The Milwaukee Admirals scored on the first shot of the game and went on to beat the Cleveland Monsters, 4-1, in an American Hockey League game Saturday evening at Quicken Loans Arena.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Milwaukee Admirals scored on the first shot of the game and went on to beat the Cleveland Monsters, 4-1, Saturday evening at The Q.

The loss -- a flip of Cleveland's 4-1 victory over the Ads on Friday -- dropped the Monsters to 8-11-1-1, in seventh place in the American Hockey League's Central Division. Milwaukee, in first place in the Central Division and Western Conference, improved to 13-3-2-1.

Milwaukee led from the start, just 41 seconds into the first period, when Trevor Murphy scored the first of his two goals.

Monsters rookie Blake Siebenaler tied it at 15:26 with his first professional goal, a four-on-four backhand shot from the left circle, with assists by Daniel Zaar and Justin Scott.

But the Admirals regained the lead on Murphy's second goal, a power-play marker at 17:42 of the opening frame. After a scoreless second period, Milwaukee added goals from Vladislav Kamenev, 54 seconds into the third,  and Justin Florek, at 11:31.

Anton Forsberg (6-6-1) took the loss in net, stopping 19 of 23 shots he faced. Marek Mazanec (3-1-1) had 28 saves for Milwaukee.

Cleveland was 0-for-4 on power play opportunities but 3-for-4 on penalty killing.

Next up, the Monsters host the Grand Rapids Griffins at 7 p.m. Tuesday at The Q.

The Cavaliers' bid to match St. Ignatius for consecutive state football championships ended on Saturday at Ohio State.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Coldwater's bid to match St. Ignatius for most consecutive OHSAA state football championships ended on a Hail Mary pass Saturday night in the Division V title game against Canton Central Catholic.

Dylan Thobe's final heave on a fourth-down pass from the 39 was intercepted by the Crusaders' Brady Thompson in the back of the end zone as time expired. It preserved Central Catholic's 16-13 win and stopped the Cavaliers, who owned four straight state championships.

St. Ignatius won five straight Division I crowns from 1991-95.

Central Catholic (11-3) took the lead with 58 seconds left on Jack Murphy's 55-yard pass to Tee Rupp. The Crusaders built a 9-0 lead before the Cavaliers (13-2) rallied behind Thobe. The Coldwater senior quarterback passed for 157 yards and rushed for another 101. He had a hand in both touchdowns, one rushing and another throwing.

Murphy passed for 214 yards and two touchdowns, helping Central Catholic to its third state title in program history and first since 2000. Coldwater beat the Crusaders in last year's title game, 35-18.

The conference championships have been played, so who's going to the College Football Playoff.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Is there any reason for Ohio State fans/players to sweat out the final College Football Playoff rankings on Sunday?

Probably not, but the one thing the Buckeyes were looking to avoid was an uncomfortable conversation for the playoff selection committee about what to do with a Big Ten Champion Penn State that owns a win over Ohio State.

The No. 7 Nittany Lions beat No. 6 Wisconsin, 38-31, in Indianapolis on Saturday night.

So now Penn State has its hardware and the best win in the country. The Lions also added a quality win over Wisconsin, and got a resume booster when Temple won the American Athletic Conference Championship earlier on Saturday. The Owls should be ranked on Sunday, and Penn State beat them in September.

What we knew coming into Saturday is that the playoff committee saw a sizeable gap between Ohio State and Penn State, one that -- if we are truly to believe what the committee has been telling us -- wasn't going to be closed on Saturday even with the Lions winning the Big Ten title.

Here's a definite: Alabama is in, and the Crimson Tide will be the No. 1 seed.

Clemson is likely in after it won the ACC Championship on Saturday. Ohio State appeared to be in a comfortable position coming in, and many think Washington locked up a playoff spot by winning the Pac-12 Championship on Friday night.

So that could be it: Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and Washington -- in some order -- will be your four playoff teams.

Could Penn State jump Washington -- and Michigan (which Penn State 49-10 in September) -- and get into the playoff?

