30 on Tuesday, did not play because of a sore left knee. He missed his second game of the season (Cavs 0-2).

The Cavs also were without Shawn Marion (sprained left ankle). They have been without Anderson Varejao (left Achilles; done for season).

One of Atlanta's best players, center Al Horford, felt ill before the game and did not appear.

Not nearly enough: With one-third of their Big Three in civvies, the Cavs needed the other two-thirds -- Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love -- to perform superbly. Irving answered the challenge, but Love was ineffective before exiting because of back spasms.

Irving, returning from a two-game absence because of a knee bruise, scored 35 (13-of-27 from the field, 6-of-7 from the line) and had nine assists, six rebounds and two steals in 43 minutes. However, he committed eight turnovers.

Irving did everything he could to help his team win. His mistakes resulted more from pushing the pace and trying to do too much than anything else. His body of work included a four-point play (first career) and three-point play in a span of two shots in the first quarter.

Love was 1-of-8 from the field and scored seven in 24 minutes. He grabbed seven rebounds. His back locked up during sporadic minutes in the third quarter, and he did not play in the fourth quarter.

This is why the Cavs need not sulk despite the defeat: They played the fourth  without Love, LeBron, Marion and Varejao -- and still pulled within one possession of the lead with 4:25 remaining.

Too many errors: The Cavs committed 20 turnovers that cost them 31 points. The Hawks deserve credit for well-executed defense, but numerous Cleveland miscues were unforced. (The Hawks had 15 turnovers that cost them 16 points.)

TT on fire: Cavs center Tristan Thompson shot 9-of-12 from the field to score 18,  and grabbed 13 rebounds, in 42 minutes. He went 0-of-5 from the line.

When Cavs coach David Blatt went small in the second half, Thompson became a solo act down low, tasked with scoring and trying to control Atlanta's frontcourt. His extra duties on the defensive end led to him fouling out in the fourth quarter.

Thompson and Irving were fun to watch in the two-man game. Once Thompson set the high screen for Irving, the Hawks struggled to figure out which player would do what.  

Brutal six minutes: The Cavs trailed, 26-25, after the first quarter. With 6:11 left in the second quarter, Love's two free throws gave the Cavs a 38-37 lead.

Then the Cavs melted down. They made one field goal -- a dunk by Thompson -- and were outscored, 14-3, in the final six-plus minutes of the half. Given Cleveland's available personnel, a 51-41 hole seemed much larger.

The Cavs went 14-of-41 (34.1 percent) from the field in the first half. They shot better from outside the arc (5-of-13, 38.5 percent) than inside.  

In addition to misfiring, the Cavs repeatedly were sloppy with the ball. They committed 12 turnovers that led to 16 Atlanta points; the Hawks had six turnovers that did not cost them a point.

Interesting second half: The Hawks threatened to craft a blowout early in the third quarter, but Cleveland's small lineup that included James Jones and Joe Harris reeled them back in. The Cavs trailed, 78-73, after three.

With 4:25 left in the fourth, the Cavs trailed, 95-93, and possessed the ball. Matthew Dellavedova made a bad pass that resulted in a turnover; the Hawks turned it into two free throws.

On the Cavs' ensuing possession, Irving moved too fast for his own good and fumbled the ball; the Hawks turned it into a field goal and 99-93 advantage with 3:49 left.

The Cavs called timeout. Their best shot at victory had evaporated.

The Lake Erie Monsters edge the Milwaukee Admirals in overtime, 5-4.

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin -- Mitchell Heard scored in overtime here Wednesday to lift the Lake Erie Monsters over the Milwaukee Admirals, 5-4, at the Bradley Center.

The victory snapped a three-game winless streak for the Monsters, including two straight road losses.

Heard's third goal of the season was assisted by Paul Carey and Colin Smith and came just 2:08 into the extra session.

The Monsters had jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first period, including two goals on power plays. Stefan Elliot got it started, scoring on a power play at 7:52 of the first period and Carey added a score about 90 seconds later. It gave each nine goals on the season.

Andrew Agozzino completed Lake Erie's first period run by scoring on a power play at 16:35.

Calvin Pickard, just back from assignment with the Colorado Avalanche, stopped seven shots in the first period, but was blitzed with 15 shots in the second period and surrendered two goals. Pontus Aberg scored for Milwaukee at 1:18 of the third period to make it 3-3.

Agozzino scored his second goal of the game at 17:44 of the third, with Mike Sgarbossa handing out his third assist.

But Aberg scored again with 48 seconds left in regulation to force the overtime. It was Aberg's 13th goal of the season.

The Admirals outshot the Monsters in regulation, 27-19. Pickard finished with 24 saves, while Milwaukee goalie Marek Mazanec stopped 16 of 21 shots in taking the loss.

Carey had a goal and three assists.

The Monsters return home to Quicken Loans Arena for a two-game set with Oklahoma City, on Friday at 7:30 and Saturday at 7.

LeBron James celebrated his 30th birthday in a suit. Dealing with soreness in his left knee, James missed his second game of the season, and the shorthanded Cavs lost to the Atlanta Hawks, who look like an Eastern Conference contender.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James celebrated his 30^th birthday in a suit. Dealing with soreness in his left knee, James missed his second game of the season, and the shorthanded Cavs lost to the Atlanta Hawks, who look like an Eastern Conference contender.

Kyrie Irving did his best to carry the offense, scoring 35 points and dishing out nine assists. Tristan Thompson recorded another double-double, finishing with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Joe Harris scored a career-high 13 points.

But the Hawks' balanced scoring attack proved to be too much as they pulled away late. Paul Millsap had a team-high 26 points, and four other players (Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, Mike Scott and Dennis Schroeder) reached double-figures.

Here are five observations following the Cavs' most recent loss:

True Grit – Going to Atlanta was always going to be a tough challenge for the Cavs. But it was made more difficult when James and Marion couldn't play.

