Western Michigan faces Northern Illinois on Saturday hoping to grab control of the MAC. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If there is an exchange of power going on in the Mid-American Conference, Saturday's game between Northern Illinois and Western Michigan could be the defining moment.

The game is set for 6:30 at Western Michigan and will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

The Huskies (1-4, 1-0) have been the bell cow for the MAC the last five years, dominating a tough MAC West Division along the way. But playing arguably the toughest non-conference slate in the league, NIU has struggled out of the gate. The first win came last week over Ball State in the MAC opener.

Meanwhile, Western Michigan (5-0, 1-0) stands as the last undefeated team in the MAC, anchored by wins over Big Ten lower-tier teams Northwestern and Illinois.

The Broncos then romped in their MAC opener at rival Central Michigan and now look to jump into the AP Top 25 ranks with a win.

Toledo (3-1, 0-0) is at surprising Eastern Michigan (4-1, 1-0) on Saturday. While Bowling Green is UT's natural rival, it is safe to say the Rockets and Eagles have had their issues over the years. Toledo tailback Kareem Hunt will likely have a heavy workload.

The Akron Zips (3-2, 1-0) will host winless Miami (0-5, 0-1) for homecoming, looking to stay at the top of the MAC's East Division. The Zips have yet to say if starting QB Tommy Woodson (shoulder) will be available. But with Western Michigan due at InfoCision Stadium next week, another week of rest would be beneficial.

Akron's backup quarterback, Tra'Von Chapman, earned his first victory as a starter last week in a 31-27 comeback triumph over rival Kent State.

You can get scores and updates all day on our live scoreboard.

Here is Saturday's MAC schedule (all times Eastern):

• Bowling Green at Ohio, 2 p.m., ESPN3
• Miami at Akron, 3 p.m., ESPN3
• Toledo at Eastern Michigan, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3
• Kent State at Buffalo, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3
• Ball State at Central Michigan, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3
• Northern Illinois at Western Michigan, 6:30 p.m., CBSSN

First performed in Ohio Stadium in 1936, Script Ohio is a trademark of the Ohio State University Marching Band, recognized nationally as one of college football's biggest traditions. Here's a look at how it has evolved.

Dwyane Wade said "it's not possible" for LeBron James to surpass Michael Jordan's legacy.

Dwyane Wade said "it's not possible" for LeBron James to surpass Michael Jordan's legacy. And now NBA fans are debating who's actually the greatest of all time (GOAT). There's no denying MJ's impact and many fans agree with Dwyane, but others point out that LeBron has accomplished more in his career at 31 than MJ did at that age. What do you think? Read more and vote below!

PERSPECTIVES

Wade was asked if his former teammate LeBron can surpass MJ's legacy.

He told ESPN:

And although many agree with Wade's assessment, others don't. MJ and LeBron are nearly tied in awards and recognition. But LeBron has been the NBA's MVP more times, and he's reached the NBA Finals more than MJ.

For all of u that say Jordan is better than lebron pic.twitter.com/7g1UeWPK9N

-- Sam Wakeley (@samuwake) October 6, 2016

Once you're known as the greatest of the something, it's hard to lose that title.

It wasn't shade when Wade said LEBRON won't pass Jordan up...it was fact.

-- Fresh. (@ibenfresh) October 6, 2016

But maybe it's time to let it go, MJ fans. No one is denying his legacy, but LeBron might have already surpassed MJ in greatness.

It's 2016. If you still think Jordan is better than Lebron, you have half a brain

-- Adrish Saha (@adrish_saha) October 6, 2016

Jordan's legacy lives on! And that's really hard for anyone to top.

Even Wade said that LeBron can't pass Jordan. Nope. He sure can't. Let that go.

-- Marcus (@TheMisterMarcus) October 6, 2016

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.

Terry Francona didn't hesitate to seize a big moment in Game 1 against the Boston Red Sox. Because of that, the Indians have a chance to ride Corey Kluber's arm to a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five series against the Boston Red Sox Friday. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Terry Francona made early calls to Andrew Miller in the fifth and closer Cody Allen in the eighth Thursday, then pitched them longer than usual.

This was bold. Or safe.

Is it possible to check both boxes?

An effective Corey Kluber in Game 2 could mitigate the need for a bullpen cavalry ride Friday.

The flip side: An ineffective Kluber, pitching on 10 days rest after suffering a mild quad strain, was probably less of a concern for Francona.

But even the slightest consideration that Kluber might show some rust justified early  lock-down mode on Game 1.

We'll find out in Game 2 if Francona's strategy was a win-win or just a win.

"I mean Kluber is our guy," Francona said after the 5-4 win. "But, no, we were trying to win the game tonight. We'll try to win the game tomorrow. I mean I was joking with Kluber and told him he's on a tight 165-170 (pitch count) tomorrow."

