Buckeyes running back Dan Herron could put himself in position to join some elite company in Ohio State history with a big game against Minnesota.

View full sizeMarvin Fong / The Plain DealerA big game today in Minneapolis might give Dan Herron a shot at scoring 20 or more touchdowns this season.

Firmly established as the Buckeyes' No. 1 back, the junior has run for 11 touchdowns this season and has reached the end zone in each of the past seven games. Given the chance against the overmatched Golden Gophers, Herron could take a step toward elite company with a big game. He's on pace for 18 scores this season, with a shot to become the fifth Buckeye to rush for 20 touchdowns in a season.

The others so far: Pete Johnson (25 in 1975), Eddie George (24 in 1995), Keith Byars (22 in 1984 and 20 in 1983) and Harold Henson (20 in 1972).

"That would be great; I hope I do get to that point," Herron said. "If we just take it one game at a time, hopefully we can make that happen."

Only Wisconsin's John Clay, with 13, has more rushing touchdowns in the Big Ten. After Herron's 11, the rest of the Buckeyes have a total of eight, led by Terrelle Pryor's three. One thing that has helped Herron's cause is better communication between the running backs and the offensive line. Lined up 7 yards deep in the I formation, Herron is increasingly sharing what he sees, identifying potential blitzers and relaying the information to the line through fullback Zach Boren.

"I can see things they don't see most of the time," Herron said. "It's not really go left or right, because for a running back, it's all reaction, because everything is not going to go the way you plan for it to go. But I just think it helps out."

No. 2. The Buckeyes getting ahead early on the road

Ohio State entered the season 15-1 on the road in Big Ten play over the previous four seasons, when no other Big Ten team was better than 9-7 on the road since 2006.

"We talk a lot about the fact that conference championships are won by good play on the road," OSU coach Jim Tressel said. "We're going to make the assumption that we'll play darn good at home. But the team that wins the conference championship probably is going to be really good on the road."

The Buckeyes haven't been that so far, allowing both Illinois and Wisconsin to score first in their two road games. In rough wind conditions, the Buckeyes struggled to a 24-13 win at Illinois, and they never recovered from their slow start in a 31-18 loss at Wisconsin.

What's up? Running back Brandon Saine said he can do without the plane rides and the bus rides. Pryor mentioned the team missing the Blackwell Hotel near Ohio Stadium that they stay in the night before home games. Pryor talked about how on the road, "We don't eat the same food, and the food is nasty sometimes."

"When they say road games are different, it really is true," Pryor said.

It hasn't been a problem for the Buckeyes in the past. And with their season hinging on winning at Iowa in three weeks in their last road game of the season, they could use a confidence builder away from home.

"We haven't done that well on the road so far, and that sticks with us," senior defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said. "A lot guys are not happy with the way we played, and it's just extra motivation."

No. 3. Who are the real Golden Gophers?

This is Minnesota's second game since head coach Tim Brewster was fired, with interim coach Jeff Horton losing his first game to Penn State last week 33-21. That makes it a little more difficult to guess what Minnesota might do.

"It all comes down to who's in charge," OSU safeties coach Paul Haynes said. "Does the new head coach want to do something different, does he want to do his stuff? So you don't really know what to expect, so you've got to practice a little bit more on a lot of different things."

The Buckeyes aren't sure how much they'll be in their nickel defense or their base defense. The Gophers, at 1-7 with a coach who knows he's not in the mix for the full-time job, have nothing to lose. The Buckeyes already will be in unfamiliar territory, playing their first game in two-year-old TCF Bank Stadium. So Ohio State should expect the unexpected.

"Where we're at right now, cut it loose," Horton said. "If you make a mistake, you know what, at least you're going as fast as you can. . . . We're not going to wait on it, we're going to attack them, so let's go."

No. 5 Michigan State will try to remain undefeated as it goes on the road to face No. 18 Iowa in a Big Ten battle. Meanwhile, Akron searches for its first win at Temple, and Kent State hosts Ball State.

View full sizeBrian Cassella / Chicago TribuneMichigan State's Kirk Cousins and the Spartans face a tough test today at Iowa. The game is televised on WEWS Channel 5 at 3:30 p.m.

No. 1 Oregon at No. 24 USC, 8 p.m.

No. 3 Auburn at Mississippi, 6 p.m., ESPN2

No. 4 TCU at UNLV, 11 p.m.

No. 7 Missouri at No. 14 Nebraska, 3:30 p.m., ESPN

No. 8 Utah at Air Force, 7:30 p.m.

No. 11 Oklahoma vs. Colorado, 9:15 p.m., ESPN2

No. 13 Stanford at Washington, 7 p.m., Versus

No. 15 Arizona at UCLA, 3:30 p.m., Fox Sports Ohio

No. 17 S. Carolina vs. Tennessee, 12:21 p.m., WUAB Ch. 43

No. 19 Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt, 7 p.m.