Coach David Blatt was forced to start Matthew Dellavedova. He had to shift Mike Miller to small forward. He lost Kevin Love in the third quarter because of back spasms. His options were limited. And yet the Cavs gave Atlanta all it could handle, taking the game down to the final minute.

One time facing a 17-point deficit in the third quarter, a lesser team might've called it a night. Not the Cavs, who fought their way back into the game, cutting the Hawks lead to two points at one time in the fourth quarter.

They used a small lineup, tough defense and rode the back of Irving on the offensive end. The Cavs fell short, 109-101, but showed toughness and character.

Speaking of Irving, he played his heart out after missing two games with a bone bruise in his left knee. His eight turnovers were costly and there might have been a few instances where his bad habit of dribbling too much proved costly, but he was diving for loose balls, stepping into passing lanes, keeping offensive possessions alive and scoring in a variety of ways. Even while playing a game-high 43 minutes.

He has made a commitment to be more of an all-around player and his effort has been championship-level this season.

On a night when the Cavs weren't the most talented team on the court, a rarity this season, they showed the toughness and togetherness needed when the calendar flips to April and May.

Now if they could just bring that level of play consistently maybe the outside noise would quiet down a bit. They still have plenty of things to figure out internally. Buying into the coach would be a start.

Bench bunch – Despite not having Marion and Dellavedova as part of the second unit, the Cavs' bench outscored Atlanta's, 35-29, and helped Cleveland climb back into the game.

Harris made three triples, en route to a career-high 13 points. James Jones and Dion Waiters added nine points each. Neither player shot very well, each misfiring on seven shots apiece, but gave the effort Blatt has been looking for on the defensive end of the floor.

Jones, known for his sweet shooting stroke, turned into a menace on defense. He had three steals and two blocks while playing power forward in an undersized unit that gave the Hawks trouble for a stretch. He also added three boards.

When a rifleman's trigger is misfiring he needs to find other ways to impact the game, and Jones did that, giving a glimpse of why he is so beloved in the locker room. Perhaps now Blatt will give him more minutes. 

Where is Love? The answer to that question in the second half was in the locker room as he was dealing with back spasms. But even before the back issue, Love was tough to watch.

When he wasn't sitting on the court looking for the official to make a call, failing to get back on defense, he was scraping paint off the Phillips Arena rims and looking perplexed.

It was a night the Cavs needing him to step up and he faded.

Love is playing on a team with high expectations for the first time in his career and has taken on a new role that Miami's Chris Bosh said would take some time to get used to.

Love's jump hook in the lane has abandoned him, he's turning the ball over too much, getting his shot blocked and getting bullied in the post.

For some reason Blatt will not use him in pick-and-pop situations, which helped turn Bosh into Miami's most important piece to their title runs. Blatt definitely needs to find the right way to use the three time All-Star, and hasn't yet, but Love has to take it upon himself as well. He's a supposed superstar that the Cavs paid a steep price to acquire.

The Big Three was put together to help balance the scoring and pick up slack on nights when the Cavs were shorthanded. James has missed two games, and both should've allowed Love to flourish, getting more shots and playing back in a familiar role. Not so much.

In the two games without James, Love is averaging 12.5 points on 6-of-21 shooting.

Some called him overrated while he was in Minnesota. Others said he piled up stats because there was no one else. He had been called a defensive liability. The last one is proving to be true. But it's still too early for me to admit the other two.

Love needs to play better, and has looked nothing like an All-Star. It was alarming enough when Blatt felt it necessary to go without him for the entire fourth quarter against Orlando. 

If he doesn't start turning things around the criticisms he received in Minnesota will grow louder.

Missing Marion – Many around the NBA consider Kyle Korver to be the Hawks' most important player. He is shooting a league-best 51 percent from three-point range and defenses focus so much attention on him that it frees up others.

Korver, who is averaging 12.8 points this season, the second-highest total of his career, scored four total points in the first two meetings between the two teams. Marion's length and athleticism were Korver's kryptonite. Without the lengthy Matrix, Korver got too many good looks, scoring 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including five triples.

He popped free a few different times in the fourth quarter, putting in eight points and not allowing the Cavs to ever take the lead back.

Marion has been uneven offensively, but his defense and versatility was missed on Tuesday night.

Resting James – Plenty of people wanted to see James play against Atlanta, especially because games against the top teams in the NBA are being used as a barometer to see whether the Cavs are truly a title contender. But it's December, and that answer won't come for at least another few months.

I have been hoping the Cavs would limit James' minutes, rest him other nights and sit him when he's feeling less than 100 percent. Even on his birthday, I had no problem with James resting. The Cavs play the second of a back-to-back tomorrow night at The Q and he has carried quite a burden early in the season.

Last Friday, he had to toss the team on his back to get a win against Orlando without Irving. James played a rough game on Sunday against the Pistons, missing 14 of his shot attempts and committing a team-high seven turnovers.

He has played at least 40 minutes in 14 of the 29 games. Last year in Miami, even as the Heat were trying to keep Dywane Wade healthy and rested for the postseason, James played at least 40 minutes 24 times in 77 games.

James, top 5 in minutes played, and Blatt, need to continue to think big picture. It's important that James isn't spent by the time the playoffs roll around. 

The shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers nearly pulled off the upset in Atlanta on Tuesday.

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Cavaliers dropped their second consecutive game on Tuesday, but they didn't do so without a fight.

The Atlanta Hawks, possessing the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, had difficulties putting away the Cavaliers even though they were without LeBron James and Shawn Marion, who were nursing injuries.

Atlanta pushed the lead to 17 two minutes into the third quarter and a sold-out Philips Arena erupted, sensing this was the dagger.

"We just had to persevere and stay the course," the Cavs' Tristan Thompson said. "We were confident all the way through."

Cleveland didn't hit home runs; they went for singles, walks and slowly chipped away at the lead. Guard Kyrie Irving took up the bulk of the scoring load, putting in 22 of his game-high 35 points in the second half.