Because it worked, because the Indians grabbed a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series with Miller and Allen each throwing 40 pitches, Francona's decision looked even better. It made sense regardless, though.

Allen said he could pitch again Friday. Miller says they will all be ready whenever Francona calls.

"We'll take inventory of what we got," Francona said when asked about the availability of his two best bullpen arms. "You're certainly not going to see the same exact way tomorrow. But we wanted to win the game tonight and we did. Tomorrow might have to be a little different design."

The playoffs aren't the regular season. Roles and habits in the regular season give way to seizing big moments in the postseason whenever possible.

This would be true if the Indians could throw Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar at the Red Sox. It's especially true when they're asking Trevor Bauer to pitch Game 1, then Kluber coming off injury, then Josh Tomlin in Fenway and Bauer again.

The bullpen is the most convincing reason to believe the Indians can survive Boston. (Surprise, surprise, it's not Roberto Perez's baserunning and home run power out of the No. 9 spot).

The Red Sox are a tough matchup for anybody. A shorter series might not be any easier than the possibility of a seven-game exposure to that lineup. But winning Game 1 sure makes it look like it.

"This win just sums up who we are," said Miller, who meant all of it: the quick answer to Boston's first inning, the heroics from less predictable sources, the willingness to do whatever.

"We're all ready to go every day," said Miller.

And so here comes another day, this one with the Indians best pitcher on the mound from the start.

Competition is heating up in the search to find Best Marching Band in Greater Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - With Day 1 voting complete, the semifinals of the Best High School Marching Band competition are well underway. This round's polls close Wednesday at 7 a.m., at which point the two schools advancing to the championship round will be named.

Only four bands are left so stakes are getting higher and votes are adding up quickly. After a little more than 24 hours of voting, more than 18,000 votes have been cast.

Scroll down to see the standings as of Friday morning at 8 a.m. -- and to vote.

We encourage you to vote hourly for the bands you want to see move forward to the final round. 

No. 1 Riverside Regiment vs. No. 4 Cuyahoga Falls Black Tigers: Cuyahoga Falls has an early lead with 52 percent of the votes. 

No. 6 Shaker Heights Raiders vs. No. 7 Berea-Midpark Titans: This race is a dead heat with Berea-Midpark owning 50.05 percent of the votes cast. 

Now that we're in the semifinals, cleveland.com reporters will be visiting each band during this weekend's football games for features, videos and photos to be published next week.

Voting in each semifinal matchup is open until Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 7 a.m., so rally your school and community to vote early and often. Votes must come from the United States and do not carry over from previous weeks.

When casting your vote, be sure to complete the captcha step that appears after you click "vote."

After this round, the final two schools will compete in the championship round, which will begin Oct. 13. Cleveland.com will again feature the two finalists during football games that week.

Cleveland.com's "Best of" team will visit the winning band during its game Oct. 20-22 and present the band with an award.

Check back on cleveland.com/best throughout the contest for ongoing coverage.

Those nerves figure to reappear on Friday afternoon, when Kluber takes the hill in the postseason for the first time. The Indians are just relieved that he's healthy.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Corey Kluber is human, after all.

The right-handed pitcher, who typically operates in robotic fashion, revealed on Thursday afternoon that he occasionally feels jitters. And not just when he peers at his catcher and awaits the sign when he's in dire need of a strike.

"I get nerves," Kluber said in his customary, monotone manner, "[even] if it's a live [batting] practice in spring training. It just means you care about what you're doing."

Those nerves figure to reappear on Friday afternoon, when Kluber takes the hill in the postseason for the first time. The Indians are just relieved that he's healthy. Both he and manager Terry Francona contend that Kluber's mild quadriceps strain won't limit him.

The next question, then, becomes: Will his 10-day layoff make him rusty, or just well-rested?

"My body feels good right now," Kluber said. "I think the 10 days did other parts of my body good, as far as not necessarily pitching in a game or skipping a start, so to speak. We won't know until we get out there, but I'm not worried about it."

Kluber logged a 40-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday, in which he threw 20 pitches out of the windup and 20 more out of the stretch.

Kluber pushes it before playoff start

Pitching coach Mickey Callaway noted that this has been Kluber's first in-season breather in three years. Kluber didn't exactly put up his feet, though.

"He almost beat me to the ballpark," Francona said, "which is hard to do. It's safe to say he was the first one here for about 10 days."

Kluber will start Game 2 because the Indians didn't want him pitching on three days' rest after his time on the shelf. Instead, that will be Trevor Bauer's objective should the series require a fourth game.

"Trevor is better equipped to do that," Kluber said. "Trying to bounce back on three days' rest after not pitching in 10 days is -- neither of us have pitched on three days' rest, so we can't tell how we're going to respond to it. With all those factors, we thought it was better for him to bounce back after short rest."