No. 20 Oklahoma State at Kansas State, noon, FSO

No. 22 Miami at Virginia, noon, ESPN

No. 23 Mississippi State vs. Kentucky, 7, ESPNU

No. 25 Baylor at Texas, 7 p.m.

Big Ten

No. 10 Ohio State (7-1, 3-1) at Minnesota (1-7, 0-4), 8, WEWS Ch. 5: Jeff Horton serves as Gophers head coach for a second game since the firing of Tim Brewster two weeks ago.

No. 5 Michigan State (8-0, 4-0) at No. 18 Iowa (5-2, 2-1), 3:30, WEWS Ch. 5: Over the past three seasons, Iowa only has allowed three 100-yard rushers.

Michigan (5-2, 1-2) at Penn State (4-3, 1-2), 8, ESPN: These teams will be in different Big Ten divisions starting in 2011 and are not scheduled to meet the next two years.

Northwestern (5-2, 1-2) at Indiana (4-3, 0-3), noon, BTN: Northwestern is averaging 27.6 points, 147.1 rushing yards and 272.2 passing yards per game -- second only to Big Ten leader Indiana.

Purdue (4-3, 2-1) at Illinois (4-3, 2-2), noon, ESPN2: Purdue saw its school-record-tying streak of consecutive games with 200 or more yards rushing snapped at five straight last week at Ohio State.

Mid-American

Akron (0-8, 0-4 MAC) at Temple (6-2, 3-1), 1: In the past four games, the Zips have given up 50, 28, 38 and 56 points.

Kent State (3-4, 2-2) vs. Ball State (2-6, 1-3), 3:30, WJW Ch. 8: The Golden Flashes will retire Josh Cribbs' uniform No. 9 during festivities today.

Ohio (5-3) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (2-6), 2: OU QB Phil Bates missed most of last week's win over Miami with a sore shoulder.

Bowling Green (1-7, 0-4) at C. Michigan (2-6, 1-4), 3:30: Traditionally high-scoring CMU has only scored 17, 21, 20 and seven points in its past four games.

Miami (4-4, 3-1) at Buffalo (2-5, 1-2), 3:30: UB has switched to a new QB, Alex Zordich, who was 13-of-29 for 117 yards in his first start.

N. Illinois (6-2, 4-0) at W. Michigan (3-4, 2-1), noon, WEWS Ch. 5: NIU is eighth in the nation in rushing yards with 1,980.

Toledo (5-3, 4-0) at E. Michigan (1-7, 1-3), 4, SportsTime Ohio: Toledo leads the MAC in turnover differential (plus-8).

Division II

Lake Erie (1-7, 1-6 GLIAC) vs. Ohio Dominican (2-5, 2-5), 1: Three Storm receivers -- Brandon James (Mentor), David Romeo (Eastlake North) and Andre Wells (Villa Angela-St. Joseph) -- all went over 100 yards receiving last week in a win over Findlay.

Notre Dame College (2-6) vs. North Greenville (S.C.) (4-3), 1: NDC RB Pedro Powell is seeking his sixth straight 100-yard rushing game.

Division III

No. 2 Mount Union (7-0, 6-0 OAC) at Otterbein (4-3, 3-3), 1:30: Mount senior DE Lambert Budzinski had two sacks and a team-high eight tackles in last week's 38-0 win over Capital.

Baldwin-Wallace (6-1, 5-1 OAC) at Muskingum (3-4, 2-4), 1:30: B-W is trying to set up an OAC showdown next week at home against Mount Union.

Case Western Reserve (7-0) at Chicago (5-2), 1: CWRU senior WR Zach Homyk is seven receptions shy of a CWRU single-season record.

Hiram (1-6, 1-2 NCAC) at Wooster (3-4, 2-1), 1: Hiram hasn't played since a 41-0 loss to Case Western Reserve on Oct. 16.

John Carroll (3-4, 3-3 OAC) at Capital (3-4, 3-3), 1:30: The Blue Streaks have not won in Bexley since 1999.

Oberlin (2-5, 1-3 NCAC) vs. Denison (3-5, 1-3), 1: Oberlin has rushed for more than 100 yards in four out of the past five games.

The Zips will try to stay undefeated today at CSU.

No. 1 Akron at Cleveland State

Kickoff: 2 p.m. today at Krenzler Field, Cleveland.

Notable: The Akron men's soccer team (14-0-1) are coming off a 1-0 win over No. 9 Creighton on Wednesday. Darlington Nagbe (St. Edward) netted the game's only goal in the 63rd minute as the Zips handed Creighton its first regular-season road loss since 2006. Goalkeeper David Meves made two saves in the win. . . . CSU (7-9-0) will try to hand the Zips their first regular-season road loss since September 2008. The Vikings have had a week to prepare for today's match and are 6-2-0 at home. The Vikings are led in scoring by a trio of three-goal scorers: junior midfielders Manuel Conde and John Wargo (University School), and sophomore forward Aaron Adkins (Bay).