"I have no choice [but to score]," Irving said. "With guys going down and injuries happening within an NBA season, I've just got be aggressive."

The Cavs' bench players came up big, outscoring their counterparts 35-29. To get back in the game, it took a team effort, and head coach David Blatt went 10 deep. It didn't help that Kevin Love left the game and would not return due to back spasms with 2:12 left in the third quarter.

Now Cleveland was without James, Marion and Love. On Tuesday morning, James called the Hawks the San Antonio Spurs of the Eastern Conference. This was beginning to turn into mission impossible for the Cavaliers.

"We kept fighting until the end," said Irving.

James Jones knocked down a baseline three to trim the deficit to two with 4:31 remaining in the game. Love and James were cheering from the locker room. That's when Atlanta's Paul Millsap had enough, scoring 10 of his team-high 26 points in the final five minutes.

The Cavaliers ran out of gas.

"You compete your heart out, you come within two, within five and gave ourselves a chance to win, but we just couldn't get over the hump," Irving said.

After a poor showing against Detroit on Sunday, Blatt loved his team's fight.

"I really thought we came out and competed," he said. "You saw a team that was together, despite missing 50 percent of our normal rotation."

This is exactly the type of effort folks have been waiting to see on a consistent basis. Thompson sees no reason why they can't continuously give the people what they want.

"That (effort) should be non-negotiable," he said after putting up 18 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. "We should play hard every night regardless who is active or who is inactive. That should be our staple, a team that's going to play hard. With our talent, that's going to help us win a lot of games."

James and Marion are day-to-day, but it is likely they play in tomorrow's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Love was optimistic. He said he dealt with back spasms earlier in the year and was able to play through it and play the next day.

"I'm hoping it's the same thing flying back tomorrow night," Love said. "...We just all need to fight this battle of attrition and get back on the court."

The Cavaliers played hard but the Hawks got the win against their shorthanded opponent 109-101.

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Atlanta Hawks narrowly defeated a shorthanded Cavaliers squad, 109-101, at Philips Arena on Tuesday night.

Cleveland (18-13), loser of two straight, fought hard from beginning to the end, but with LeBron James (left knee soreness) and Shawn Marion (left ankle sprain) out, it was a tall task.

Backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova was inserted into the starting lineup, but it was the other point guard that got things going.

Kyrie Irving returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with a knee bruise and he initiated the charge early on.

He kept the tempo in high gear, not allowing the Hawks defense to get set. Irving controlled the floor and made sure the ball zipped from left to right.

After 15 minutes and Cleveland holding a one-point lead, Irving had 10 points, three rebounds and five assists. Head coach David Blatt went deep into his bench and got quality minutes, using nine players in the first quarter and 10 by halftime.

But the second quarter was where Cleveland went away from its ball movement and settled for contested jump shots. In addition, the Cavs drove wildly to the basket, and ball security became an issue.

The Cavaliers were held to 16 second-quarter points while also committing six turnovers. They faced a 10-point deficit at the break.

Cleveland got its offense back on track led by Irving, who provided 12 of his game-high 35 points in the third. The Cavaliers cut it to five going into the final quarter.

Yet it was Atlanta's Paul Millsap who took over in the fourth by scoring 10 of his 26 points to seal the deal. He also had nine rebounds. Jeff Teague had 23 points and a game-high 11 assists for the Hawks. Kyle Korver added 19 points.

Irving was 13-of-27 from the field and he included six boards and nine assists. Tristan Thompson registered 18 points and a game-high 13 rebounds before fouling out. Rookie Joe Harris added 13 points off the bench.

The Cavaliers didn't get the win, but they never gave up.

Atlanta (23-8) leads the season series 2-1.

Big men out

Kevin Love struggled mightily, going 1-of-8 from the floor to conclude with seven points and seven rebounds. Maybe there was an excuse for his play because toward the end of the third quarter, he went to the locker room with back spasms and would not return.

Hawks center Al Horford was a late scratch, as he was feeling under the weather.

Bench update

Cleveland's bench outscored Atlanta's, 35-29. Dion Waiters and Jones had nine points apiece.

Who's on deck?

Cleveland will host the Milwaukee Bucks for the second time this season Wednesday night. The Cavaliers were victorious over the Bucks 111-108 on Dec. 2.

TCU rode three touchdown passes from Trevone Boykin and a dominant defense.

ATLANTA -- Playing like a team determined to show it should have been included in the four-team playoff, No. 6 TCU rode three touchdown passes from Trevone Boykin and a dominant defense to a 42-3 rout of No. 9 Mississippi in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday.

Josh Doctson had two touchdown catches and Aaron Green ran for a score and added a touchdown reception for the Horned Frogs (12-1).

Ole Miss (9-4) lost four of its last six games. Bo Wallace threw three interceptions, including one caught in the Rebels end zone by defensive end James McFarland for a touchdown.

Late in the third quarter, when the lead was 42-0, TCU fans targeted the No. 1 seed in the playoff when they chanted "We want Bama!"

TCU was ranked No. 3 by the selection committee before crushing Iowa State 55-3 to end the season as Big 12 co-champions. The Horned Frogs were devastated to fall to No. 6 in the final ranking.

What looked like an intriguing matchup of the Ole Miss defense against TCU's high-scoring offense quickly turned into a rout.

TCU played like a championship contender, scoring two touchdowns in each of the first three quarters.

The action was as lopsided as the score. TCU finished with 423 yards and allowed only 129 to Ole Miss. The Rebels were held to 9 yards rushing in the biggest margin of victory in Peach Bowl history.

Ole Miss ranked first in the nation with its average of only 13.8 points allowed. Turnovers and TCU's quick-strike offense were too much to overcome.

Wallace completed only 10 of 23 passes for 109 yards with three interceptions.

The Rebels avoided the shutout when Gary Wunderlich kicked a 27-yard field goal with 7:18 remaining.

