Following a second consecutive loss on Tuesday to the Detroit Pistons, head coach David Blatt questioned the team's toughness and James questioned their hunger.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - LeBron James continues to not mince words when discussing the Cleveland Cavaliers' lack of execution and effort over the last few games.

After morning shootaround on Thursday in preparation for tonight's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, James explained where this unleashing of his tongue originated and how it pays dividends.

"I think being in Miami, the best thing about our team was that you could say whatever you wanted to say, when you wanted to say it right then and there, and no one took it personal," he said.

"You may be mad at that guy for a few days or whatever the case may be, but it never affected what we did out there on the floor, because we only had one common goal and that was to win. That's all that mattered. So when you realize stuff like that, you realize it's not about you and it's never about you. It's about the big picture."

Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' second consecutive loss on Tuesday to the Detroit Pistons, head coach David Blatt questioned the team's toughness and James questioned their hunger.

The Cavaliers have developed a tendency of allowing inferior opponents to hang around far too long in games. Their talent has overcome some of that complacency. But Milwaukee and Detroit showed that if you continue to play with fire, you get burned on occasion.

On Wednesday the team did not practice, but it went through an extensive film session. James said Blatt let loose.

"Coach Blatt got on us pretty well," he said. "Rightfully so, which he should have and we spent about 45 minutes in the film room. Yesterday was definitely not a day off. It was day off from the court, but not from us preparing and still getting better."

The defensive breakdowns, the sloppiness, the lack of effort were all highlighted.

"Film doesn't lie," James said. "It tells the truth every single time. So when you think you were in the right position or when you think you were playing hard, or you think you did the right thing, it'll tell you right then and there if you thought you were doing it or not.

"It was great to actually watch the film from the last two games to see some of the mistakes we made. Some of the mental and fundamental and nasty mistakes that we were making like, 'Why would you do that?' mistakes. [It's] stuff we can clean up."

Even though the Cavaliers are going through their first rocky patch of the season, they're still tied for first in the Eastern Conference standings with the Chicago Bulls at 8-3. At times, James has had to remind himself that they're playing without the injured Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert.

"It's been challenging," James said of the absent teammates, "but at the same time, it shouldn't take away from the guys that's in uniform. We need to come out and play with a little bit more sense of urgency."

James and Blatt appear to be on the same page and harping the same message. That wasn't always the case last year. 

"He does his job, as great as any coach can do in this league," James said. "It's up for us to go out and produce."

LeBron James is doing his best to prevent a repeat of the post-2007 NBA Finals hangover.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Everyone has been a witness to LeBron James' impatience with his Cavaliers teammates this season.

It's a direct contrast to the easygoing approach he took a year ago. The shift started in the exhibition season. Sensing a loose atmosphere and lackadaisical attitude on the team, he initiated a team meeting to redirect the focus and reiterate what's at stake.

He was setting the tone.

The four-time MVP and two-time champion is doing his best to prevent a repeat of the post-2007 NBA Finals hangover during his first time with the Cavs.

The overwhelming opinion is that the Cavaliers will make their second straight Finals appearance. The common belief is the inferior Eastern Conference is not capable of knocking off the James-led Cavaliers in a seven-game series.

Cleveland is loaded with versatile talent. When healthy, it'll be the deepest team James has ever suited up for. But, it's insignificant if the drive, hunger and attention to detail are absent.

In '07, the Cavaliers advanced to The Finals, but were swept by the more experienced San Antonio Spurs. The scars collected would translate into a battle-tested, talented group moving forward.

Or that was the thought.

Cleveland never made it back. The next three years went like this: a conference semifinals loss in seven to Boston; a conference finals loss to Orlando in six; and a semifinals exit in six to Boston.

Nothing is promised, even in the NBA's cupcake conference. Milwaukee, with its length and youth, will be a matchup problem for anybody. Despite Tom Thibodeau's departure, Chicago still plays stifling defense, and that should keep them in most games.

Miami, Atlanta and Indiana are taking notes, observing how everyone is overlooking them.

"They're (media) supposed to hype up a team, they're supposed to downplay a team. It's on us to get to where we have to get," Indiana's Paul George told cleveland.com on Nov. 8. "We're the ones out there playing the game. We're the ones that have to go through a whole season. So who's going to get the last laugh when we are in The Finals or in the conference finals playing against the Cavs or whoever else? It's all up to us."

The Cavaliers were preseason favorites to win the 2016 NBA title, but they have work to do in the meantime, and that's the message James has been sending with his blunt, truthful criticisms.

Cleveland should be fine. A team that is under attack with a 9-3 record is a situation most general managers would dream of. It was only a two-game losing streak in November; it's far from panic time.

It's alerting time.

The Cavaliers went on a three-year Finals hiatus after their '07 appearance. A duplication of that is highly unlikely, but James doesn't want to risk it. This team doesn't have downtime to spare.

The Buckeyes are a two-touchdown favorite in the top 10 matchup with a 3:30 kickoff in Ohio Stadium on Saturday. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State hasn't beaten Michigan State in Columbus since 2007.

Seems like a long time, but the Buckeyes and Spartans have only played in Ohio Stadium once since then. Remember, Ohio State and Michigan State have only been in the same division for two years - Legends and Leaders had them on opposite sides of the conference.

So the only Spartan-Buckeye showdown in the Shoe in the last seven years was the first Big Ten game of the 2011 season, which may as well be 10,000 years ago.

Ohio State's leading rusher that day? Jordan Hall, who got 18 carries compared to five for Carlos Hyde.

Ohio State's two leading receivers that day? Chris Fields and Verlon Reed.

The starting quarterback? Well, that was Braxton Miller. But he struggled so much, he had to be replaced by Joe Bauserman in the fourth quarter so the Buckeyes wouldn't be shut out. Miller, a true freshman, finished 5 of 10 for 56 yards with an interception, while Bauserman relieved him and wound up 7 of 14 for 87 yards, with a touchdown pass in the final 10 seconds that avoided Ohio State's first home shutout since 1982.

That 10-7 Michigan State win was just four years ago. 

Things will be a bit different Saturday when the Buckeyes host Michigan State at 3:30 p.m. Here's what we picked, with the No. 3 Buckeyes 14-point favorites over the No. 9 Spartans.