-- From staff reports

The Rangers are the 52nd team to lose the first two games of the World Series. Only 11 of those teams have rebounded to win the series.

View full sizePaul Moseley / Fort Worth Star-TelegramRangers manager Ron Washington needs his team to find some answers in Game 3 tonight against the San Francisco Giants.

ARLINGTON, Texas — If this were a poker game, the Rangers would be down to their last few chips and staring across the table into the cold eyes of a hustler named the San Francisco Kid.

The Rangers are the 52nd team to lose the first two games of the World Series. Only 11 of those teams have rebounded to win the series. The most recent team to do it was the 1996 Yankees.

San Francisco has beaten Texas at the plate and on the mound. Rangers manager Ron Washington watched his best two starters, Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson, fail to stop a Giants offense that reached the World Series with the nickname "Sweet Torture."

The Giants beat the Braves and Phillies in the postseason not by scoring numerous runs, but dramatic runs. All that has changed. The Giants outscored the Rangers, 20-7, in the first two games at AT &T Park.

Game 1 starter Tim Lincecum wasn't great, but he earned the victory because he was better than Lee. Matt Cain and two relievers threw a four-hit shutout against Wilson and Texas in Game 2.

The series moves to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington for Game 3 tonight. During Friday's workout, the Rangers were preaching confidence and relaxation.

"The last thing we're concerned about is why things went wrong in the first two games," third baseman Michael Young said. "We lost.

"We know how tough this group is so we'll be ready to roll for Game 3. We always assume the next game is going to be our game and that kind of approach has served us well."

The Rangers must win two of the next three games for the World Series to return to San Francisco.

"We expect three victories here," said lefty Derek Holland, who turned Game 2 into a mess in the eighth inning. "We re not backing down from anything."

Early bird: Game 3 will start at 6:57 p.m. today. It will be the earliest start for a World Series game since Game 6 in 1987 between the Twins and Cardinals.

No comment: The New York Times reported Thursday that Giants outfielder Jose Guillen, who was left off the postseason roster, has been linked to shipments of human growth hormone.

MLB reportedly told the Giants that it would be wise to leave Guillen off the postseason roster. If Guillen had made the roster, it might have been at the expense of Cody Ross, the NLCS MVP.

Asked about the report following the Giants' 9-0 victory in Game 2 Thursday, manager Bruce Bochy said: "I can't comment on that. I don't know anything about it."

Bochy took the same approach when asked about Wilson reportedly using Super Glue on the middle finger of his left hand to protect a blister. The blister popped in the seventh inning Thursday, forcing Wilson from the mound with the Giants leading, 1-0.

Explanation, please: So what happened to the Rangers in the first two games?

"We made some mistakes the first game," Washington said.

The mistakes included four errors, two by right fielder Vladimir Guerrero, who did not start Game 2.

"In the second game, Matt Cain will make any lineup [look] flat and he made us [look] flat," Washington said.

Cain pitched seven scoreless innings to run his scoreless streak in the postseason to 21 1/3 innings.

Finally: Some World Series stats to consider:

• The seven runs the Giants scored in the eighth inning of Game 2 were the second most they've scored in 47 World Series games. They scored nine in the seventh inning of Game 3 in 1921.

• The 12-game postseason hitting streaks of the Rangers' Elvis Andrus and Nelson Cruz ended in Game 2.

• First baseman Mitch Moreland has hit in 10 of the Rangers' past 11 postseason games. In that stretch, he's hitting .382 (13-for-34) with four RBI.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

Veteran infielders Edgar Renteria and Juan Uribe have helped the Giants take a 2-0 lead against Texas in the World Series.

View full sizePaul Kitagaki Jr. / Sacramento BeeThe Giants' Juan Uribe (5) and Edgar Renteria embrace after scoring against the Rangers in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Thursday.

Pablo Sandoval, called Kung Fu Panda by Giants fans, will start at DH as the World Series changes venues and rules. The Giants won Games 1 and 2 at AT&T Park where pitchers swing the bat and the designated hitter is a discouraging phrase.

Game 3 tonight will be played on the Texas prairie inside Rangers Ballpark in Arlington with lefty Jonathan Sanchez facing Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis.

"I'm excited," Sandoval said. "It's the World Series. I've only DH'd once, during an interleague game last year, but I like it."

Sandoval, 5-11 and 245 pounds, had a down season this year after hitting .330 (189-for-633) with 25 homers and 90 RBI in 2009. It has cost him playing time in the postseason.

The Giants have not suffered because of veteran infielders Edgar Renteria and Juan Uribe.

Renteria, injured for much of the regular season, is back at shortstop. Uribe, who played a lot of short during the regular season, has moved to third and put Sandoval on the bench.

"The postseason is the time for veterans," said Shawon Dunston, Giants defensive coordinator and a former Indian. "When I played, I learned that the 162-game season was for the young guys. When it came down to the postseason, that was the time for the veterans to come through.

"Renteria and Uribe have done that. They've made big plays and gotten big hits."