Kluber exited after four innings in his last start, a division-clinching victory against the Tigers at Comerica Park on Sept. 26. The Indians would prefer he last a bit longer on Friday, as the club attempts to survive the first round of the postseason with a three-man rotation. Bauer departed after 4 2/3 innings in Thursday's series opener.

Kluber was a member of the Indians' roster for the 2013 AL Wild Card Game. That provided him with a small taste of what he'll experience on Friday.

And, of course, it gave him some jitters.

"I was in the bullpen," he said, "so I think there were still some of those."

Indiana will be arriving on a high after beating Michigan State. But the Hoosiers have lost 21 straight games to Ohio State. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - In the history of the Big Two and the Little Dozen -- a modernization of the "Big Two and Little Eight" when the Big Ten was really ten and Michigan was still Michigan -- Indiana University occupies a prominent place of shame.

The Hoosiers have lost 21 straight games to the Buckeyes.

The nationally second-ranked 4-0 Buckeyes meet 3-1 Indiana, a basketball school of note until Bobby Knight went over the cuckoo's nest, Saturday afternoon at 3:30.

The Hoosiers are coming off a 24-21 upset at home of Michigan State, which played the OT like Laurel and Hardy played piano movers. The film clip is from 1932. The final scene is not so funny these days.

The Spartans used an illegal head-first jump to try to block Indiana's first attempt at a game-winning field goal (it missed anyway). The Spartans then partially blocked the second try, which fluttered through and let the IU kicker run around and act like he was the next Lou the Toe.

The Buckeyes have lost twice to IU since 1960. But three of the last four games have been competitive.

How close were they? The accompanying video argues they were close enough to provide a better test than hapless Rutgers, anyway, a 107-7 aggregate loser in its first two Big Ten games against the Buckeyes, including by 58-0 last Saturday.

In former Ohio State coach Bill Myles' book, "Myles Traveled," he discloses that an unnamed assistant coach told Woody Hayes years ago that he had evidence of cheating by a conference opponent.

"Which team?" said Hayes.

"Indiana," said the informant.

"Oh, hell. Indiana's got to cheat," Hayes said.

I make it Ohio State to cover the 29-point line in a 42-10 victory.

See coverage before, during and after Friday's Indians-Red Sox ALDS game from inside and around Progressive Field. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Get live wall to wall coverage inside Progressive Field and around downtown Cleveland pregame through postgame Friday as the Cleveland Indians try to take a 2-0 lead on the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS.

Follow cleveland.com on our Facebook page, Twitter (see live Tweets below), Instagram and Snap (our username is clevelanddotcom) for all the latest photos, videos and news happening in and around the ballpark. Facebook Live videos are embedded below.

Coverage will start later this morning, as Friday's game begins at 4:30 p.m.

Cleveland.com has reporters and photographers stationed throughout the area and they'll be producing live coverage on our social media platforms and cleveland.com/tribe.

And don't miss the separate live in-game blog and chat from the press box later today with the sports reporters covering the game.

Here's a box of live Tweets from inside and outside Progressive Field (scroll for the latest):

As we wait for festivities to begin Friday, here is a look at the Facebook Live videos from Thursday's Game 1:Also look for lots of Facebook Live videos to be added below as they happen, including spots from players arriving, bars, the scene in and around the ballpark, and more.

Fans celebrate at Progressive Field after the final out and a 5-4 Indians win:

Mid-game analysis with columnists Doug Lesmerises and Bud Shaw:

Progressive Field starts to fill up with fans an hour before the game starts:

The tailgate brings together Indians fans outside on East 4th Street:

Fans arrive to Tower City from RTA rapid lines:

Cleveland.com reporters analyze Game 1 at Progressive Field:

Francisco Lindor arrives to parking lot and gives a fan tickets and a hug:

In Ohio State's narrow 34-27 win at Indiana last year, Elliott rushed for 274 yards and three touchdowns: Can Weber have a similar performance?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Mike Weber has only played in four college games, so you'd think Urban Meyer would want to pump the breaks on the freshman running back feeling like he has to be like Ezekiel Elliott. 

Meyer is different. And it clearly works. 

So don't assume Meyer had a talk with Weber about not trying to be Elliott. 

"Oh, the opposite," Meyer said. "There is such an emphasis here about the selfless player. Zeke had a reputation of being arguably the best tailback in couple decades as far as blocking and things without the ball, so we actually want him to be a lot like Zeke, and use it as an examples quite often.

"(Weber) is doing really well. His protection is outstanding. His effort is. (I'm) really pleased what he's turned into." 

Let's stick with "being Elliott" theme. In Ohio State's narrow 34-27 win at Indiana last year, Elliott rushed for 274 yards and three touchdowns, including a 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Buckeyes what turned out to be much-needed breathing room. 

So here's the first reason Ohio State will beat Indiana: Weber can be like Elliott. 

"Coach (Tony) Alford, in the offseason, showed a lot of clips of Zeke doing a lot of things," Weber said. "Lead blocking and pass protecting and picking up blocks. They made sure that's how the rest of the running backs in the future will play.