Doug Lesmerises picks Ohio State 35, Michigan State 24

Michigan State's secondary is a little healthier and more settled than it has been all year, so the Spartans should make this competitive for a while. The Spartans have issues, but it also makes sense that this could be the best the Spartans will play in a season without much continuity because of those injuries.

Remember, while it took a last-play miracle for Michigan State to beat Michigan, the Spartans did outgain Michigan 386 yards to 230 while making twice as many first downs. 

If quarterback Connor Cook is healthy, Michigan State can win this game. But that's an if. And we certainly could see the best Ohio State team we've seen all season as well.

Ari Wasserman picks Ohio State 31, Michigan State 16

Michigan State keeps insisting that Connor Cook is healthy, but I'm not sure I believe it. Even if he is, the talent gap between the two teams in deeply in Ohio State's favor, which is why I see the Buckeyes covering the 13-point spread. 

Ohio State hasn't played in a big game all season, but this could be the game that reminds the college football world what the Buckeyes actually are. They showed the world last year vs. Michigan State, why not again? 

My outrageous prediction is that Ezekiel Elliott would have a Heisman moment and rush for 265 yards. If that comes true, it's hard to imagine the Buckeyes won't win this game on their home field comfortably. 

Bill Landis picks Ohio State 42, Michigan State 20

This is a pretty big margin of victory considering the way Ohio State has been playing this season. I envision the Buckeyes tacking on a late touchdown.

Like Doug said, if Cook is completely healthy, the Spartans can win. This pick goes with the thinking that Cook is not 100 percent and the Spartans defense is not what it was last year. There are certain things the Buckeyes need to do on offense to get into a position to win another championship, throwing the ball is on the top of that list.

Against a pass defense ranked No. 86 in the country, Barrett and the offense start to get on track at the right time and get a win in the biggest game of the season.

Season

Straight up: Ari (10-0), Bill (10-0), Doug (9-1)

Against the spread: Ari (6-4), Bill (5-5), Doug (4-6)

Get all your questions ready and talk Cleveland sports live at 1 p.m.

Talk Cleveland sports with Dennis Manoloff during his weekly podcast today at 1 p.m.Allison Carey/The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get your questions ready and join the Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff today at 1 p.m. as he talks Cleveland sports.

DMan and I will talk about the decision to start Johnny Manziel. We'll also talk about LeBron's approach with his teammates and the Indians offseason.

Jump in the comments to ask your questions and talk along with us.

Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' win, Chris Haynes, Joe Vardon and Chris Fedor recapped the game and talked about whether the Cavs' performance was more symbolic of how they need to play moving forward. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After a pair of frustrating losses, the Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back with a 115-100 win against the Milwaukee Bucks, getting revenge after Saturday's double overtime defeat. 

The Cavs didn't have Mo Williams, and Timofey Mozgov didn't play in the second half, showing the "next man up" philosophy.

Following the win, Chris Haynes, Joe Vardon and I recapped the game and talked about whether the Cavs' performance was more symbolic of how they need to play moving forward. We also talked about Anderson Varejao's second half lift and whether his performance, nine points in 11 minutes, will earn him more opportunities. 

"We communicate with Ohio State. Who thinks we weren't communicating with Ohio State?" Coney asked. "As a matter of fact, we just talked to Coach (Larry) Johnson a few days ago. Coach (Johnson) and Rashan text all the time." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Five-star defensive end Rashan Gary of Paramus (N.J.) Catholic begins his official visit to Mississippi on Friday, next weekend he's taking one to Auburn and in January he's going to USC. 

Given he's already visited Michigan, Gary, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2016 recruiting class, only has one more official visit available. Who is still in the mix for that final spot? 

* Rashan Gary: Seeing the top-rated '16 prospect up close explains why he's Ohio State's ideal defensive lineman

"It's more than one, I'm afraid to say," Jennifer Coney, Gary's mother, told cleveland.com. "I want to say Notre Dame, Kentucky, Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia ... I don't know what we're going to do." 

There's no question Ohio State has been seemingly trending downward in the race for Gary. Expert recruiting analysts haven't included the Buckeyes as a realistic destination for the 6-foot-5, 293-pounder. 

But when Coney was asked if the Buckeyes were still alive for Gary, she was taken back by the notion that it's even a question or that they weren't communicating with the Buckeyes. 

"We communicate with Ohio State. Who thinks we weren't communicating with Ohio State?" Coney asked. "As a matter of fact, we just talked to Coach (Larry) Johnson a few days ago. Coach (Johnson) and Rashan text all the time."

In a recent interview, Gary was listing off programs in which he's still very interested, and Ohio State wasn't one of the ones he listed. Coney said that's because he's a kid who's excited about the process and it probably accidentally slipped his mind. 

"Just because he's not screaming Ohio State, doesn't mean he isn't interested in Ohio State," Coney said. "He doesn't acknowledge all of his schools. I don't think it means anything. Remember, Rashan is a kid. He's a kid. I try to block him from the stress and the pressure, I do, but it's getting serious now." 

Coney said the biggest misconception people are making is relating Gary's interest level based on which official visits he takes. But she said that it's entirely possible that Gary chooses a school that didn't get an official visit. 

"Just because we only have five officials doesn't mean we can't go and look at other schools," Coney said. "We just want to visit our options and Rashan is blessed to have many options. We're not just going do Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe. And just because we can't take an official doesn't mean we can't go see the school.

"For example, Clemson. We want to go to Clemson, but I don't know if we're taking an official there because my brother lives 15 minutes away. We can stay at my brother's, use the family car, spend the day at Clemson, go back to my brother's house and do it again. 

"We're just trying to use all of our options. When Rashan makes this decision, he's going to be fully informed. It's not like Ohio State isn't in the mix. We may stop by Ohio on the way to Notre Dame. ... Official visits are about financial convenience for Rashan, so we have to make the best of that." 

Enjoy reading about Gary for the next week or so. 

Because in DEcember, Coney and her son are going underground. 

"He's taking off the entire month of December," Coney said. "He has the ACTs he has to prepare for and the the holidays, we just want to relax and not think about the whole recruiting process.