Just in case, let's look at the resumes, with the most recent playoff rankings and total offense/defense and scoring ranks coming into Saturday night:

No. 2 Ohio State (11-1)

* Wins over No. 5 Michigan, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 9 Oklahoma

* Lost to No. 7 Penn State

* No. 23 total offense, No. 4 total defense

* No. 9 scoring offense, No. 4 scoring defense

No. 3 Clemson (12-1)

* Beat No. 12 Florida State, No. 13 Louisville, No. 14 Auburn, No. 23 Virginia Tech

* Lost to No. 25 Pitt

* No. 12 total offense, No. 8 total defense

* No. 17 scoring offense, No. 8 scoring defense

* ACC Champion

No. 4 Washington (12-1)

* Beat No. 8 Colorado, No. 18 Stanford, No. 20 Utah

* Lost to No. 11 USC

* No. 24 total offense, No. 10 Washington

* No. 3 scoring offense, No. 10 scoring defense

* Pac-12 Champion

No. 5 Michigan (10-2)

* Beat No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Colorado

* Lost to No. 2 Ohio State, Iowa

* No. 49 total offense, No. 2 total defense

* No. 13 scoring offense, No. 2 scoring defense

No. 7 Penn State (11-2)

* Beat No. 2 Ohio State, No. 6 Wisconsin

* Lost to No. 5 Michigan, No. 25 Pitt

* No. 56 total offense, No. 20 total defense

* No. 25 scoring offense, No. 30 scoring defense

* Big Ten Champion

The official pairings will be announced on Sunday around 12:30 p.m. on ESPN. Here are our College Football Playoff projections:

Ari Wasserman's projection: 

Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Washington

Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State

Bill Landis' projections:

Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Washington

Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Clemson

Hideki Matsuyama is running away with Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hideki Matsuyama led by seven shots entering the final round of Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. Tiger Woods was 10th in the field of 18, 11 shots back.

Matsuyama went 65-67-65 for 19-under through three rounds. Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson, each of whom won a major in 2016, were tied for second at 12-under. Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar were tied for fourth at 11-under.

Hero World Challenge is sanctioned by the PGA Tour but not an official event. The winner does not get credit for a PGA Tour victory, and the field's earnings only matter at the bank. World ranking points are available, though.

Hero leaderboard

Woods went 73-65-70 through three rounds. A double bogey on the par-4 18th Saturday cost him a good round.

Woods, 40, had not played in an event that mattered since finishing tied for 10th at the PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship in August 2015.

Woods owns 79 official PGA Tour titles. He is host of the HWC, which he has won five times, most recently in 2011. Bubba Watson is defending champion, Jordan Spieth won in 2014 and Zach Johnson in 2013.

Woods, plagued by back issues for years and sidelined by multiple procedures/surgeries, had hoped to return at the PGA Tour Safeway Open in October. He decided that his game was not where it needed to be.

HERO WORLD CHALLENGE

Site: Nassau, Bahamas.

Course: Albany GC. Yardage: 7,267. Par: 72.

Purse: $3.5 million (First prize: $1 million).

Television: NBC Sports (Saturday, 2:30-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-4 p.m.); Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 1:30-4:30 p.m.; Saturday, noon-2:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

Defending champion: Bubba Watson.

Last week: Denmark won the World Cup of Golf behind Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen.

Notes: Tiger Woods returns to competition for the first time since he tied for 10th in the Wyndham Championship on Aug. 23, 2015. ... Woods was No. 257 in the world ranking after his last official tournament. He returns at No. 898. ... Woods will be paired in the opening round with Patrick Reed. ... The 18-man field includes four players who were in Australia last week for the World Cup of Golf: Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler, Jimmy Walker and Russell Knox. ... Spieth won the Hero World Challenge by 10 shots two years ago at Isleworth after winning the Australian Open the previous week. ... Knox, Brooks Koepka and Emiliano Grillo are playing the tournament for the first time. ... Adam Scott, who lives at Albany, is not playing this year because he is at the Australian PGA. ... The two sponsor exemptions were given to Woods (tournament host) and Zach Johnson, who beat Woods in a playoff in 2013 the last time it was held at Sherwood Country Club in California. ... Justin Rose has not played a 72-hole tournament of stroke play since the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick in September.

Next week: Franklin Templeton Shootout.

Online: www.pgatour.com

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

I expect the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals to win as part of my NFL Week 13 ATS best "bets.''

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- OneUp Sports called to ask for my best "bets'' against the spread from NFL Week 13. (Entertainment purposes only, of course.)

Complete Week 13 picks

I went 2-1-1 BB in Week 12 and am .500 for the season.