Renteria, 35, broke a scoreless tie Thursday with a homer in the fifth inning. He added a two-run single in a seven-run eighth inning in the Giants' 9-0 victory.

He's no stranger to the World Series. As a 22-year-old, he singled over right-hander Charlie Nagy's head in the 11th inning of the seventh game of the 1997 World Series as Florida beat the Indians for the championship.

"Everything happened to me great in that game, the hit in '97," Renteria told reporters Thursday night. "Today I was happy. I was proud and I know my family's proud, too."

In 2004, he was with the Cardinals and made the final out in Boston's World Series sweep of St. Louis. It was the Red Sox's first World Series title since 1918.

"I couldn't be happier for Edgar," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's been a tough year for him. He's been up and down with injuries.

"It's nice to have him out there at shortstop. I think the rest probably has benefited him. He's playing like he did 10 years ago."

Renteria is hitting .240 (6-for-25) in the postseason and .429 (3-for-7) in the World Series. In the regular season, he appeared in only 72 games.

The powerfully built Uribe is hitting only .171 (6-for-35) in the postseason, but he's tied for the team lead with nine RBI. It seems like every time he makes contact, good things happen.

Uribe hit a three-run homer in Game 1 on Wednesday and drove in two runs Thursday. In the NLCS, he put the Giants in the World Series with a game-winning homer in Game 6 after winning Game 5 with a walk-off sacrifice fly.

"He's been in the middle of everything for us," Bochy said. "With him and Renteria on the left side of our infield, they've really helped us.

"Juan is a guy we like up there with the game on the line because you know he won't feel any pressure. He wants to be the guy up there."

Like Renteria, Uribe knows what the postseason feels like. He helped the White Sox win the World Series in 2005.

When Uribe comes to the plate at AT&T Park, the fans scream, "Oooh-ree-bay! Oooh-ree-bay! Oooh-ree-bay!"

He hit .248 (129-for-521) with

24 doubles, 24 homers and 85 RBI during the regular season. The 24 homers were a career high.

"Juan is a funny guy," Sandoval said. "He's always laughing and firing everybody up. I love it when he hits a home run and flips his hands up at the plate."

Bochy has received a lot of credit for making the right moves this postseason. No one envisioned the Giants being where they are today.

"Good players make a good manager," Bochy said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

Coach Byron Scott decides to hold out Mo Williams for the second straight game to make sure he's completely healed from the groin injury that bothered him throughout most of training camp.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / Plain Dealer fileThe Cavaliers are being cautious with Mo Williams as he recovers from a groin injury.

Scott decided to hold out Williams for the second straight game to make sure he's completely healed from the groin injury that bothered him throughout most of training camp.

The coach indicated he'd had some personal experience with a similar injury, which led to his decision. He said Williams was "50-50" for tonight's game against Sacramento.

"It's more me," Scott said before Friday night's game against the Raptors in Air Canada Centre. "I'm probably analyzing it a little too much, being a little too overcautious. As I told Mo, the one thing I want to make sure of is when he takes the floor that it's completely gone and that he's there for the duration of the season. I don't want any lapses."

Scott said he normally leaves such decisions up to his players.

"But I know how this thing can affect him throughout the season if it's not com pletely gone," he said.

The coach said Williams had picked up the new things he'd added to the offense while Williams was away to attend the funeral of his father-in-law. "He's good with the offense," Scott said. "Mo is pretty intelligent as far as what we're doing. You show it to him once or twice and he's got it. It's just a matter of getting in game condition, and he can only get in game condition playing games.

"It's just me. I'm being too protective. I just want to make sure I give this a few extra days to make sure he's OK."

Family ties: The Cavs also were without starting center Anderson Varejao, who remained in Cleveland with his father, who had heart surgery. Early indications were that the surgery went well, and in all likelihood, Varejao should be back against Sacramento tonight.

It has been a tough month for Varejao, whose grandfather died at the start of training camp.

"I told Andy hopefully we'll see him [Saturday] night for the game against Sacramento," Scott said. "He has to be there for his dad. His dad is in Cleveland. Andy's the only family he has [there]. Going through what he just went though a month ago, we thought it was very important for him to stay at home and be with his father."

Ryan Hollins started in Varejao's place.

Remember when: Back in the spring of 2008, the Raptors took a hard look at a young forward out of North Carolina State -- J.J. Hickson. Toronto had the 17th pick in the draft and worked Hickson out twice. The Cavs took Hickson with the 19th pick.

"He's gotten better," Toronto coach Jay Triano said. "He's obviously practiced hard and built himself into a very good player. He's a guy who finds a way to score. He's active. He's long. Look at that stats and what he's done so far, he's done well.

"I remember him being here for draft workouts. I remember watching him in summer league and thinking how live he was."

Teams' bond: The Cavs and the Raptors are trying to move on after losing LeBron James and Chris Bosh, respectively, to the Miami Heat.