"To get on the field, you have to do that, and I was able to do that. Really I just play my hardest. I want to be myself at the end of the day. They're great running backs, but I've got a lot of work to do."

Look, Weber clearly isn't as good as Elliott yet, and he knows it. Really, Ohio State's real motivation in encouraging Weber to be like Elliott is to help him understand that playing running back is as much about blocking as it is carrying the ball.  

But Weber is leading the Big Ten in rushing yards per game with 123.75, which also ranks No. 11 nationally. He's having one of the most productive seasons for a freshman running back in Ohio State history. 

And in Indiana's lone loss of the season to Wake Forest, it allowed 180 yards to Wake Forest. The Buckeyes are clearly more talented than the Demon Deacons, especially up front, so the path to a big Weber rushing day could be paved.

The transitive property never fails, right? 

But even if it does, Meyer was already motivating Meyer before the week of preparation started. 

Though Weber had 144 yards in Ohio State's win over Rutgers last Saturday, Meyer joked about how the running back finally broke off a long touchdown run. 

"Caught once," Meyer said. "The guy we had last year would have got caught. So print that." 

Motivational tactics have seemingly been working with Weber. He's getting better every week. 

Now against Indiana, which ranks No. 52 nationally in rushing defense by allowing 139.5 yards per game on the ground, Weber has a chance to take another step forward. 

2. Indiana is coming off the Michigan State win, which was one of the most impressive victories of the Kevin Wilson era. And even though the Hoosiers have, for what ever reason, given the Buckeyes a hard time, don't forget about the vast talent gap between the two teams. 

In the last four recruiting classes, Indiana only had two four-star prospects.

Two total.

Think about that. 

3. Indiana hasn't beat Ohio State since 1988, which is a span of 24 games. Why would it happen now? 

4. In Indiana's loss to Wake Forest, quarterback Richard Ladlow threw five interceptions. If he's prone to turning the ball over, there's no other defense more well-equipped to make him pay for it than Ohio State's. 

Ohio State ranks No. 2 nationally in turnover margin at +8 and its secondary has nine interceptions this year. 

Kevin Harvick won the pole for Saturday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway as NASCAR's Chase to the Sprint Cup series continues. Here's the lineup, TV schedule and a link to live scoring.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kevin Harvick will be on the pole Saturday night when the NASCAR Chase to the Sprint Cup series resumes at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The Bank of America 500 is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. and will be televised by NBC. Today's practice rounds and the Xfinity Series race will be televised by NBCSN. You can follow along live all weekend at NASCAR's Race Center.

Harvick ran a fast lap of 27.547 seconds (196.029 mph) on the 1.5-mile track to edge Alex Bowman, who is subbing for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is out for the season due to a concussion. Bowman was just .004 behind Harvick in Thursday's qualifying.

Chase drivers claimed eight of the top-12 starting positions, with Chase Elliott qualifying third, Kyle Busch fourth, Martin Truex Jr., seventh, Carl Edwards eighth, Denny Hamlin ninth, Joey Logano 10th and Jimmie Johnson 11th.

Danica Patrick qualified 13th, her second-best start this season.

• Bank of America 500 lineup
• Chase for the Sprint Cup grid
• NASCAR, Charlotte keeping eye on Hurricane Matthew

Here's the weekend auto racing schedule (all times Eastern):

NASCAR

SPRINT CUP
BANK OF AMERICA 500
Site: Concord, North Carolina
Schedule: Friday, practice, (3:30 p.m., NBCSN), practice, (6:30 p.m., NBCSN); Saturday, race, 7 p.m., NBC.
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles).
Race distance: 501 miles, 334 laps.
Last year: Joey Logano won the playoff race in 2015, his first of three consecutive victories.
Last week: Martin Truex Jr. won at Dover, his second Chase win in three tries.
Fast facts: The Chase's Round of 12 begins this weekend. Drivers who've advanced do not carry any bonus points into this round, even if they won a race in the Round of 16. ... Truex set a Charlotte track record with 392 laps led to win earlier this year. Truex, who is still alive for the championship, will try to become the first driver to sweep a track in 2016. ... Rookie Chase Elliott has posted a pair of third-place finishes so far in the playoffs.
Next race: Hollywood Casino 400, Oct. 16, Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas.

XFINITY
DRIVE FOR THE CURE 300
Site: Concord, North Carolina
Schedule: Friday, qualifying (4:45 p.m., NBCSN), race, 8 p.m., NBCSN
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles).
Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.
Last year: Austin Dillon won Charlotte's fall race from the pole.
Last week: Daniel Suarez won at Dover, his second win of 2016.
Fast facts: Suarez is the current Round of 12 standings leader. He's two points ahead of Elliott Sadler. Suarez and Sadler are the only drivers likely to advance no matter where they finish this weekend. ... Justin Allgaier has the most points of any driver in Chase contention without a win this season. ... Matt Tifft, who had surgery to remove a brain tumor in July, will return to the No. 18 car for Joe Gibbs Racing this weekend.
Next race: Kansas Lottery 300, Oct. 15, Kansas Speedway.