"We're shutting everything down in December. We're not taking any calls, we're just going to enjoy the holidays. Because at the end of the month, after Christmas, he's going to the All-American game in Florida. Then in January we'll pick it back up."

As of now, don't expect Gary to come to a decision before February. 

But Coney has a message for Ohio State fans: "They are most definitely alive." 

Cuyahoga Heights football coach Al Martin feels fortunate to coach in a small community filled with families that continually support his team year after year, whose names have become synonymous with the program itself for those who follow it closely.

CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Coach Al Martin has seen some glorious moments in his 19 years at the helm for the Cuyahoga Heights football team. 

He's seen his fair share of heart-breaking ones too. 

Despite a few painful memories, Martin feels fortunate to work alongside many of the same coaches he has for most of his tenure in a small community filled with families that continually support his team, year after year, whose names have become synonymous with the program itself for those who follow it closely. 

On Saturday, his team will face one of its longtime rivals, Kirtland, which has already dealt the Redskins one major disappointment this year, beating them, 28-26, in Week 9 thanks to a missed extra point and botched 2-point conversion. 

The No. 1-seed Hornets (11-1) have a program with multiple state championships under its belt while No. 6 Cuyahoga Heights (10-2) has yet to earn such a distinction during its past 17 playoff appearances. 

This year is the team's sixth trip to the regional finals with Martin, for whom images of his last trip to regionals in 2009 remain permanently etched in memory as he hopes for a third career state semifinal berth. 

With then Akron-commit Zach D'Orazio under center and a 28-14 lead at halftime against Youngstown Ursuline, fans, players and coaches had reason to be optimistic. 

"That was probably the best half of football I've ever been a part of," Martin said. 

Cuyahoga Heights scored on four straight possessions to start the game and the Irish scored on seven straight to end it, including five second-half touchdowns. 

Martin prefers not to dwell on the prospect of whether or not the outcome would have been different had FB/LB Al Ferguson not sustained an ankle injury that prevented him from playing the second half. 

The sting of that loss was reminiscent of the pain Martin felt nine years earlier in the same postseason round when Martin's team led at halftime against Mogadore. 

"We started smelling it," Martin said. 

But that was before he and his players emerged from the locker room for the second half to find the field frozen over at Baldwin Wallace's George Finnie Stadium. 

The slick conditions wreaked havoc on the team's offense. 

"We'd run the option and we were slipping around all over," Martin said of the frustration that came with watching his team lose the upper-hand as Mogadore took control. 

"They came storming back," Martin said. "They scored three long touchdowns in the second half and I remember them vividly." 

From the punt return that went the distance to the deep post route which also wound up in the end zone, the loss in 2000 was a tough pill to swallow for Cuyahoga Heights. 

When looking at the history of Redskins football, particularly under coach Martin, one cannot ignore the fact that such big game heart-break doesn't come without an incredible amount of continued success during the regular season. 

After all, teams only get opportunities to play for regional and state titles after first proving their might in the regular season and beyond. 

Cuyahoga Heights has done that, year in and year out, only missing the playoffs twice under Martin and his veteran staff of coaches. 

"I think the continuity on the staff has been a big help," Martin said. "We have a system that we understand and the kids buy in to. I think when you have the kind of success we've had, it keeps the excitement up and keeps kids interested in playing football."

In small cities such as Cuyahoga Heights, community support is crucial to long-term success. 

"We don't have a tackle program at the youth level like other smaller communities like Kirtland and Mogadore but our community really supports football." Martin said. "Not a lot of small communities do. 

"You really get to know the families when they've been around for a long stretch of time. You get parents who really want to help out and they pass that on to other people in the neighborhood." 

The ability to build strong relationships with local families is another critical component to the continued success of Martin's program. 

Last names such as "D'Orazio," "Rizzo" and "Shafer" are just a few that come to mind when he thinks of all of those that have supported him and his program. 

"We've had the a lot of great football families roll through here," Martin said. "Some of our best players have come from those families." 

Lucas D'Orazio represents the latest of his family's legacy to suit up for Cuyahoga Heights while his father and assistant coach Daniel D'Orazio watches from the sidelines. D'Orazio's involvement with the school as a teacher and coach began in 1989, predating that of Martin. 

While Lucas still racking up rushing yards in hopes of helping his team advance in the Division VI playoffs, his brother Zach attempted to fulfill his dream of jumping to the professional realm, having attended camp with the New England Patriots this past summer. Meanwhile, their brother Jordan is a senior wide receiver at John Carroll. 

Knowing there are families with multiple sons excited to play football for the his team is a comfort to Martin as he doesn't have the luxury of an ever-expansive bench. 

"Once we get deep in the playoffs, we don't have the kind of bodies other teams have," he said. "We have 34 or 35 kids while some have more than 50. Late in the season, kids are banged up which makes it even tougher." 

Overall, Martin and his staff have no complaints in regards to the hand they've been dealt with their program, referring to even the most anguished memories as still being "great, in a sense." 

Follow our high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag.

Contact high school sports reporter Robert Rozboril by email (rrozboril@cleveland.com), on Twitter (@rrozboril) or on Facebook (facebook.com/rrozboril). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Five-year-old Chad Carr has an inoperable brain tumor.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A piece of Michigan will be part of the Ohio State-Michigan State game Saturday.

Chad Carr, the 5-year-old grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, has entered hospice care with an inoperable brain tumor. According to the Detroit News, both the Buckeyes and Spartans will wear #ChadTough decals on their helmets for their matchup Saturday.

The Michigan players wrote #ChadTough on the back of their helmets last week, and the gameball from the win over Indiana was delivered to Chad Carr the next day.

According to the Detroit News, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis told Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett they wanted to wear the decals for Chad and to show their respect for Lloyd Carr, who coached the Wolverines from 1995 to 2007.

The Detroit News has the full story and a mockup of what the Ohio State and Michigan State decals will look like.

Last year, the Michigan State and Michigan bands came together to spell out #ChadTough on the field after their game.

Cool as hell. Bigger than football. Both bands. #ChadTough pic.twitter.com/NgZZhxKxIo

-- Brandon Brown (@BSB_Wolverine) October 25, 2014

UM's rivals rally around Chad Carr https://t.co/4CZfLYTx4q #chadtough. Very moved by this.