Boykin also had turnover problems, as he completed 22 of 31 passes for 187 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He had 10 carries for 65 yards.

There were a combined five turnovers in the first half, including three by TCU. Boykin threw two interceptions and wide receiver David Porter fumbled when trying to pitch to Green on a trick play.

The Rebels, held to four first downs and 59 total yards in the first half, couldn't take advantage of the turnovers.

By contrast, the Horned Frogs turned two Ole Miss turnovers into 14 points. On the Rebels' third snap of the game, a pass from Wallace was picked off by safety Chris Hackett. Two plays later, Kolby Listenbee threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Green.

Late in the half, Wallace tried to avoid a safety when pressured in his end zone by tossing the ball away, but McFarland snatched the ball up before it hit the turf for an instant touchdown and a 28-0 lead.

Wallace was sacked five times in the half.

The rout continued in the third quarter as Boykin threw touchdown passes of 35 yards to Listenbee and 27 yards to Doctson. The scoring catch moved Doctson past Reggie Harrell's team-record total of 1,012 yards receiving in 2003.

The Rebels finally staged an impressive drive late in the third quarter, when they had a first down at the TCU 8. On fourth down from the 7, the shotgun snap went past Wallace, and running back Jordan Wilkins fell on the ball at the 26.

Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil, an all-SEC first-team selection, was taken off the field in a cart late in the first half with an apparent right leg injury. Some TCU players walked over to offer encouragement to Tunsil as he waited for the cart.

Attendance was 65,706, ending the Peach Bowl's streak of 17 consecutive sellouts.

Five reasons the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) will beat the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) on Thursday in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS — Five reasons the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) will beat the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) on Thursday in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

1. Ohio State feels its built to stop Alabama's offense. Buckeyes defensive tackle Michael Bennett, who's become a voice of this team in recent weeks, didn't pull any punches when discussing the Alabama offense.

"This is a zone offense," Bennett said. "They've got a lot of other weapons with them, but this is primarily a zone offense. I feel like we're pretty confident stopping zone offenses."

• 5 reasons Alabama will win

Bennett went on to say he couldn't recall which opponents exactly used a zone scheme against the Buckeyes, only that "there hasn't been a zone team in college football that's been able to handle us so far this season."

Well, there haven't been very many defenses that have stopped Alabama either.

Arkansas and LSU did, but the Tide won both of those games. In its only loss, Alabama's offense wasn't exactly slowed by Ole Miss. Maybe that's why Tide offensive lineman Austin Shepherd had to chuckle a bit when told what Bennett had to say.

"I might be able to say some bulletin board stuff, but I might get in trouble," Shepherd said. "They're confident they can beat us, we're confident that we're gonna beat them. That's just how it goes ... Maybe they see something we don't."

Bennett said the Buckeyes studied how Arkansas and LSU found success against Alabama, and Shepherd described Ohio State as having a "SEC-style defense."

An SEC-style defense that apparently feels it has the recipe for success against Bama's offense.

"Our defense is built off speed and that's how you stop zone offenses: speed and penetration," Bennett said. "That's our game that we love to play, and I can't wait to play it."

2. Tony Lippett. What does Michigan State's leading receiver have to do with Ohio State playing Alabama in the Sugar Bowl? Lippett and the Spartans gave Buckeyes cornerback Doran Grant a stage to show he can cover top receivers.

Stopping Alabama's Heisman Trophy finalist receiver Amari Cooper is a different animal. And we all know what Sammy Watkins did to Ohio State the last time the Buckeyes played in a bowl game.

But this pass defense is different, and Grant is confident.

"I'm looking forward to it, especially on the Sugar Bowl stage," Grant said. "He's the most complete offensive player we've gone against as a defensive unit. It's going to be a great challenge."

View full sizeOhio State cornerback Doran Grant intercepts a pass against Rutgers.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

He wouldn't say if Ohio State would use the same strategy it used against Lippett, when the Buckeyes deviated from their normal boundary and field alignment with their corners and had Grant shadow Lippett all night. Lippett had one of his least productive games that night — five catches, 64 yards, 0 touchdowns — in the Buckeyes' win.

Cooper could probably double the catches and yards and Meyer would still be happy because that would be worlds better than Ohio State was against Watkins last year.

"That's challenge number one," Meyer said of stopping Cooper. "We're better.  We're more equipped. (Co-defensive coordinator) Chris Ash has done a very nice job and obviously it's the players, but we're very systematic on the back end right now and that's going to be key to where he's at."

3. Cardale to Devin. It worked against Wisconsin, and Ohio State will take its shots against Alabama.

The Tide gave up pass plays of 68, 42, 35 and 34 yards against Auburn, two of those for touchdowns, as the Tigers went for 456 yards through the air. In the SEC Championship, Missouri receiver Jimmie Hunt had six catches for 169 yards against the Tide.

"We're just trying to execute in practice because we give up big plays from time to time," Tide cornerback Eddie Jackson said.

That must be music to the ears of Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones and deep-ball receiver Devin Smith. Smith has made a career out of long touchdowns, and when he scores, Ohio State has never lost.

"The thing that we tout ourselves on is we're not going to change no matter who we play," Smith said. "So we're going to keep taking our shots and we know that's a weakness on their defense and we're going to attack their weakness."

4. This isn't week two and Ohio State's offensive line is better. If this game was played in September, it's likely the Buckeyes "would be be embarrassed," as offensive tackle Taylor Decker put it.

Alabama has superior depth on the defensive line, more than any team Ohio State has faced this year, but the Buckeyes are confident up front after a season of gelling and developing chemistry.

"It's intangibles more than anything," Decker said. "Confidence and chemistry are the two biggest things that have gone into this offensive line's growth. If you're not confident, you're not gonna explode off the ball fast, you're not gonna be instinctual out there." 