CAMPING WORLD TRUCK
Last week: Tyler Reddick won his first race of the season in Las Vegas.
Next race: Fred's 250, Oct. 22, Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Alabama.

FORMULA ONE
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX
Site: Suzuka, Japan
Schedule: Friday, practice, (11 p.m.); Saturday, practice (3 a.m.); Sunday, practice (1 a.m.), qualifying (4 a.m.); Monday, race, 3 a.m., NBCSN.
Track: Suzuka International Racing Course (circuit, 3.6 miles).
Race distance: 191 miles, 53 laps.
Last year: Lewis Hamilton started second and finished first, a pattern he repeated in each of the next two races.
Last race: Daniel Ricciardo won for the first time in two years in Malaysia.
Fast facts: Originally built as a test facility for Honda in 1962, Suzuka landed its first Formula One race in 1987. The circuit features some of the most challenging corners in F1. ... Ricciardo's win last week put him within 84 points of leader Nico Rosberg, who is 23 points ahead of Hamilton with five races to go.
Next race: United States Grand Prix, Oct. 23, Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas.

NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING
Last week: Antron Brown won his 60th career event and extended his lead atop the series.
Next race: Texas Fall Nationals, Dallas, Oct. 13-16.

(The Associated Press contributed)

The Browns have a lot of draft picks in 2017 and 2018. Here are some players they might take.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns are building for the future by stockpiling draft picks. With five picks in the first three rounds in 2017 and six in the first four rounds in 2018, the players the Browns choose could determine if and when the team returns to glory.

With that in mind, here are five college football players Browns fans should check out this weekend.

(NOTE: Each week we'll point out some top prospects to watch based on how the Browns are performing at various positions.)

FRIDAY

Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson

Year: Junior.

Matchup: Clemson at Boston College.

Channel: ESPN, 7:30 p.m.

Why watch? If you don't know by now, you haven't been paying attention to the Browns.

SATURDAY

DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame

Year: Redshirt sophomore.

Matchup: Notre Dame at NC State.

Channel: ABC, 12 p.m.

Why watch? See Watson above.

Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M

Year: Junior.

Matchup: Tennessee at Texas A&M.

Channel: CBS, 3:30 p.m.

Why watch? The Browns got two sacks from backup LB Cam Johnson last week, but none from their regular rotation along the defensive line. Garrett excels at pressuring the QB and is projected by many to be the top pick in the 2017 draft.

Malik Hooker, FS, Ohio State

Year: Redshirt sophomore.

Matchup: Indiana at Ohio State.

Channel: ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

Why watch? The Browns have little depth - or experience - at free safety. Plus, they're having an issue covering tight ends. Hooker has three interceptions this season.

Jabrill Peppers, SS, Michigan

Year: Redshirt sophomore.

Matchup: Michigan at Rutgers.

Channel: ESPN2, 7 p.m.

Why watch? The Browns drafted Derrick Kindred at strong safety in 2016, but Peppers' versatility and athletic ability could intrigue the Browns. 

Here's where you can catch Boston vs. Cleveland in Game 2 of the ALDS on Friday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians play Game 2 of the 2016 American League Division Series this afternoon at home against the Boston Red Sox. Here's how to watch, listen and stream the action online.

What: Boston Red Sox (0-1) vs. Cleveland Indians (1-0).
Where: Progressive Field.
When: 4:30 p.m.
TV: TBS.
Radio: WTAM, 1100 AM; WMMS, 100.7 FM.
Online: MLB.TV (premium subscription) 

Boston notable: The Red Sox posted the best road record in MLB after the All-Star break (27-17).

Cleveland notable: The Indians joined the Chicago Cubs as one of only two teams in MLB to have five pitchers record 10 or more wins.

Catch the coverage from before the game; join in the live chat starting at tipoff; and stick around for full postgame coverage. For all Indians information, be sure to check out cleveland.com/tribe.

For some reason, the Hoosiers play Ohio State close. And now that they are coming off a win over Michigan State, is that a sign they're going to push Ohio State to the brink again? Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Indiana threw a pass into the end zone with only seconds left in the fourth quarter when it hosted Ohio State last year. 

If that pass were completed, Indiana would have had the chance to either tie the game or go for two ... and the win. 

For some reason, the Hoosiers play Ohio State close. And now that they are coming off a win over Michigan State, is that a sign they're going to push Ohio State to the brink again? 

Watch the above video for predictions from Ari and Bill.

Here's Doug's pick:

Ohio State 49, Indiana 10: For the first time all season, I'm picking the Buckeyes to cover, so watch out. This is from the guy who picked Indiana to beat the Buckeyes straight up last season.