"What I do know is that we just won the toughest conference in college football," Franklin said. "We've won nine-straight. They say you're allowed to overcome early setbacks, we've done that. ... It's on you now, The Committee."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The person who was presenting James Franklin with the Big Ten Championship Trophy rattled off all of Penn State's accomplishments before asking the critical question: "Do you belong in the College Football Playoff?" 

Franklin responded, "can rattle those things off again, please?" 

* Nine-straight wins 

* Win over No. 2 Ohio State

* East Division Champion

And with a 38-31 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game on Sunday, Penn State won the Big Ten. 

So does Penn State belong in the playoff? 

"What I do know is that we just won the toughest conference in college football," Franklin said. "We've won nine-straight. They say you're allowed to overcome early setbacks, we've done that. 

"It's on you now, The Committee." 

Though No. 7 Penn State is riding high off the win and the conference championship, it still is a longshot to find a spot in the playoff.

Ohio State had a huge lead in Tuesday's rankings, a lead big enough to endure  the momentum the Nittany Lions earned with another top-10 win and a conference title. Remember, the Buckeyes have beaten three top-10 opponents.  

Clemson won the ACC Championship and Washington won the Pac-12 Championship, and both teams only have one loss. Alabama won the SEC title, too, and finished the year undefeated. 

Those three teams likely take up three of the four spots, though some have started a Washington vs. Penn State debate. 

The final spot, however, is likely going to come down to Penn State vs. Ohio State. 

"I guess how I would describe it as this: I have heard everybody -- you guys,all the media people all over the country -- say the Big Ten was the strongest conference this year. We just won the Big Ten conference," Franklin said.  

"I also heard you can have early setbacks and overcome them. We've done that. So all the things people have been saying for a long time, we've done those things. 

"I am just proud of our team, nine-straight, what an amazing game today. at the end of the day we're going to be appreciative of wherever we're going, but I think we deserve to be a part of the conversation." 

Penn State AD Sandy Barbour: Big Ten should get 2 teams in the playoff and only Alabama is as hot as Penn State.

-- Jon Solomon (@JonSolomonCBS) December 4, 2016

Catch up on all of Saturday's boys high school basketball scores in the OHSAA.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Here are Saturday's boys basketball scores from around the state.

Bellville Clear Fork 51, Mansfield Christian 46

Berlin Hiland 53, Hannibal River 37

Bloomdale Elmwood 59, N. Baltimore 46

Botkins 66, Rockford Parkway 54

Casstown Miami E. 46, W. Liberty-Salem 41

Centerburg 66, Bainbridge Paint Valley 33

Cin. Hills Christian Academy 60, Cin. Riverview East 25

Cin. Mariemont 46, New Richmond 33

Cin. NW 56, Hamilton 48

Cin. Shroder 79, Day. Thurgood Marshall 61

Cin. Withrow 61, Cin. Walnut Hills 57

Cin. Woodward 96, Lockland 60

Circleville Logan Elm 84, Williamsport Westfall 43

Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant 34, Raceland, Ky. 26

Cols. Beechcroft 80, E. Cle. Shaw 44

Cols. Bexley 44, Cols. East 43

Cols. Grandview Hts. 83, Groveport Madison Christian 23

Cols. Upper Arlington 55, Greenfield McClain 29

Continental 52, Lima Temple Christian 45

Cornerstone Christian 73, Cle. E. Tech 43

Cory-Rawson 57, Ottoville 55

Creston Norwayne 54, Lodi Cloverleaf 45

Delaware Hayes 52, Delaware Buckeye Valley 41

Edgerton 29, Stryker 26

Elmore Woodmore 65, Oak Harbor 52

Fairfield 58, Cin. St. Xavier 52

Fremont Ross 65, Clyde 44

Ft. Loramie 74, New Knoxville 51

Gahanna Lincoln 78, Von Steuben, Ill. 37

Garfield Hts. 78, Cle. JFK 31

Goshen 78, N. Bend (Cleves) Taylor 67

Greenwich S. Cent. 52, New Washington Buckeye Cent. 51

Hamilton Southeastern, Ind. 55, Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 51