View full sizeOhio State kicker Sean Nuernberger says he's confident heading into the Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

5. Sean Nuernberger says he's still confident. Yes, he has to say that. But when speaking to Ohio State's freshman kicker at Sugar Bowl media day at the Superdome on Tuesday, he didn't seem like a kid who's confidence was shot over being seldom used this season.

If Ohio State wants to beat Alabama, the Buckeyes may very well need a few field goals against a defense that hasn't allowed very many red zone touchdowns.

"Missed field goals, stuff like that you can't have that stuff in these type of close championship games," Nuernberger told cleveland.com "It kind of ups the importance of every single kick. When you're winning by a couple touchdowns, every field goal isn't as important as it will be in this game here when every point counts."

The Buckeyes may have the edge in the kicking game with Alabama kicker Adam Griffith reportedly dealing with a nagging back problem. And Ohio State may have a few more chances for three points.

The Tide is first in the nation in opponent red zone touchdown percentage, allowing opponents to get in the end zone on just 37 percent of their trips. Because of that, Alabama has allowed a lot of field goal attempts: 23. Only 21 of the 128 teams in FBS have given up more attempts.

Urban Meyer likes to play for touchdowns, but there's no such thing as style points in this game. Nuerenberger, who's 11-of-18 on field goal attempts with a long of 49 yards, said he's ready.

"I'm feeling pretty good right now, hitting the ball very well" Nuernberger said. "Once you get to these championship games you're playing better teams, so every single way you can get points, you've got to get them."

Brandywine will be the last of the three Cleveland-area ski resorts to open. Alpine Valley, in Geauga County, opens today at 5 p.m.; Boston Mills, just south of Brandywine, opens New Year's Day at 9 a.m.

Sagamore Hills Township – Brandywine Ski Resort in northern Summit County will open for the season on Friday, Jan. 2 – with 16 straight hours of snowy fun, from 9 a.m. until 1 a.m. Saturday morning.

A day pass, good from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., is $43; a late-night pass, for skiing from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m., is $28 ($20 with a college ID).

Brandywine will be the last of the three Cleveland-area ski resorts to open. Alpine Valley, in Geauga County, opens today at 5 p.m.; Boston Mills, just south of Brandywine, opens New Year's Day at 9 a.m. No opening dates for the Polar Blast tubing parks – at Brandywine and Alpine Valley – have been announced.

All three resorts are owned by Missouri-based Peak Resorts.

For complete hours and prices: bmbw.com and alpinevalleyohio.com

The Internet is abuzz over a video clip that some are saying includes LeBron James talking to Dwyane Wade about the two reuniting down the road.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --  An Internet video making the rounds Wednesday has fans speculating whether LeBron James told Dwyane Wade that "if things aren't better this year, we're gonna reunite again and do some bigger and better things, all right?"

James insists it's not what you think.

The exchange between James and Wade, close friends and former teammates with the Miami Heat, occurred following the Cavaliers' loss in Miami on Christmas Day.

The sound - most of which is not clear - was picked up by ABC TV cameras immediately following the game, when James and Wade shared an embrace. The Internet erupted Wednesday over the clip with speculation -- however unwarranted -- that the discussion was a part of James plotting a reunion with Wade on the same team.

Asked Wednesday what he had said to Wade, James said: "I've seen the clip just like you've seen the clip. I don't know exactly what I said at the beginning, either.

"I know I said, 'We'll get back together and do some bigger and better things,' but it had nothing to do about basketball," James said, prior to the Cavaliers' home game against Milwaukee. James will not play, again resting his sore knee.

"I mean, if was going to tell him that, I'd tell him the night before," James said. Come on, guys. I'm not stupid. I know I didn't go to college but I'm not stupid. I wouldn't say that on Christmas with a hundred cameras around. I would have told him the night before at his house."

And here is the original YouTube video from the NBA's channel:

Another James departure from Cleveland is still considered by most to be highly unlikely, perhaps unfathomable, given his emotional return to the region where he was born and where he played his first seven seasons.

James called such talk "outlandish", and said his conversation with Wade definitely had nothing to do with it.

"It had nothing to do with leaving here and reuniting with him," James said. "It had everything to do with just talking about other things more than just basketball. Everybody gets so involved in basketball, our friendship, obviously, you guys know is bigger than basketball. So, you know, our last four years couldn't be bigger and better even if we did get back together. But, whatever. It's crazy."

This story was updated with additional information.

Alabama's move to an up-tempo offensive look this season, big guys on the defensive line, a running game helped by offensive balance and a great punter also will help the Tide's cause.

NEW ORLEANS -- Five reasons the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) will beat the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) on Thursday in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

1. Is this a real Alabama defense? What's the standard for defense at Alabama? Since Nick Saban got the Tide rolling in his second year in 2008, Alabama has ranked seventh, second, third, first, first, fourth and now, this season, third in the nation in points allowed.

"The standard for us is to force turnovers, stop the run and not give up big plays," Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said. "We haven't always done that. We want to hold teams to 13 points or less, which is a really tough goal in this day and age of college football. With the numbers going up, we never changed what our standard is. We hold every defense to the same standard we held the best defense to."

And Alabama has often had the best defense. That's a high bar in an age of offensive explosions.

• 5 reasons Ohio State will win

"That doesn't mean we change," Smart said. "You've got to leave your goals where they are, or you're sacrificing things we don't think you should sacrifice."

This season was seen as a step back for Bama's defensive ways. Alabama shut out Florida Atlantic and Texas A&M, and held Southern Miss, Arkansas, LSU, West Carolina and Missouri to under 20 points. Overall, Alabama allowed 16.6 points per game, compared to 21.2 points for Ohio State's defense.

This game hinges on the Alabama defense. If it plays like one of the best Alabama defenses, the Tide may roll. If not, the Buckeyes' offense, averaging 45.2 points per game and ranked fifth in the country, could take over.