-- Tammi Carr (@tamcarr21) November 20, 2015

Thanks to @MSU_Football and @OhioStFootball for honoring Chad tomorrow. #ChadTough Great piece via @detroitnews >> https://t.co/KLxLDklnAJ

-- Michigan Athletics (@UMichAthletics) November 20, 2015

Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao had waited all season for his moment.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao had waited all season for his moment.

Coming off an Achilles injury and buried on the bench because of the Cavaliers' deep frontcourt, playing time had become scarce. But his opportunity finally came on Thursday night during a throwback second half against the Milwaukee Bucks.

"It's tough. It's not easy," Varejao admitted during an honest moment with a throng of reporters following the Cavs' 115-100 win. "You never know how much you can do in practice because you never know if you're going to play or not, but the main thing is stay ready. I had the chance to play and I was able to help the team."

Varejao looked like his old self. Sporting his familiar floppy-haired look, he hustled around the court, kept offensive possessions alive and buried elbow jumpers, which were available thanks to Milwaukee's defensive strategy.

Most importantly, Varejao brought an unrivaled passion, something that had been lacking during Cleveland's two-game losing skid.

"Andy really gave us a lift," Cavs head coach David Blatt said. "The only reason he hasn't been doing that more is he hasn't been playing a lot. He's been ready. He's worked very hard to get himself back to game shape after a difficult, difficult, injury. Andy was one of the main reasons we won the game. He was terrific."

Difficult doesn't even begin to describe Varejao's journey back after December's torn Achilles. His summer was spent rehabbing, trying to regain his form after an injury that has derailed careers and zapped athleticism. Recovering at his age only made it tougher.

If that wasn't demanding enough, Varejao was staring at a logjam in the frontcourt -- Timofey Mozgov, Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, James Jones, and to a lesser extent, LeBron James -- earning most of those minutes.

Varejao knew all obstacles, and even mentioned taking baby steps early in the season. Still, even he didn't see such a small role.

"It's definitely a different season for me," he said after the game. "Not playing a lot. I actually didn't play last two games and I played tonight. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I thought I was going to play a little bit more. It is what it is. As long as I'm still important for this team I'm fine with that."

The 33-year-old big man, affectionately nicknamed "Wild Thing," enters every game not knowing how many minutes he will get or if he will even play.

In the previous five games before Thursday, Varejao had received 14 total. He hadn't played more than seven minutes in the month of November, averaging 5.9 overall in the month. He looked headed for his third DNP coach's decision after not getting on the court in the first half against the Bucks.

But when the Cavs ran out of the locker room, ready to start the second half, Mozgov didn't join them, ruled out for the final two quarters with a right shoulder strain.

That gave Varejao his chance. The one he had been waiting for. The one he and his teammates still believed was possible.

"You expect that out of him. He's just a true professional," LeBron James said of Varejao, comparing him to James Jones, as the two are in a similar situation. "No matter what happens throughout the season, they're always ready. Andy's number was called tonight and he answered the call."

Varejao finished with nine points and two rebounds in 11 vital minutes, helping the Cavs hold off a second half charge from the young Bucks.

"It's not easy. It's really tough because as a player you want to play, especially when you feel like you're not done, like you can still play," Varejao said. "The main thing is to stay ready and I was able to help the team."

Varejao is admittedly not yet 100 percent. He's still getting his legs back, able to jump more than the beginning of the year. He's moving better and working daily. A lot of his on-court practice time is spent working on jumpers and post moves with former Cavs big man Vitaly Potapenko, the Cavs assistant director of player development.

But there's only one way, according to Varejao, to get back to 100 percent, and that's to play in game situations. 

Maybe Varejao's lift will earn him more playing time, another opportunity to prove that he has more value to the team than just his positive attitude and the support he has given while wearing warmups. That's up to Blatt. 

"Believe me, it's not that I don't want to play Andy Varejao. I do," Blatt said. "I know Andy well. Known him for years through international competition. He was a very good player for us last year before he got injured. We got a lot of big guys, so it's a matter of just finding the team for him and him being ready. He certainly was."

Mozgov is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his shoulder today. There's no word yet on whether he will miss any time. If he's sidelined, Varejao will have an opportunity for more minutes. But apart from a significant injury, Varejao will have to deal with this new reality.

This is his role now, one that may take time to accept, especially after averaging 25.5 minutes per night in his career. His role is to provide depth and bring a positive, team-first attitude, even when he doesn't get playing time.

And, as he showed against Milwaukee, stay ready until his number is called. 

Mount Union opens the Division III football playoffs on Saturday against St. Lawrence with a defense that has developed into one of the best in D3 history.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Five returning starters and six other players with significant experience led to high expectations prior to the season for coach Vince Kehres and his Mount Union defense.

But not even Kehres could have imagined a defense that has developed into one of the best units in Division III history.

"This is the most experience we've had on this side of the ball as long as I can remember," said Kehres, who has been associated with the Purple Raiders as a player and coach since 1994. "Those five starters started as sophomores and juniors. It's very comforting to have [that experience] but it's not something we take for granted."

No. 1 Mount Union (10-0) has taken advantage of the opposition all season with the help of its incredible defense and the Purple Raiders will look to continue their onslaught in the NCAA Division III playoffs beginning at noon Saturday against St. Lawrence (N.Y.) in Alliance.

St. Lawrence (8-2) advanced to the postseason after a 21-14 win over Merchant Marine to win the Liberty League title and the NCAA automatic bid. This is St. Lawrence's fifth postseason. Its last was in 2010, which resulted in a loss to Mount Union.

"They've evolved on offense since the last time we played them," Kehres said. "They spread you out with their formations and they're doing some good things with that offense."

But St. Lawrence will face a Mount Union defense that is No. 1 in all major defensive categories, including total defense (136.3 yards per game), third down defense (18.3 percent) and total first downs allowed (83). The Purple Raiders have six shutouts and have only allowed 34 points all season.

And a major contributor to the defense has been defensive lineman Tom Lally.

"He's been awesome," Kehres said. "Tom's the kind of kid you enjoy coaching because he's so passionate. Watching how much fun he's having motivates me and the other players."