Urban Meyer has been talking up the Hoosiers this week, but Ohio State showed last week vs. Rutgers that it isn't playing down to teams this season. And Indiana isn't as high up as you might think based on a win over Michigan State.

Records

Straight-up: Ari 4-0; Bill 3-1; Doug 3-1.

Against spread: Ari 2-2; Bill 0-4; Doug 0-4. 

-- Subscribe to the Buckeye Talk podcast channel on iTunes

-- Follow cleveland.com's Ohio State coverage on Facebook and Instagram

-- Follow cleveland.com writers Doug Lesmerises, Ari Wasserman and Bill Landis on Twitter

-- Download the cleveland.com Ohio State app for iPhone and Android

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be back from his four-game suspension on Sunday, just in time to face the Cleveland Browns. You can't make this stuff up, Browns fans. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- You can't make this up.

You really can't.

I know that Branch Rickey once said "luck is the residue of design."

The former baseball executive who broke baseball's color line with Jackie Robinson, meant that often, the best teams seem to have the most luck.

But the Cleveland Browns facing the New England Patriots in Game 5 is simply bad luck, period.

Patriots QB Tom Brady is back from his four-game suspension. The Patriots are coming off a loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The Browns have had an outrageous amount of early season injuries to young players.

So what can be said about this game? I give it a shot in this video.

Off their worst home game in 23 years, with the best quarterback of the century (Tom Brady) back in their lineup after a four-game suspension, the New England Patriots face the Cleveland Browns. Gee, who will win? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Just as you have to have a catcher in baseball, otherwise you'd have a lot of passed balls, you have to have a quarterback in football, otherwise you'd have a lot of delay of game penalties.

The New England Patriots, fresh from their first shutout loss at home in 23 years, meet the Cleveland Browns at the lakefront on Sunday with the best quarterback of the century, Tom Brady, on their side.

NFL hanging judge Roger Goodell 's reaction to the Deflategate scandal was as overwrought as that of the NCAA to the crime of trading game jerseys for free tattoos that cut short Terrelle Pryor's career at Ohio State. But now Brady's four-game suspension is over.

The free tats, as distinct from coach Jim Tressel's lie on an official NCAA form that he knew of any player wrong-doing, weren't so bad when the horrific Penn State child abuse scandal exploded. Then again, what was?

Letting a little air out of the football, given how well Brady played in 2015 when you know damn well he was going to get only certifiably inflated and scrupulously approved footballs, was hardly the equivalent of using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs).

I know, I know. It was simply hard work and dedication that created all the ambulatory Frankenstein monsters in the NFL. (Wink, nudge.)

The fact is that Bill Belichick could probably have played former Kent State quarterback turned wide receiver Julian Edelman behind center and squeezed out a win against the Browns. Now he's got Brady back.

No one is saying it's going to be easy, however. The Browns have put up good fights most of the season, in what amounts to a rebuke of the belief that the team would not try in what was openly announced as a tear-it-down, then-build-it-back-up season.

I make it 35-17, Patriots.

Readers want to know from cleveland.com's Joe Vardon if the Cavs have to sign J.R. Smith before a certain date or risk losing him. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a Cavs question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Joe? Submit it here or tweet him @joevardon.

Hey, Joe: When will J.R. Smith sign with the CAVS? What are they waiting for? -- Caroline, Brookpark

Hey, Caroline: The Cavs (they appreciate the all caps, by the way) are waiting for Smith to sign the deal they offered him. Smith is waiting for them to up their offer. The team offered somewhere between $10 million and $11 million, annually, while Smith is looking for more like $15 million annually. Isn't this fun?

Hey, Joe: I'm a Cavs fan from Helsinki, Finland. Looking at the J.R. Smith contract negotiation issue, is there like a deadline where he can no longer be signed for the upcoming season? If so, when? -- Justin, Helsinki

Hey, Justin: Good question. The answer is no. For example, the Cavs signed Dahntay Jones on the final day of the regular season last year. He remained on the team throughout the playoffs and played meaningful minutes in Game 6 of the Finals. Smith is an unrestricted free agent, but the Cavs have the right to give him a lucrative contract (go above the salary cap, or offer him above the veteran's minimum) so long as he remains a free agent. Any deadline would be an arbitrary one. Either team owner Dan Gilbert draws a line in the sand, or Smith does. Or neither side does that and this thing gets worked out amicably.