But there are distinct differences. Bosh isn't a Toronto native, and he didn't go on national television to dump the Raptors.

Still, the teams share a unique bond now.

"They are in kind of the same boat," Scott said. "But I don't hear them crying up here about Chris Bosh not being here. I think they've moved on as well. This is the NBA. You're going to have changes. You're going to have things happen that you're not real happy about or not excited about. But it's life. It's how you deal with it after it happens."

Added Triano: "Both teams are probably expected to be in a so-called rebuilding-themselves stage, or a finding-themselves stage. It's probably more different in Cleveland, being that Byron wasn't there last year. So he's coming in as a new coach with a new team."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668

After entering the season as an All-America candidate, Heyward hasn't lived up to his own expectations, and his numbers reflect that.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain DealerOhio State's Cameron Heyward (97) has been solid for the Buckeyes this season, but hasn't been dominant, much to his chagrin.

MINNEAPOLIS — On his 20th snap of the game last week, after sitting out just three of Ohio State's defensive plays, Ohio State senior Cameron Heyward timed the snap count perfectly, shot past Purdue's left tackle untouched, jumped over a Boilermakers running back that dove at his feet, landed, ate up ground in three giant strides and wiped out Purdue quarterback Rob Henry with his left arm, driving him to the ground.

And Henry completed the pass for a first down. That's what the first eight games of the season have been like for the Buckeyes' best defender. Active, but in the end, not as productive as hoped.

After entering the season as an All-America candidate, Heyward hasn't lived up to his own expectations, and his numbers reflect that. Though he was named one of the 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award this week, among the nine defensive linemen in that elite group, Heyward ranks last with 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

"I'm not happy," Heyward said. "I expected to make more plays and even have more production. . . . I haven't dominated a game yet. I just look forward to playing good and every chance out there trying to make the most out of it."

Heyward is definitely playing more than he did a year ago, when OSU defensive coordinator Jim Heacock estimated that Heyward played about 60 percent of the defensive snaps. The goal this year was closer to 80 to 90 percent of the snaps. Against Purdue, for instance, before the first-team defense came out late in the third quarter, Heyward was on the field for 36 of 39 plays.

"I don't really feel it at all," Heyward said of the extended workload. "We're already at eight games, but I feel pretty good."

And he looks good at times. Heyward never gives up on a play and obviously moves well for a defensive lineman. And he is getting double-teamed a fair amount.

"He'd definitely be the guy that you would circle on the scouting report," said OSU offensive lineman Bryant Browning, who often faces Heyward in practice, "because he's a game-changer."

On Wisconsin's 19-play touchdown drive two weeks ago that gave the Badgers a 21-0 lead, Heyward was doubled-teamed six times. On one big run for Wisconsin's John Clay, Heyward actually split the double team of the left tackle and tight end, but got caught up and looked like he was being stretched on a rack as Clay hit the hole just inside him.

Teams also seem to run away from Heyward when they can as they game plan for him. Heyward was surprised to actually hear Purdue players call out his name, "Heyward, Heyward," before some plays last week. And many of the Buckeyes' opponents so far have been spread-offense teams that put a premium on short drop-backs and quick passes, not giving the Ohio State defensive line a chance to get a pass rush. The Buckeyes' 11 sacks rank eighth in the Big Ten.

But there's something to be said for great players just finding a way and making a play. And that hasn't been what Heyward has done on a regular basis, as he's been handled one-on-one by offensive linemen for stretches.

"Sometimes if I'm getting double-teamed, I just have to make more plays," Heyward said. "I have to expect it more and get off blocks. I've just got to use my hands a little bit more. I think last year I used my hands pretty good. Quarterbacks are getting it out pretty quick, but that's no excuse for it. I've just got to get in the backfield more."

He may be about to get it going, with Minnesota waiting for him tonight. Last week against Purdue, when he had five tackles, Heyward was named the Buckeyes' defensive player of the week for the first time this season.

"He hasn't had the production points, so that's a fact," OSU coach Jim Tressel said. "He does have a high bar, and I'm sure he sat down in the quiet of his room and said, 'I'm going to have X number of a sacks.' And he practices like he's not there yet. And he's in there lifting weight at 6 in the morning. He wants to be good."

Heyward is good, no doubt. He's searching for great.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479

"We need Mo back ASAP. As much as I love the athleticism of Sessions, he plays out of control way too much to be consistent. Mo will provide a steady hand at the point and will also provide that consistent scorer that we need."
- Tim in Florida

AP PhotoWill Mo Williams make his season debut tonight?

"We need Mo back ASAP. As much as I love the athleticism of Sessions, he plays out of control way too much to be consistent. Mo will provide a steady hand at the point and will also provide that consistent scorer that we need. Having Andy out tonight hurt us also with our interior defense and rebounding. We're going to have many ups and downs the 1st 2 months of the season while the players are trying to get down the new systems. I just hope we can hover around .500 while we're working things out. I'll reserve judgement on this team until after I see them playing for awhile while healthy. We's shown thus far that we can play well enough to beat just about anyone or poorly enough to lose to just about anyone. The one thing that I take as a positive tonight was that we kept playing hard until the end, even though there was no hope. Only been 2 games, and we have the same record as the Magic thus far."