Lally has not brought much fun to the opposition. His 1.5 sacks at John Carroll last week made him Mount Union's all-time sack leader with 33. He also grabbed the school record for career tackles for loss at 57.

"When I got the sack, I didn't know what to do," Lally said. "I just kind of stood there and Trey Jones held my arm up. When I got to the sideline I pointed in the stands at my mom. She was really excited."

Lally, who also shares the team lead for tackles this season with 50, came into the season with the records and national title in mind.

"I play and I've played with some great D lineman who helped me get some of those sacks," Lally said. "There have been times where the QB was running away from a lineman and would run right at me."

Lally's combination of speed and power allows him to play various positions on the line. He's listed as a defensive end, but Lally often lines up as defensive tackle.

"You'd expect a man his size (6-2, 260) to be powerful and strong, but he has a great first step and can finish plays in a short amount of space. Tom's the size you'd want for a defensive tackle but his quickness and speed is of a defensive end. We put him all over the place."

The Purple Raiders will need more than Lally on Saturday against the Saints, who are led by quarterback Mike Lefflbine. He has set school single-season records for completions (204), yards (2,267) and TDs (26). Tight end Mitch Gallagher (49 catches for 499 yards and seven TDs) and wide receiver Vincenzo Ferraro (45 receptions for 565 yards and five TDs) are also keys to the Saints offense.

Mount Union's national rank in several major defensive categories:

• No. 1 in total defense (136.3 yds/gm)
• No. 1 in scoring defense (3.4 ppg)
• No. 1 in passing yds allowed (91.6 yds/gm)
• No. 1 in first downs allowed (83)
• No. 1 in 3rd down defense (18.3%)
• No. 1 in pass efficiency defense (76.9)
• No. 1 in rushing defense (44.7 yds/gm)
• No. 2 in scoring offense (53.8 ppg)

St. Lawrence (N.Y.) University at Mount Union 

Who: No. 1 Mount Union (10-0) vs. St. Lawrence (8-2).
What: First round of NCAA Division III football playoffs.
When: Noon, Saturday.
Where: Mount Union Stadium, Alliance, Ohio.
Online Coverage: Live stats | LIVE WDPN Audio | LIVE WRMU Audio
Summary: The winner takes on the Albright (Pa.)/Norwich (Vt.) winner at noon on Nov. 28 at a location to be announced. 
Series: This is second meeting between the teams. The first was in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs in 2010 where Mount Union scored a 49-0 win in Alliance.

Plain Dealer reporter talks all things Cleveland sports in his weekly podcast.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What should we watch for from Johnny Manziel over the Browns' final six games? What does Dennis think about LeBron James' approach with his teammates?

The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff talked all things Cleveland sports in his weekly podcast with me on Friday.

Among the other topics discussed:

* Mike Pettine's future.

* Judging the Cavaliers even though they're not 100 percent.

* The Browns final six games in general.

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player above.

Be sure to follow DMan on Twitter.

Here are the stories DMan mentioned off the top of the podcast:

5 Browns with the most to lose after the bye

5 Browns with the most to gain after the bye

The Indians made a series of promotions in their baseball operations and amateur socuting departments. Chief among them was Matt Forman being promoted to director of baseball operations.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- New GM Mike Chernoff on Friday announced several promotions in the Indians baseball operations and scouting departments.

Matt Forman has been named director of baseball operations. Forman replaces Derek Falvey, who was recently named assistant general manager. Forman, who formerly wrote for Baseball America, was the assistant director of baseball operations last year.

Sky Andrecheck was named senior director of baseball research and development and Keith Woolner was named principal data scientist for baseball analytics.  Andrecheck, most recently chief analyst for the Indians, has been with the club since 2010. Woolner, with an expertise in the scientific study of baseball, has worked for the Indians since 2007.

In the amateur scouting department, William "Bo' Hughes was promoted to senior advisor, while Scott Meany was promoted to national crosschecker. Here are the other scouting promotions:

-Mark Allen, pitching crosschecker and short-season pitching coach.

-Jon Heuerman, Jason Smith, Mike Soper and Brad Tyler, regional scouting supervisors.

-Steffan Segui and Mike Kanien area supervisors. The Tribe also hired David Compton as the area supervisor for north Florida and south Los Angeles.

Defensive back Antonio Johnson is on the verge of closing out his career at Minnesota as one of the top safeties in the country.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The final two regular season games of Antonio Johnson's career at Minnesota are at hand. Johnson, a graduate of Shaker Heights High School, will end a career at Minnesota that began when he was one of seven defensive backs recruited and now the Gophers are one of the better secondaries in the Big Ten.

Johnson has become one of the better safeties in the country. He leads Minnesota in tackles and is 13th in the Big Ten with 7.8 tackles per game.

The Golden Gophers play host to Illinois on Saturday, then close the regular season next Saturday at home to Wisconsin.

Johnson is one of many Northeast Ohio natives to watch in Division I college football this week. Each Friday, The Plain Dealer will identify some players from this area to watch.

Player: Darian Hicks
Position: Cornerback
Year: Junior
College: Michigan State
High School: Solon
This week: Hicks will face a huge challenge at 3:30 p.m. Saturday against Ohio State.
Last week: Hicks had four tackles against Maryland.

Player: Willie Henry
Position: Defensive tackle
Year: Senior
College: Michigan
High School: Glenville
This week: Michigan will depend on Henry to get to Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg at noon Saturday.
Last week: Henry had five tackles in the double overtime victory over Indiana.

Player: Ross Martin
Position: Kicker
Year: Senior
College: Duke
High School: Walsh Jesuit
This week: Martin and Duke visit Virginia at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Last week: Martin was 2-for-2, including a 51-yard FG against Pitt.

Player: Mason Schreck
Position: Tight end
Year: Junior
College: Buffalo
High School: Medina
This week: Schreck may get more opportunities against Akron's defense at 3:30 on Saturday.
Last week: Schreck had two catches for seven yards against Northern Illinois.

Player: Shaq Washington
Position: Wide receiver
Year: Senior
College: Cincinnati
High School: Maple Heights
This week: Washington and UC face a key conference opponent Friday night in South Florida
Last week: Washington had eight catches for 91 yards against Tulsa.