The biggest questions for Alabama arise from what happened in its 55-44 win over Auburn a month ago, the offense most like what the Buckeyes do. Quarterback Nick Marshall threw for more than 400 yards and beat the Tide deep more than once, while also keeping plays alive with his feet.

"I think it woke our kids up," Smart said. "They realize they got exposed."

If Alabama plays like that, the Buckeyes may go crazy. If Alabama plays like an Alabama defense, Alabama should win.

View full sizeOffensive coordinator Lane Kiffin uses an up-tempo offense to help quarterback Blake Sims and to help the Alabama defense get ready for teams like Ohio State.Gerald Herbert, Associated Press 

2. Up tempo helps both sides: In years past, Saban complained about up-tempo offenses. And going fast wasn't part of the Alabama package.

If that was still the case this year, Ohio State's no-huddle, often up-tempo attack could have been a huge problem for the Tide. And it still may be.

But they are used to it now, because first-year offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin uses a "fastball" package that works well for quarterback Blake Sims and also gives the Alabama defense a regular look against first-string offensive talent moving quickly in practice.

Kiffin said he gets the credit for the faster look, but really it was Saban who wanted to push the pace when he was interviewing for a new coordinator.

"He kept saying, 'I want to play faster, I want to give defenses more issues,'' Kiffin said. "He has seen the issues it has caused him on defense. That's a total credit to him for adjusting."

So now Alabama will go first-team offense vs. first-team defense in practice and run eight straight plays with only five seconds between them, or run four straight quick ones to simulate a series.

"If you don't go fast on offense, the only way to simulate it for your defense is the scout team," Kiffin said. "But we'll go against them as fast as we can with different stuff, so they have to adjust vs. good players and vs. speed, which they say helps."

Smart said Alabama always had some up-tempo looks to help the defense in practice, the offense just never used it in games. But there was a difference this year. And that helped Smart emphasize to his players they have to get lined up quickly.

"Not all defensive players have a sense of urgency to them," Smart said. "You've got to get back quick and you've got to emphasize that. If you get lined up, you've got a fighting chance. Ohio State, we have no question they are going to go up-tempo. Every team has done it. It has been our Achilles heel, our kryptonite. But we have tried to answer that by practicing it more."

Expect Sims and the Alabama offense to hit Ohio State with some fastball offense. And expect the Crimson Tide defense to be more prepared for an attack like Ohio State's than it used to be.

3. The big guys on the D line: One specific aspect of the Alabama defense to watch is the rotation on the defensive line. Several Buckeyes said what stood out most was the Crimson Tide's size and depth up front. That could be an issue for running back Ezekiel Elliott and an OSU offensive line that has been playing well.

"They are big up front, I mean really big," OSU offensive coordinator Tom Herman said. "And they don't just have one group of them. They play nine or 10 defensive linemen. That stood out to me, not only the size of them, but they fact they had backups that were just as big and as good, and backups to the backups that were just as good and as big."

Smart said size doesn't do any good when offenses attack with perimeter runs and bubble screens, which is exactly what Ohio State could do. The Buckeyes may really work the jet sweep with Jalin Marshall and maybe Dontre Wilson. But the Tide big guys are pretty athletic, too.

"What does that big behemoth matter? That's the tough thing," Smart said. "You've got to be able to run. I wouldn't trade our guys for anybody in the country, but they've got to play well, they've to be in shape and we've got to play a lot of them."

It's good they have a lot of them, beginning with starters Jonathan Allen (6-foot-3, 272 pounds), A'Shawn Robinson (6-4, 320) and Jarran Reed (6-4, 315).

Alabama junior running back T.J. Yeldon is expected to play Thursday despite a hamstring injury and he should be helped by Alabama's offensive balance.Gerald Herbert, Associated Press 

How did the Tide get so many of them?

Said Smart: "You recruit. You recruit hard. And you keep recruiting."

4. T.J. Yeldon and run game helped by balance: Saban said Wednesday that his junior running back, who averaged 5.1 yards per carry and 78 yards per game this season, will be  game-time decision with an ankle injury. But Yeldon expects to play, and figure that he's right.

With Yeldon, sophomore Derrick Henry (5.6 yards per carry and 69 yards per game) and freshman Tyren Jones (6.2 yards per carry in a limited role) the Tide expects to run on Ohio State, even though the Buckeyes stuffed Wisconsin and Melvin Gordon, the nation's best back, in the Big Ten Championship.

"Melvin Gordon is a great back, but he didn't really have too much help outside," Yeldon said, before ticking off the list of Alabama receiving talent that starts with Amari Cooper, the best pass catcher in the country. "They can't just pack the box with us, because they have to worry about the guys outside.

"If a team is one dimensional, anybody can stop them just by stacking the box."

Yeldon, a 6-foot-2, 221-pounder with speed and vision, is a dangerous cutback runner, so if the Buckeyes have to protect against the pass game, he could make individual defenders in pursuit pay the price. And while the Buckeyes faced great backs like Gordon and Indiana's Tevin Coleman this year, those teams had virtually no quarterback threat. Alabama's Blake Sims is sixth in the nation in passer rating, and Yeldon said Kiffin as the offensive coordinator is great at bouncing between run, pass and play-action pass calls.

5. An edge in the punt game: For the first time this season, Ohio State may not have the better punter. And for two coaches who pound home the importance of special teams, a final swing based on field position or a big play in the return game wouldn't be a shock.

Alabama averages 47 yards per punt, which ranks second in the nation. Ohio State averages 45.1 yards, which ranks sixth.

Crimson Tide freshman JK Scott has pinned opponents inside the 20-yardline 54 percent of the time, on 26 of 48 punts, while Johnston has done it 22 times in 39 punts, or 56 percent of the time.

"A punter can influence a game tremendously," Scott said. "Just one punt inside the 5-yardline can change the momentum completely. If you can control field position, you can give your team an advantage."

The Buckeyes know that. They have the best field position differential in the nation, maybe the key stat of their season. But Scott and the Bama special teams should negate that.