Maple Heights' Mike Camino goes 12-1 to win this week's installment of "You Pick the Winners."

View full size

Former Berkshire cross country runner Claire Markwardt broke her leg and crawled across the finish line at the 2007 state meet. The video isn't gruesome, but it is tough to watch. One version has been viewed more than 223,000 times on youtube.com. Another is set to the theme from "Chariots of Fire" and it strings together highlights of famous...

Claire Markwardt, in 2008.

Former Berkshire cross country runner Claire Markwardt broke her leg and crawled across the finish line at the 2007 state meet.

The video isn't gruesome, but it is tough to watch. One version has been viewed more than 223,000 times on youtube.com. Another is set to the theme from "Chariots of Fire" and it strings together highlights of famous runners -- from Roger Bannister to Steve Prefontaine to Lasse Viren -- and Markwardt.

Markwardt's inspiring 50 seconds of fame happened three years ago this week at the 2007 state cross country meet. A senior at Berkshire at the time, she was about 45 feet from the finish when a bone in her leg snapped and she collapsed. Thinking it was a muscle cramp, Markwardt rose and took another step. A second bone broke and she fell again.

Then something amazing happened.

Markwardt, her gaze fixed on the finish line, quickly crawled on her hands and knees despite her left tibia and fibula bones below the knee both were badly broken. About 13 runners passed her and she finished 67th.

When she crossed the finish, an official picked her up in his arms and carried her to a trainer's table, her shattered leg dangling.

The finish line video later was posted on youtube and she became an immediate sensation. She was contacted by media outlets across the country. She continues to do occasional interviews and receives requests to speak to teams.

"I've watched the video, not over and over, but I've seen it," Markwardt said. "Honestly, I'm amazed I crawled so fast. It seemed like it took longer. Watching it seems shorter.

"I'm always surprised by how much attention it got and I feel like a lot of people would have done the same thing. When you've worked that hard to get there, you're not going to stop. Everyone thinks it hurt and it didn't."

Markwardt had surgery to insert a rod in her leg between her knee and ankle. Today, she is a junior architecture student at Kent State and plans to study in Italy next year. She runs a few miles a week, pain free. She said when she thinks of the state meet, she remembers the weekend with teammates as much as the finish.

"Both were important parts of my life," she said. "The whole state experience was fun. I always look at it as a positive in my life. The feedback and the opportunities I got out of it don't make me regret it.

"The fact I can still run is a good thing. It healed up normally. I think people thought it would be much worse that it ended up being."

-- Tim Warsinskey

Dan Herron is grateful for the chance to get his first 100-yard game for the Buckeyes, and wants to be ready to do it again.

View full sizeChris Russell,
Columbus DispatchDan Herron collected his first 100-yard game as a Buckeye last week, rumbling 114 yards against Minnesota.

In a 49-0 trouncing of Purdue, OSU ran for 184 yards, with Herron running for 74 yards and two scores. Then in a 52-10 demolition of Minnesota, OSU ran for 263 yards, with Herron achieving his first career 100-yard game at OSU with 114 yards and a touchdown.

"It was a lot of fun to get one. It was a great honor to get 100 yards," Herron said. "Minnesota is a great team. Any time you play a Big Ten team, it's going to be a fight.

"The offensive line did a great job, (fullback) Zach (Boren) is always doing a great job, and Coach Tressel gave me the opportunity to carry the load in the first half, and I thank him for that."

... "When I do get (the ball)," Herron said, "I have to make the best of it."

Ohio State is just 2-4 in games after bye weeks under Tressel, who said he and his staff have taken steps this week to try to come out of their off week with more momentum.

"The one thing that we've talked about and we've consciously worked on this bye week is not to get too excited about the next game,'' he said.

There have been times in the past that his teams have been ready to play the next opponent on Wednesday, then had a letdown before the actual kickoff three days later, he said.

Another problem for a team with a week off can be that it starts believing its own hype.

"I can remember back in '04, where we were 3-0 after beating a good N.C. State team in the last game,'' Tressel said. "In our minds, we were probably thinking we were better than we were. And all of a sudden, if you have two weeks of thinking you're better than you are, you're really in trouble.''

Those Buckeyes lost their next three games and finished tied for fifth in the Big Ten.

This time, Ohio State is taking it nice and easy.

"Our primary things are to get our bodies ready to go and get our emotional gas tanks refilled,'' Tressel said.

Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy will start Sunday vs. the Patriots, with Seneca Wallace being ruled out by coach Eric Mangini as the starter.

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerColt McCoy will start Sunday vs. the Patriots, his third straight start in place of Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme.