Timofey Mozgov to be out two weeks and Mo Williams will miss two games as the injuries continue to mount for the Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The injuries continue to pile on for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The team announced that center Timofey Mozgov will be sidelined for up to two weeks with a strained right deltoid and guard Mo Williams will miss the next two games with posterior right ankle inflammation.

Cleveland plays Atlanta on Saturday.

Both players underwent an MRI at Cleveland Clinic Spots Health on Friday.

Mozgov sustained the injury in the first half of the Cavaliers' 115-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. It's unfortunate setback since he is still working himself into game shape after undergoing offseason knee surgery.

The 7-footer has appeared in 12 games this season and is averaging 7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks.

Williams showed up to Thursday's shootaround feeling sore and did not play against the Bucks. He has played exceptionally in filling in for the injured Kyrie Irving. His status for Monday's game against Orlando is listed as doubtful.

He is posting numbers of 15.5 points and 5.3 assists.

The Cavaliers currently have Irving, Williams, Shumpert and Mozgov out of commission. Matthew Dellavedova and Tristan Thompson will likely step into the starting lineup.

The Indians selected the contracts of outfielders Tyler Naquin and James Ramsey and pitchers Mike Clevinger, Shawn Morimando and Dylan Baker.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians added five minor leaguers to their 40-man roster on Friday. The team also cut ties with reliever C.C. Lee.

Clubs faced a deadline Friday for protecting players from being available in the Rule 5 Draft, which will take place at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., in less than three weeks. The Indians selected the contracts of outfielders Tyler Naquin and James Ramsey and pitchers Mike Clevinger, Shawn Morimando and Dylan Baker. Thus, those five players cannot be selected by another team.

The Indians' 40-man roster is now full, because the team sold Lee's contract to the Saitama Seibu Lions of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan. Lee, a native of Taiwan, posted a 4.50 ERA in parts of three seasons with the Tribe. He appeared in two games with Cleveland in 2015. He registered 28 innings with the club in 2014.

Naquin, Ramsey and Clevinger all finished the 2015 campaign with Triple-A Columbus. Morimando was pitching for Double-A Akron and Baker was pitching for Class A Lynchburg. All five were eligible for the Rule 5 Draft based on accrued service time. Players signed at the age of 18 must have logged five years in the minors. A player signed at the age of 19 or later must have logged four years in the minors. Teams with an open spot on their 40-man roster can select an eligible player from another organization if they place that player on their big league roster.

Naquin batted .348 with an .887 OPS at Akron before he was promoted to Columbus, where he hit .263 with a .784 OPS. Injuries limited him to 84 total games in 2015. The Indians chose him in the first round (15th overall) of the 2012 amateur draft. He is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 5 prospect in the organization.

The St. Louis Cardinals selected Ramsey eight picks after the Tribe took Naquin. The teams swapped Ramsey and pitcher Justin Masterson in 2014. Ramsey batted .243 with 12 home runs in 126 games at Columbus in 2015. He is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 12 prospect in the Indians' system.

Clevinger fashioned a 9-8 record and 2.73 ERA at Akron. He then made a pair of dominant starts for Columbus during the Clippers' postseason run. In those two outings with Columbus, he allowed only five hits over 15 1/3 scoreless frames. He is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 15 prospect in the organization.

Morimando, who turned 23 on Friday, went 10-12 with a 3.18 ERA at Akron. A 19th-round draft choice in 2011, he owns a 4.11 ERA in 108 career minor league outings. He is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 16 prospect in the Indians' system.

Baker, a native of Juneau, Ala., appeared in only one game in 2015 before he underwent Tommy John surgery. In that outing -- for Lynchburg -- he tossed five hitless innings and he tallied nine strikeouts. Baker, a fifth-round draft selection in 2012, owns a 3.64 ERA in 48 career minor league appearances.

The Indians left a number of players exposed for the Rule 5 Draft, including Double-A relievers Jeff Johnson (1.05 ERA in 51 1/3 innings) and Josh Martin (8-1, 2.27 ERA in 67 1/3 innings), Double-A second baseman/outfielder Todd Hankins (.261 average, 21 stolen bases), Double-A infielder Ronny Rodriguez (.806 OPS in 72 games) and Triple-A pitchers Will Roberts (3.06 ERA in 12 starts at Columbus) and Trey Haley (2.57 ERA in 18 appearances).

CC Lee, with a young family, told the Indians he preferred to pitch in Asia. Indians made a deal with Seibu Lions. Lee is from Taiwan.

-- paul hoynes (@hoynsie) November 20, 2015

"Completely disruptive is what makes a great defensive lineman," Urban Meyer said, "and that's what this outfit we're facing this week is." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- What does Urban Meyer want from his defensive line? The same thing he might fear from Michigan State's defensive line on Saturday.

"I think the term is disruptive," Meyer said. "What makes Joey Bosa, he's only got so many sacks, but I saw a video where there were three guys blocking him. He took one where he came from the left side and took a 300-pound man and threw him in the backfield and made a tackle in the back. Completely disruptive is what makes a great defensive lineman, and that's what this outfit we're facing this week is."

The battle to be disruptive is the battle of this game between the No. 3 Buckeyes (10-0, 6-0 Big Ten) and the No. 9 Spartans (9-1, 5-1). Here's what you need to know about the two defensive lines Saturday as you ponder which group might be better.

1. The stats: Michigan State senior defensive end Shilique Calhoun has more sacks than any player in this game. Here are the stats for the linemen on both sides, with sacks, then tackles for loss, then total tackles.

MSU's Shilique Calhoun: 8.5-11-34

OSU's Tyquan Lewis: 6.5-11-41

OSU's Joey Bosa: 4-15-40

MSU's Malik McDowell: 3.5-10.5-35

OSU's Adolphus Washington: 3-6-40

OSU's Tommy Schutt: 2.5-5-21

MSU's Lawrence Thomas: 2-3-29

MSU's Joel Heath: 2-5-27

2. The best: Left tackle Taylor Decker won't face anyone better in a game than he faces in practice. We've gone over that.

* Is Decker-Bosa the best practice matchup in America?