Johnston has been a force for the Buckeyes and was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award as the nation's best punter.

"I've seen some film on him," Scott said. "He's a good punter. He can hit them."

But Scott was on of three Guy finalists.

"I feel like I've done my job to the best of my ability," Scott said. "(Saban) does appreciate a good punter who can flip the field."

He helped change Alabama's 25-20 win over Mississippi State on Nov. 15, when he pinned a punt inside the 5 and the Crimson Tide got a safety on the next play for the first points of the game.

One more edge for Alabama. Johnston is from Australia, while Scott, a Denver native, said his maternal grandparents, Bob and Deb Shuler, live in the Cleveland area.

"So shoutout to my grandparents," Scott said.

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on the game between the Cavs and Bucks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to bounce back after Tuesday night’s loss when the Milwaukee Bucks come to town on New Year’s Eve.

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on the game in the comments section below.

Make sure you're following Chris as well as Chris Haynes and Joe Vardon on Twitter.

Game 32: Cavs (18-13) vs. Bucks (16-16)

Tip off: 7 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM

Cavs probable starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, Matthew Dellavedova, Mike Miller, Tristan Thompson and Brendan Haywood.

Bucks probable starting lineup: Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton, Gianni Antetokounmpo, Johnny O’Bryant and Zaza Pachulia.

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here to get updates and comment.

Several thousand fans attend the Buckeye Bash, a rally before the Ohio State-Alabama Sugar Bowl game in New Orleans

New Orleans, LA -- Several thousand Ohio State fans attended the Buckeye Bash rally that included former players from the 2002 National Championship team, OSU President Michael Drake, and two-time Heisman trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Ohio State cheerleaders and the marching band were also on hand to rev up the crowd, anxious to see the Buckeyes battle against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.

View a gallery of images by Plain Dealer photographers Chuck Crow and Marvin Fong

St. Vincent-St. Mary boys basketball withstood a 22-point fourth quarter by St. Ignatius in the win.

St. Vincent-St. Mary boys basketball withstood a 22-point fourth quarter by St. Ignatius in the win.

LeBron James will miss his second straight game for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night because of soreness in his left knee, and may be out even longer.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James missed his second straight game on Wednesday night because of soreness in his left knee, and may be out even longer.

"It's been hurting pretty much all year," James said, prior to the Cavaliers' home game against the Milwaukee Bucks. "I've been playing with it. It goes away and comes back."

James said "tests" run on his sore knee have come back "negative," and a team official told the Northeast Ohio Media Group that James has had multiple MRI scans done this season, including on his knee.

The Cavaliers superstar has also suffered from a sore back, right elbow, and hip this season. He turned 30 on Tuesday night, when he sat out a Cavs' loss in Atlanta.

James missed his first game on Dec. 11 against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of knee soreness, and re-aggravated the left knee on Christmas Day in Miami when he jumped over the first few rows along the baseline.

James left the game in the third quarter against Miami, but returned and was able to finish the game. He said he doesn't know right now if he will be able to play in Charlotte on Friday night or even Sunday afternoon against the Dallas Mavericks.

"Not going to do much on the court for me right now," James said. "Try to continue to keep the swelling going down and get it stronger as well. A little bit of everything." 

James, in his 12th pro season, is averaging 37.5 minutes, 25.2 points, 7.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 29 games this season.

"I have 41,000 minutes in my career, including the playoffs," he said. "You drive that car in the winter time and see what happens."

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Joe Vardon contributed information to this story.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be shorthanded when they host the Milwaukee Bucks at Quicken Loans Arena for the final game of 2014.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will be shorthanded when they host the Milwaukee Bucks at Quicken Loans Arena for the final game of 2014.

LeBron James, Kevin Love and Shawn Marion will all sit out. 

James, who admitted on Wednesday night, that he has been dealing with soreness in his left knee all season, will miss his second straight game with the injury. He doesn't believe it's too serious, but also is still unaware of his status for Friday night's game in Charlotte as well as Sunday at home against Dallas. 

"He's going through tests to determine where his difficulties are coming from," David Blatt said of James' injury. "He and the staff are doing everything they can to get him back on his feet. I think we're going to have to take it out another day before we give any specific answers."

Love exited Tuesday's loss against the Hawks with back spasms in the third quarter and never returned. 

"He didn't come in feeling particularly well," Blatt said before the game.

Love struggled to a 1-of-8 shooting night before exiting the game. Wednesday night will mark the first game missed for Love in 2014-15. He missed five games last season in Minnesota. 

Marion, who has been serving as the stabilizer for Blatt's second unit, will miss his second straight game. He originally tweaked his ankle Sunday evening in the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons. Marion returned to the game in the second half, but admitted that decision probably wasn't wise. 

The Cavs are already without Anderson Varejao, who is out for the remainder of the season with a torn left Achilles. It has forced Blatt to shuffle his lineup.

"Right now it's about who is going to be out there," Blatt said. "That's the nature of professional sports. Guys are going to have physical problems due to the schedule and the number of games. You have to approach each and every game with the desire and commitment to win. When you miss players the stature of LeBron James it gets a lot more difficult. You lose a player like Andy, your starting center, it's going to make it tough. You deal with it. The guys that are out there are the guys that have to perform and dedicate themselves to winning a basketball game."

Blatt will start Kyrie Irving, Matthew Dellavedova, Mike Miller, Tristan Thompson and Brendan Haywood against the Bucks, who are also not at full strength. 

The surprising Bucks will play Wednesday's game without Jerryd Bayless (knee), Jabari Parker (knee), Larry Sanders (illness) and Ersan Ilyasova (concussion).

Jay Ajayi ran for 134 yards and three touchdowns and No. 21 Boise State made a late defensive stand to hold off No. 12 Arizona 38-30 in the Fiesta Bowl on Wednesday.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Jay Ajayi ran for 134 yards and three touchdowns and No. 21 Boise State made a late defensive stand to hold off No. 12 Arizona 38-30 in the Fiesta Bowl on Wednesday.