CLEVELAND -- Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy will start Sunday against the Patriots, because coach Eric Mangini ruled out Seneca Wallace as a starter this week with his high ankle sprain.

Wallace and Delhomme both sat out Friday's practice, meaning they've missed the entire week. Mangini said Wallace has a shot to be active Sunday, but will not start the game.

That means McCoy will get the nod  against a 6-1 team that's won five straight games and has gone 14-2 against the AFC North since it was founded in 2002.

 Mangini said it helps that McCoy's started against the Steelers and Saints, and that the Saints showed some new wrinkles that McCoy had to adjust to on the fly -- the same thing he'll have to do against Bill Belichick's Patriots.

"I've been pleased with his poise, I've been pleased with his confidence and I feel good about him going into this game,'' said Mangini.

THe Buckeyes are off this week, and return against Penn State at 3:30 next Saturday in Ohio Stadium.

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerThe Buckeyes beat Iowa in overtime in Ohio Stadium last season. The Big Ten announced today that Ohio State's game at Iowa on Nov. 20 will start at 3:30.

The Buckeyes are off this week and return to the field on Nov. 13 against Penn State in Ohio Stadium in a game that was already scheduled to begin at 3:30 on ABC.

Ohio State, No. 11 in the BCS standings, needs to win its last three games to guarantee a share of what would be a record-tying six straight Big Ten titles. Doing that also would keep alive the Buckeyes' hopes for a Rose Bowl trip as the Big Ten champ, though that could be determined by a tiebreaker involving Wisconsin and/or Michigan State.

At the moment, Michigan State and Ohio State are both 4-1 in the Big Ten, while Wisconsin and Iowa are 3-1. 

The other three contenders kick off at noon on the Big Ten Network this weekend: No. 9 Wisconsin plays at Purdue, No. 16 Iowa visits Indiana and No. 14 Michigan State hosts Minnesota.

Boston media pokes fun at Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini.

Joshua Gunter/The Plain DealerCoach Eric Mangini

Each week New England coach Bill Belichick searches for ways to motivate his team by playing up the opponent, That's easy when the opponent is the Baltimore Ravens or the New York Jets.

This week against the Browns, the subject is Cleveland’s stunning win over the Saints, writes Boston Herald reporter Ian R. Rapoport.

“They played like they normally do,” Belichick said. “A good, solid, tough football game. They had some big plays in the kicking game and that gave them some great field position which ended up in some bonus points that really tilted the game pretty heavily in their favor. They did a real good job on offense, defense (and) special teams.”

The Browns' offense has struggled all season. The team generated just 210 yards in the victory over the New Orleans Saints, but were still able to pullout a 30-17 victory, thanks to two interceptions for touchdowns and a 68-yard run on a fake punt.

“That really broke it open,” Belichick said.

By yesterday, players were well-versed in what the Browns can do - 2-5 record or not.

“They beat the defending Super Bowl champs this past year and that’s the New Orleans Saints,” tight end Alge Crumpler said. “They played well, they created turnovers, they scored and they won that game. Our focus is what we see on film, and these guys are a physical bunch, they score a lot of different ways, and it’s our job to stand up to the pressure and win the ballgame.”

Former Patriots assistant

Boston Herald reporter Jim Lazar takes a shot at Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini. He calls Mangini the former Patriots defensive coordinator, turned traitorous, hated and handshake-less New York Jets head coach and now obscure Browns boss.

Lazar writes that at least Mangini hasn’t brought up Camera-gate.

Perhaps Mangini paid attention last week when Vikings coach Brad Childress spoke of the Patriots stealing signals, or so he later mis-remembered.

And you saw what happened to Childress and the Vikings last Sunday, and we just don’t mean the 28-18 Pats victory.

Ah, Eric, seems so long ago you had a future, all so young and filled with Master Belichick’s prophetic teachings. Now, you’re sitting by Lake Erie trying to revive a Browns franchise that still hasn’t recovered from Art Modell moving the original model to Baltimore.

Tom Brady

Jim Ingraham of The News-Herald reminds us that quarterbacks Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger and Spergon Wynn were all drafted ahead of Tom Brady in the 2000 Draft.

Those gulps you hear are coming from the Jets (Pennington), 49ers (Carmazzi), Ravens (Redman), Steelers (Martin), Saints (Bulger) and your 2000 Cleveland Browns — all of whom, when they had a chance to select him, passed on Brady, who will take time out from his Hall of Fame career to quarterback the New England Patriots against the Browns on Sunday.

Granted, 2000 was not a quarterback-rich draft, writes Ingraham. Only three quarterbacks were selected in the first four rounds.

The Patriots took Brady 17 picks after the Browns took Spergon Wynn.

If you're looking for a single sentence that best sums up the Browns' fortunes since their return to the NFL, the previous sentence will do just fine.

 

 

PD beat writer also answers questions about Mike Holmgren's view of the team; and why the Browns' schedule is so tough.

Phil Dawson might not be back with the Browns in 2011, says Tony Grossi.