But Decker said the Spartans are the best line he'll have faced on the field so far. 

"I know I said when we were playing Penn State that was the best defensive line we'd played so far this year," Decker said. "Michigan State, not to take anything away from Penn State, is a step above them."

3. This isn't Alabama: Meyer got a little ahead of himself when he said, "We're facing the best defensive line maybe in college football. Theirs and ours are very comparable and just very, very good players."

The Spartans had trouble containing Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong in their only loss this season, as they were held without a sack. And this is a defense that ranks 18th in the nation in rushing yards, not in the top five, giving up 121 per game.

If the Buckeyes wind up in a playoff rematch with the Tide, then we'll really talk defensive lines.

Alabama ranks second in the nation, allowing just 77 rushing yards per game, and is being talked about at a different level when it comes to its front four.

 4. Ohio State sees what disruption does: The Ohio State defensive line numbers aren't through the roof, but the disruption that Meyer seeks has been there. You can see it in the hurried passes and moving pockets that teams sometimes use to escape that pressure.

"That's the main thing about playing defensive line, getting penetration and being disruptive up front," defensive end Tyquan Lewis said. "Sometimes it's almost every down you're in the backfield. Someone's always there.

"You can just feel it on the field, sometimes they'll tap out, sometimes they'll keep going."

5. Michigan State's 1-2 punch: Bosa will be the best defensive lineman in the game - he's the best defensive lineman in the country - but 6-foot-5, 250-pound Calhoun and 6-6, 275-pound McDowell make for an interesting 1-2 punch for the Spartans.

Bosa is the No. 1 NFL Draft prospect at defensive end, according to Mel Kiper Jr. and everyone else, while Calhoun is No. 7. Washington is the No. 10 defensive tackle prospect on Kiper's list.

"They're obviously really athletic," Decker said. "Calhoun is a big dude, but he has a good get-off. He'll go inside, he'll go outside, he'll bull rush, he's good with his hands. He'll pretty much do anything. 

"McDowell, I think he's probably one of the best defensive tackles we'll see all year. He's a big, tall guy but he looks really good on film."

Also watch for Thomas, a unique end at over 300 pounds who has more power than most guys outside.

In a season that was supposed to bring less minutes and burden on LeBron James, his usage stats are way up because the rest of his teammates can't stay healthy.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - If anything, the 2015-16 NBA season thus far has been one, large opportunity for the Cavaliers to show off their depth.

"We definitely don't want to keep putting ourselves in this position but one thing you can't control is injuries," LeBron James lamented Thursday, after he scored 27 points in the Cavs' 115-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Word came down Friday that starters Timofey Mozgov (shoulder strain, out 10-14 days) and Mo Williams (lower right leg inflammation, out 1-2 games) would be missing for the next little bit, and certainly when the Atlanta Hawks visit The Q on Saturday.

Kyrie Irving (knee surgery) and Iman Shumpert (wrist surgery) have yet to play a game this season, and won't be available this weekend. They were intended to constitute Cleveland's starting backcourt, Mozgov is the Cavs' usual starting center, and Williams was supposed to back up Irving.

J.R. Smith has been starting in Shumpert's place, except, he missed three games earlier this season with leg injuries.

Any way you look at it, the Cavs will face the Hawks -- who they swept out of the Eastern Conference Finals last season -- with just two of their intended starters in James and Kevin Love.

And this was supposed to be the season where James' minutes, usage, and overall burden to carry the team diminished in an effort to save his body for the postseason.

"One thing you can control is how hard you play with the guys that's out there," James said.

James dealt with back issues during the preseason and missed a career-high 13 games last year, mostly due to injury. He looks and says he's healthy now and has no apparent intention at present to sit, but the Cavs have been relying on him more then either he or they planned.

James' minutes (36.5 per game) have crept about his 36.1 average from last season. His minutes were supposed to go down, not up.

James' usage rate - which essentially measures the frequency with which James uses possessions to either attempt to score, assist on a basket, or otherwise handle the ball - is at its highest in six seasons. He's using 33.2 percent of Cavs' possessions.

James' shots are up -- 20.2 per game this season compared to 18.5 a year ago. These are the most shots he's averaged per game since 2007 (21.9). Not surprisingly, James' scoring (27.3 points per game) is also up to its highest since 2009-10.

Now, for the caveats. The Cavs have only played 12 games. All of the comparisons above are with entire seasons. So it's entirely possible that James' minutes and usage and whatever else will even out over time.

Also, of course, several of Cleveland's top players, players who could and almost surely will lessen the burden on James, are out. When Irving returns, coupled with James' already pronounced insistence that Love be more involved with the offense, there will be ample opportunity for James to recede a bit.

In the coming days, however, the Cavs will probably look to Tristan Thompson to start at center, Anderson Varejao's playing time is sure to increase in the post, and James Jones (post/wing) and Jared Cunningham (point guard) will probably have their numbers called more often.

Matthew Dellavedova is a safe bet to start again for Williams, as he did against the Bucks. Dellavedova has surged to second on the team in assists (5.9 per game, trailing only James), after his career-best 13 dimes against Milwaukee.

When all of this injured talent returns for the Cavaliers, coach David Blatt is going to have to make some tough decisions with regards to whose playing time gets trimmed and whose disappears all together.

On Thursday night, Blatt said Dellavedova would play even when Irving and Williams are healthy.

"There's always a place for Delly to play on this team because of the things, the intangibles that he brings," Blatt said. "Is he going to keep playing at 38 minutes going down the line? I doubt it, but he'll be there to help us try to win games, I know that."

Get the latest updates and analysis on the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Atlanta Hawks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers won their second straight game during this current homestand, 109-97, against the Atlanta Hawks.

Kevin Love led the way with 25 points and 11 rebounds. LeBron James scored 19 points to go with 11 rebounds, falling two assists short of a triple-double. 

Scoring Summary:

End of 3rd Quarter - Cavs lead Hawks, 77-64. Kevin Love leads all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting. J.R. Smith has added 12 points while Matthew Dellavedova has 10. The Hawks are led by Kyle Korver's 12 points. 