Kyrie Irving's life-changing shot

Hey, Joe: I've been a Cleveland sports fan my whole life and at 42 I wasn't sure if I would ever get to see a championship brought to Cleveland in any of the big three sports. About three years ago, I lost my dad two days after Christmas to cancer, then two months later I lost my mother to ALS, and then two months later I lost my best friend -- my older and only brother. They all were Cleveland Cavs fans and the only thing that gave me peace was watching Cleveland sports! As the clock had all zeros on it in Game 7, I first cried and then after 10 minutes I said 'mom, dad and Tom, we did it.' I just wanted the players and everybody in the Cleveland Cavs organization know what it meant to me when they won! I was depressed to the point I did nothing I used to love to do. But now I have hope again and that is because of the Cavs!! My question is do you think Kyrie should be considered one of the top three point guards in the NBA now? -- Jay, East Liverpool

Hey, Jay: Thanks for sharing. I was born and raised in northeast Ohio, too. Per my job, I'm required to remain neutral on the Cavs. But I can get behind the Indians and the Browns with everyone else. My dad is still with us, but is battling serious health issues. He took me to Browns games throughout my childhood and early adult life. When the national anthem plays before every Cavs game, I think of him and all those Sundays on the shores of Lake Erie. We all have stories like that, and we all know what it mean, what it really meant, when the Cavs beat the Warriors in June.

Per your question -- yes, Irving is a top 3 point guard. I guess I have to put him behind Stephen Curry, a point guard who has won the last two league MVPs and won the scoring title last season. But anyone else? Irving makes a strong case.

And let me ask you this: With a game on the line, who in the entire NBA would you rather have taking that last shot than him? I know the answer isn't Curry.

LeBron warns Cavs to sign J.R.

Hey, Joe: LeBron James seems to have no problem spending the owner's money -- a man he didn't even mention in his profanity laced speech while thanking his teammates!! Again, here he can't seem to control his language!! Yet Green offended him last year!! This guy is amazing what he gets away with!! -- Brian, Phoenix

Hey, Brian: I assume you are talking about James' suggestion (warning?) that the Cavs should give Smith more money than what they offered. Can I turn this around on you? Why are you concerned about Dan Gilbert's money? As a fan, don't you want him to spend as much of it as it takes to repeat as champions? Now, whether or not Smith is a guarantor of a second title is another discussion. But it cracks me up when fans complain about millionaire players' comments on a billionaire's money. I think they can work it out amongst themselves.

Felder shows he 'definitely can play'

@joevardon are the Cavaliers talking to any other backup point guards that would be realistic options

-- Richard Lowes (@ralowes) October 4, 2016

Hey, Richard: I wouldn't sleep on Norris Cole just yet. The Cavs signed Toney Douglas for training camp this week, but so far he hasn't sniffed the top 15. Cleveland seems to really like Kay Felder, but is leery about giving him too much responsibility too soon. So for now the Cavs are splitting time between Felder and DeAndre Liggins. If it becomes clear the Liggins can't handle the position, and Felder's growth is stunted in any way, I could see Cole or maybe Mario Chalmers. Already over the $94 million salary cap by leaps and bounds, the Cavs would prefer not to have to pay for either player. But they may have to.

@joevardon about how many minutes do you think Birdman will avg throughout the season?

-- Richie Cunningham (@jgilley9) October 4, 2016

Bud Shaw and Doug Lesmerises were on the scene at Progressive Field to debate why the ALDS has gone so well for the Indians in the latest Prepare for List Off. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As everyone predicted, the Cleveland Indians are ahead of the Boston Red Sox 2-0 heading to Boston for Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Sunday.

Again, everyone predicted this. Any memories you have of people picking, for instance, the Indians to get swept, are false memories. Erase them.

Anyway, Bud Shaw and I were on hand for the first two games and got together in the stands at Progressive Field for a special on-the-road version of Prepare for List Off. That's our regular debate where Bud and I offer opposing lists about various sports topics.

The studio lighting usually helps make us look better. On the road, the light is unforgiving. So we apologize. But the banter is as biting and insightful as ever.

Our topic was the three reasons the Indians won the first two games in this series. Watch and decide which of our lists you like better.

The NFL has a list of minimum fines for various infractions.

No. 1 Alabama will play at No. 16 Arkansas on Saturday in one of the top games to watch. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- No. 1 Alabama goes on the road to play at No. 16 Arkansas in one of four games Saturday matching teams ranked in the AP Top 25.

No. 8 Texas A&M will play host to No. 9 Tennessee, two teams looking to prove they deserve their ranking.

No. 10 Miami is at No. 23 Florida State on Saturday at 8 p.m. and the game will be played as scheduled, despite threats of bad weather from Hurricane Matthew.

No. 17 North Carolina, which was unranked until this week, will take on No. 25 Virginia Tech. Led by Mentor High School product Mitch Trubisky, the Tar Heels are coming off a 37-35 victory over Florida State. Trubisky is coming off a 31-of-38 performance for 405 yards and three TDs against the Seminoles and has yet to throw an interception this season.

Here are the Top 25 TV games for this week. You can get previews, live scores and updates on our College Football Scoreboard.