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports. Today's show is hosted by Branson Wright and Chuck Yarborough.

Will the Browns be able to beat the New England Patriots on Sunday? If so, what has to happen? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer Browns reporter Tony Grossi, says he doesn't think the Browns have much of a shot Sunday. He also answers fan questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature.

Tony says Phil Dawson is the best kicker in Browns history, and he calls him the best outdoor kicker in the NFL right now. However, Tony doesn't think Dawson will be back with the Browns in 2011.

He also answers questions about Mike Holmgren's possible return to coaching; the difficulty of the Browns' schedule; and whether the Browns would ever put brown and orange turf in Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Have a great weekend. SBTV will be back Monday, and in the meantime, don't forget to play our You-Pick-the-Winners Contest where you can outpick Branson and Chuck each week and earn an appearance on SBTV, a $25 gas card and a chance at a $250 gift card.

Get two full hours with the D-Man as The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff guest hosts on Digital Sports Network from noon to 2 p.m.

Dennis Manoloff

"There may very well no jackpot in the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery. With the labor situation as it now stands, the only players likely to be in the entire draft are seniors who were not good enough to come out for the draft as underclassman. The current CBA expires days after the 2011 draft. If it still appears, as it does now, that there will be a long work stoppage, no underclassmen will declare for the draft only to sit around for months waiting to sign and play or maybe miss an entire season." - laphoto216

View full sizeJoshua Gunter | The Plain DealerTwo-time MVPs don't come along often in the Draft Lottery, and a looming lockout could only make it more difficult.

In response to the story Antawn Jamison looking for his shot -- and some pain-free days with Cleveland Cavaliers, cleveland.com reader laphoto216 thinks counting on a star in this year's draft is a bad idea. This reader writes,

"There may very well no jackpot in the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery. With the labor situation as it now stands, the only players likely to be in the entire draft are seniors who were not good enough to come out for the draft as underclassman. The current CBA expires days after the 2011 draft. If it still appears, as it does now, that there will be a long work stoppage, no underclassmen will declare for the draft only to sit around for months waiting to sign and play or maybe miss an entire season."

"I think Marte's stay was extended for fear he would develop after leaving the Tribe, and thus become Brandon Phillips II. Who knows? He may still develop with someone else, but the Tribe seemed to give it their best shot with him. Probably best to move on at this point for both Marte and the Tribe." - cleveinnyc

View full sizeThe Plain DealerAndy Marte never developed into the player the Indians hoped he would be.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians drop Andy Marte from 40-man roster; eligible for free agency, cleveland.com reader cleveinnyc thinks the time was right to part ways with Marte. This reader writes,

"I think Marte's stay was extended for fear he would develop after leaving the Tribe, and thus become Brandon Phillips II. Who knows? He may still develop with someone else, but the Tribe seemed to give it their best shot with him. Probably best to move on at this point for both Marte and the Tribe."

Baltimore nuns' order earns $262,000 in auction of rare Honus Wagner card.

View full sizeAP/Courtesy of Heritage AuctionsA Baltimore order of nuns earned $222,000 -- their share of the $262,000 total price, auctioning off a rare Honus Wagner card that was left to them by the brother of a deceased nun in the order. The money will be used to help the nuns' ministry worldwide.

Baltimore -- A rare Honus Wagner baseball card that was bequeathed to an order of Roman Catholic nuns has sold at auction for $262,000.

The Baltimore-based School Sisters of Notre Dame put the card up for sale after inheriting it from the brother of a deceased nun. The sale price exceeded the expectations of auctioneers at Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries.

The nuns will receive $220,000 from the sale. The total sale price includes a 19.5 percent buyer's premium. Sister Virginia Muller, who was entrusted with the card, says the proceeds will go to the order's ministries in more than 30 countries around the world.

Collector and card shop owner Doug Walton of Knoxville, Tenn., bought the card.

About 60 of the T206 Honus Wagner cards, produced between 1909 and 1911, are known to exist.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is on the best of terms with Jim Brown.

AP Photo | Nam Y. HuhNew England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

The Cleveland Browns and Jim Brown may not be on the best of terms, but New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick doesn't respect or appreciate anyone more than one of the greatest football players in the history of the NFL.

WEEI reporter Mike Petraglia writes how Belichick, a former Browns coach, still has a great relationship with Brown.

“He was a big part of my experience in Cleveland," Belichick said. "That was really, I’d say, one of the true highlights, is just the opportunity to talk and get to know and become friends with Jim and have his perspective and friendship on a lot of levels.

“He’s just a tremendous person. When you’re real close to that situation, you start to have maybe a little more appreciation as a player than even I did as a kid and a fan watching him. You go back and really talk to him and understand. I mean that guy, he’s a man’s man now. He’s so impressive in everything, not just as a player, his physical presence, his competitiveness, playing golf with him and stuff like that. He’s very competitive, focused and has a great winning attitude and I definitely learned a lot from him."