Boise State (12-2) raced to a 21-0 lead in the opening 10 minutes behind a string of big plays before allowing Arizona to claw its way back.

The Wildcats marched quickly down the field in the closing seconds, but Kamalei Correa sacked Anu Solomon at the 10 on the final play.

Grant Hedrick threw for 309 yards and a touchdown, helping the Broncos cap a successful first season under coach Bryan Harsin with their third Fiesta Bowl victory.

Arizona (10-4) fell flat in the Pac-12 Championship against Oregon in its previous game and labored early against the Broncos. The Wildcats rallied, but had trouble finishing drives, settling for three field goals after driving deep into Boise State's end.

Solomon threw for 335 yards and a touchdown, but had two interceptions that led to touchdowns for Boise State.

Of all the non-playoff bowls, the Fiesta had one of the most intriguing matchups.

Boise State made a name for itself at the Fiesta Bowl, trick-playing its way past Oklahoma in 2007 and knocking off previously unbeaten TCU to finish 14-0 in 2010.

The Broncos made their way back to the desert by winning eight straight games under Harsin, who replaced Chris Petersen after he left for Washington.

Arizona won bowl games its first two seasons under Rich Rodriguez and took a big step this season, winning the Pac-12 South Division to earn a spot in an upper-tier bowl for the first time since the 1994 Fiesta Bowl.

Adding to the intrigue, the Broncos and Wildcats have two of the nation's most prolific offenses, setting up what was expected to be a wild game.

It certainly lived up to the billing at the start.

The big-play Broncos burst out of the gate with long touchdowns on their first two drives: a 56-yard touchdown run by Ajayi and a 57-yard TD hookup between Hedrick and Chaz Anderson.

No Fiesta Bowl with Boise State would be complete without a Statue of Liberty play, so the Broncos did that, too. It came much earlier than usual, but was just as damaging.

Ajayi scored on it, running left and stiff-arming Arizona cornerback Cam Denson to the ground for a 16-yard touchdown that left two Arizona players injured and the Wildcats down 21-0 before the first quarter was over.

Arizona was finally able catch its breath and marched in for a 1-yard touchdown dive by Solomon.

But just when the Wildcats looked like they were back in it, Solomon threw an interception, setting up the Broncos with a short field. Ajayi cashed in, running around left end and diving for the pylon on a 1-yard TD run that made it 28-7.

Nick Wilson scored on a 1-yard run in the second quarter, but Boise State still led 31-17 at halftime after Hedrick completed 17 of 18 passes for 272 yards.

Boise State had 2 yards on 14 plays in the third quarter, but took an 18-point lead when Donte Deayon returned Solomon's second interception 16 yards for a touchdown.

Solomon made up for it right after that, scrambling to the right before finding Samjie Grant for a 51-yard touchdown strike that made it 38-27 heading into the fourth quarter.

Arizona cut it to eight on Casey Skowron's third field goal, from 32 yards, but couldn't finish off its final two drives.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Plain Dealer photographer Gus Chan is at Quicken Loans Arena as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Milwaukee Bucks. Check back for all the action.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Plain Dealer photographer Gus Chan is at Quicken Loans Arena as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Milwaukee Bucks. Check back for all the action.

Ari, Doug and Bill provide their outrageous predictions for Ohio State's Sugar Bowl matchup with Alabama.

NEW ORLEANS – It's been almost a month since Ohio State played a game, which means we haven't been wrong for a while.

It has been kind of nice. 

But in a game like Ohio State vs. Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, one where anything can happen, it's an even better forum for outrageous predictions. This time you may hope we're wrong. 

So without further wait, below are our outrageous predictions. 

Doug Lesmerises says Alabama QB Blake Sims will rush for at least 80 yards

Ohio State's defensive line is as good as any that Alabama has faced this season, so Joey Bosa, Michael Bennett and the Buckeyes will get pressure on Sims. And there will be times when Sims gets away. Expect at least one big run, as the Buckeyes cover the Bama receivers, and a couple of other times when Sims gets away and keeps some drives moving.

Ohio State said they haven't faced a dual-threat quarterback like Sims this year, comparing him to Braxton Miller. He's not quite Miller as a runner, but he can move. And he doesn't really look to run, but expect he'll have chances he has to take. His high this year is 54 rushing yards on four carries in Alabama's best game of the year, a 59-0 drubbing of Texas A&M. His career high in a game is 74 yards in 2011 - when he was still a running back. 

The guess is he hits 80 rushing yards against the Buckeyes, and they are big yards that keep the Tide rolling.

Ari Wasserman says Jalin Marshall will throw at least 5 passes 

Though we've seen Marshall in the Wildcat a little this year we've been waiting to see him fully unleashed – in other words, throw passes out of the formation. 

The Buckeyes have expressed great trust in Cardale Jones, who is making only his second career start vs. Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, but let's not forget that Marshall has been taking reps as Ohio State's backup quarterback.

That means Marshall has also had a long time to improve and there has been plenty of time to add in more packages for him, ones Alabama doesn't have on tape. 

So while it may seem doubtful that Marshall is ever going to throw multiple passes in a game, if it is ever going to happen, it's going to be now. The Buckeyes want to find a way to keep Alabama's swarming defense off balance, and Marshall may be the man for the job. 

Bill Landis says Devin Smith will score a touchdown but Ohio State will still lose

Ohio State is going to throw the deep ball against Alabama. The Crimson Tide have been susceptible to that at points this year, and Smith is the man for the job. It's a good plan for Ohio State. The Buckeyes are 21-0 when Smith scores a touchdown.

I think Smith has to score for Ohio State to be in the game, but (spoiler alert for game picks) I don't think the Buckeyes will win the game.

Smith will have his openings, but the Tide will be too much for Ohio State. More on that tomorrow.