(All times EDT)

Friday

No. 3 Clemson 56, Boston College 10
No. 19 Boise State 49, New Mexico 21

Saturday

No. 1 Alabama at No. 16 Arkansas, 7 p.m., ESPN
No. 2 Ohio State vs. Indiana, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 4 Michigan at Rutgers, 7 p.m., ESPN2
No. 5 Washington at Oregon, 7:30 p.m., FOX
No. 6 Houston at Navy, 3 p.m., CBS Sports
No. 8 Texas A&M vs. No. 9 Tennessee, 3:30 p.m., CBS
No. 10 Miami vs. No. 23 Florida State, 8 p.m., ABC
No. 15 Stanford vs. Washington State, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 17 North Carolina vs. No. 25 Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2
No. 18 Florida vs. LSU, Noon, ESPN
No. 20 Oklahoma vs. Texas at Dallas, Noon, FS1
No. 21 Colorado at Southern Cal, 4 p.m., PAC Network
No. 24 Utah vs. Arizona, 10 p.m., FS1

That means the Big Ten will have at least a chance of landing both the Buckeyes and Wolverines in the College Football Playoff. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two of the four best teams in college football play in the Big Ten. That may or may not lead to two College Football Playoff teams for the Big Ten in two months, but for the moment, this is your reality, Jim Delany.

Oh, and the Big Ten may have three of the best seven teams as well.

Clemson's 42-35 primetime win over Louisville last week shined a light on the ACC for a moment, while No. 4 Michigan's 14-7 win over No. 8 Wisconsin in the afternoon didn't quite pump up the conference in the same way, despite those teams ranking nearly as high.

When the playoff selection committee releases its first rankings on Nov. 1, have no doubt about this. That group is going to like the Big Ten.

Complaints about a lack of defense have filtered through the first month of the season, but Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan rank first, fifth and sixth in fewest points allowed. Combined, they're allowing 33.9 points per game.

That's fewer points than the defenses for Oklahoma, Florida State, Oregon and Texas have allowed on their own.

Meanwhile the Buckeyes and Wolverines also rank in the top 10 in the nation in points scored. That's balance the committee will embrace.

While teams like Oklahoma (Big 12), Florida State (ACC), LSU (SEC) and Notre Dame have faltered (those preseason top 10 teams are now a combined 10-9) the Big Ten has strengthened a case as the best conference around, despite upset losses for Michigan State and Iowa, last year's Big Ten championship opponents.

Ignoring the polls, a reasonable top eight of the moment includes one team each from the SEC (Alabama), Pac-12 (Washington) and American (Houston), two teams from the ACC (Clemson and Louisville) and three from the Big Ten (Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin.)

The Badgers have wins over LSU and Michigan State, and while ranking just 87th in the nation in points per game (26), they hung tight in Ann Arbor in a way that few teams would be able to do. Not when the Wolverines dropped 63, 51, 45 and 49 points in their other four wins.

Someone had to lose last week. But if anyone is viewing the 21 combined points in Michigan Stadium as bad offense, expect the committee to see it more as standout defense. And that will matter.

The reality in this playoff chase is completely different for Ohio State compared to two years ago. Then, the Buckeyes were fighting against a Big Ten reputation that didn't do much for them. This year, the Big Ten will lift up the Buckeyes and Wolverines, even if they continue to roll. That should continue Saturday, with Michigan a 30-point favorite at Rutgers and Ohio State a 28-point favorite at home vs. Indiana.

"We do care if the Big Ten is good," OSU linebacker Chris Worley said. "Those are the teams we have to play, and we love to play good teams."

Does that go even for the Wolverines? Do the Buckeyes want Michigan at its peak?

"I love it," Worley said. "It makes it even better when we go play them. And beat them."

There will be tests beyond each other. Ohio State has Wisconsin, Michigan State and Nebraska still ahead. Michigan has Iowa and Michigan State.

Louisville's loss to Clemson last week didn't wipe Lamar Jackson and friends from the playoff consideration board because they had been so dominant before the loss and played well in that close game. 

The loser of the Ohio State-Michigan game on Nov. 26 could be in the same position. 

Michigan is outscoring opponents 222 to 62 with wins over No. 11 Wisconsin and No. 21 Colorado.

Ohio State is outscoring opponents 228 to 37 with a win over No. 20 Oklahoma.

So the case could be made that Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan are the three best teams in the country right now. Clemson and Washington can fight for the fourth spot. The most likely playoff group, if teams continue on their current paths, is Alabama as the SEC champ, Clemson as the ACC champ, Washington as the Pac-12 champ and the Ohio State-Michigan winner.

But we know paths are meant to be curved.

So that Ohio State-Michigan loser could be alive, the same way Michigan in 2006 likely would have made a four-team playoff after losing to the Buckeyes 42-39 in that undefeated No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown.

Michigan dropped only from No. 2 to No. 3 after that loss, behind Florida, and some argued that the Wolverines deserved a rematch with the Buckeyes in the BCS National Championship.

That was back when the Big Ten had earned the respect of college football. It has again.