End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs leads Hawks, 57-42. Kevin Love and J.R. Smith lead the way with 12 points apiece. Richard Jefferson and Matthew Dellavedova each have eight. Jeff Teague has come off the bench to score 11 points for Atlanta. 

End of 1st Quarter - Cavs lead Hawks, 27-19. Kevin Love leads all scorers with 10 points and five rebounds. J.R. Smith has added six points on 2-of-6 shooting. The Hawks are led by Thabo Sefolosha and Jeff Teague -- each with six points. 

Game 13: Cavs (9-3) vs. Hawks (9-5)

Tip off: 7:30 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM, 87.7 FM (ESP)

Cavs probable starting lineup: Matthew Dellavedova, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson.

Hawks probable starting lineup: Dennis Schroder, Thabo Sefolosha, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and Al Horford.

No. 16 STVM girls basketball falls on the road to No. 4 Solon, 60-57.

SOLON, Ohio – Two free throws and an unexpected 3-pointer late in the game by sophomore post player Valencia Myers helped lift the Solon girls basketball team to a 60-57 home win Saturday over nonconference opponent St. Vincent-St. Mary.

With less than two minutes to play in regulation, Solon (1-0) overcame a five-point deficit with back-to-back 3-pointers, including a new and surprising shot selection by Myers since playing with the USA Women’s Basketball U16 National Team over the off-season.

“When I went to work with the USA team, they told me to run harder and work on my jump shot,” Myers said. “When my teammates gave me the ball, I shot it.”

Valencia Myers lifts Solon girls basketball to a 60-57 win against STVM. #NEOvarsitypic.twitter.com/Z72bUIatOc

— Nathaniel Cline (@nathanielcline) November 21, 2015

STVM, ranked No. 16 in the cleveland.com Top 25, missed a shot at upsetting No. 4 Solon, a Division I state final four qualifier last season.

“We had plenty of time left so we just had to get some defensive stops,” Solon coach Trish Kruse said. “We couldn’t afford to trade baskets. We did a much better job boxing out and rebounding the basketball.”

Myers scored 13 points and was joined in double figures by leading scorer and DePaul commit Dee Bekelja with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Alexis Stover with 13 points and six rebounds.

Lake Erie College signee Jordan Joseph finished with seven points and two steals.

For STVM, Bowling Green signee Jane Uecker ended with 19 points and nine rebounds, and was followed with nine points Charleston signee Octavia Loll. Lexie Handley finished with five points and seven rebounds and Faith Williams added 13 points.

“This was a crazy battle and we except it every year to be the most physical and passionate game,” Uecker said. “We’re not going to be sleeping the rest of the season. We’re ready to go.”

The Irish were hit with a costly foul late in the fourth quarter when Loll picked up her final foul. It occurred while St. Vincent-St. Mary held a five-point lead with 3:30 left.

“It hurt us a little bit because she was so clutch bringing the ball up the floor for us,” STVM coach Carley Whitney said. “The best thing we did today is when we made mistakes we got it back and our girls fought really hard.”

STVM will host nonconference opponent Shaker Heights on Tuesday, while Solon travels to Lakota West’s Xavier Tournament to face Mason on Saturday.

For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact Nathaniel Cline on Twitter (@nathanielcline), by email (ncline@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Two teams needing a victory to become bowl eligible, the Akron Zips and Buffalo Bulls, went to battle in a steady drizzle to get that coveted next win. Advantage Akron.

AKRON, Ohio -- The Akron Zips took care of business at home behind quarterback Tommy Woodson's four touchdowns for a 42-21 victory over the Buffalo Bulls.

The late Saturday afternoon triumph before a smattering of fans in InfoCision Stadium made the Zips the latest MAC team to become bowl-eligible this season, a first for Akron in the last 10 years.

"We knew what was at stake,'' said team captain and nose guard Cody Grice.
Both teams entered the game needing a victory to become bowl-eligible, but it was the Zips (6-5, 4-3) that came out with the prize. Combined with an Akron defense that forced a trio of turnovers, the Bulls (5-6, 3-4) just never got untracked.

Akron now gets a chance for a winning season, its first since 2003, Friday at home against reeling Kent State (3-7, 2-4), which has lost its last four straight games.

Despite an icy drizzle all game, Akron's offense was clicking pretty much from the beginning, recording 269 yards and four Tommy Woodson touchdown passes at the break for a 28-14 lead.

"If you're going to be a good football team, you better be able to do it in the snow and the rain,'' head coach Terry Bowden said as he entered the post-game media session. "These games mean more in November than they do in September."

Late in the third quarter, the Zips put the game out of reach with a seven-yard touchdown run by Donnell Alexander for a 35-15 lead with 5:42 on the clock. Alexander (143-yards rushing) then added another rushing TD covering 35 yards midway through the fourth quarter to make the outcome beyond doubt, 42-14.

Alexander played the entire second half, his longest stint of the season, for starter Conor Hundley, who was sidelined early with a head injury.

"We knew what he was capable of if his number was called,'' Woodson said of the senior transfer from Colorado State, son of NFL Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas. "The other team probably didn't know, but we knew."

Woodson finished the game leading the Zips to 475 yards of total offense behind 258 yards passing.

The Zips were the first team on the board, courtesy of a 29-yard touchdown pass from Woodson to Jerome Lane with 10:34 to play in the opening quarter. They quickly added to that after recovering a Buffalo fumble at the 36. One play later, Woodson hit Austin Wolfe for a 36-yard TD pass and a 14-0 lead that stood until early in the second quarter.

Buffalo put together its best drive of the game to that point, 80 yards in 13 plays ending with a five-yard Joe Licata pass to Marcus McGill, to trim Akron's lead down to 14-7. The Zips answered soon after with an 11-yard Woodson-to-Amani Davis TD pass for a 21-7 lead with 7:51 to play before halftime.

Buffalo, however, answered with a second long scoring drive, 76 yards, ending with a two-yard TD run by Jordan Johnson that cut Akron's lead again, 21-14, with 2:21 to play in the half.

No problem for Akron. With 41 seconds left in the half, Woodson hit Lane for another TD, covering 28-yards, to go back up, 28-14, at the half.

But once the Zips scored again, without an immediate answer from the Bulls, the game was effectively decided.