Harrod Allen E. 54, Pandora-Gilboa 51

Huron 70, Norwalk 67

Jackson Center 49, Columbus Grove 28

Kenton 82, Waynesfield-Goshen 41

Lakewood St. Edward 94, Cle. John Marshall 43

Lexington 70, Willard 37

Lima Bath 62, Lima Cent. Cath. 56

Lima Perry 88, Tol. Woodward 71

Lima Shawnee 65, Elida 55

Logan 66, Chillicothe Unioto 56

London Madison Plains 59, Ridgeway Ridgemont 49

Lou. Ky. Country Day, Ky. 57, Blanchester 43

Mason 70, Cooper, Ky. 59

Mason Co., Ky. 75, Manchester 38

Maumee 51, Defiance 48

McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 78, Mt. Blanchard Riverdale 52

Minford 60, Seaman N. Adams 56

Montpelier 64, Hicksville 62

New London 60, Wellington 57

New Philadelphia 82, Cle. Max Hayes 19

Newark 89, Day. Dunbar 62

Oberlin Firelands 62, Collins Western Reserve 58

Old Fort 70, Vanlue 51

Ontario 67, Mansfield St. Peter's 60

Paulding 57, Antwerp 41

Portsmouth Clay 74, McDermott Scioto NW 34

S. Webster 74, Crown City S. Gallia 37

Sandusky Perkins 63, Bellevue 40

Shelby 59, Bucyrus Wynford 36

Sherwood Fairview 55, Delphos Jefferson 38

Sidney Fairlawn 76, Bradford 40

Solon 68, Macedonia Nordonia 66

Spencerville 47, N. Robinson Col. Crawford 37

St. Bernard Roger Bacon 69, Day. Northridge 39

St. Henry 60, Russia 57, OT

Steubenville Cath. Cent. 64, Caldwell 43

Thomas Worthington 63, Cols. Whetstone 44

Tol. Maumee Valley 77, Monclova Christian 32

Tol. Start 66, Dublin Coffman 60

Tol. Whitmer 71, Sylvania Southview 57

Troy Christian 67, New Bremen 56

Upper Sandusky 57, New Riegel 48

Van Buren 75, Carey 64

Van Wert Lincolnview 63, Van Wert 60

Versailles 67, Celina 40

Wapakoneta 61, Lewistown Indian Lake 46

Washington C.H. 59, Southeastern 44

Wauseon 52, Archbold 50

Wooster 96, Massillon Perry 53

Worthington Christian 54, Bloom-Carroll 48

Youngs. Ursuline 76, Akr. Coventry 72, OT

Zanesville W. Muskingum 58, W. Lafayette Ridgewood 47

Cle. Hts. Lutheran E. 51, Orange 47

Cols. Northland 57, Cle. VASJ 49

Brecksville-Broadview Hts. 56, Akr. Buchtel 52

Peninsula Woodridge 59, Akr. Firestone 56

Amanda-Clearcreek 45, Frankfort Adena 37

Chillicothe Huntington 71, Sugar Grove Berne Union 55

Thornville Sheridan 76, Stewart Federal Hocking 17

Greenville vs. Ft. Recovery, ppd. to Feb 7.

Troy vs. St. Marys Memorial, ppd. to Jan 17.

Ft. Jennings vs. Defiance Ayersville, ppd. to Dec 27.

The team that was once 2-2 after a 39-point loss to Michigan is now 11-2 and the Big Ten champion.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Penn State's Season Of Two Halves continued on the Big Ten's biggest stage Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Facing a terrific Wisconsin pass defense and a bruising Badgers run game, the Lions buckled early but rallied from 21 points down to stun the Badgers 38-31 before a roaring Pro-PSU crowd of more than 65,000.

James Franklin's team outscored favored Wisconsin 24-3 in the second half to continue its trend of second-half dominance. PSU has scored 304 points after intermission, a staggering number given some of the teams the Lions have played down the stretch -- Minnesota, Ohio State, Iowa and now Wisconsin.

"Just trying to take what the defense was giving us,'' said PSU quarterback Trace McSorley, the MVP, after throwing for 384 yards and four touchdowns.

"Everything came together and we were able to carry it through the rest of the game.''

It was more like McSorley and the Lions' wideouts, led DaeSean Hamilton (eight catches, 118 yards) and Saeed Blacknall (six catches, 155 yards, two touchdowns), took what they wanted.

It was 28-7 at one point in a game reminiscent of the PSU-Pitt contest in Week 2. The Lions came up just short after a wild rally at Heinz Field, losing by three.

But this team is much better now, and confident.

Once McSorley and offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead got a read on the Wisconsin defense, the points came in bunches. 

PSU repeatedly attacked a Badgers "D" that had 21 interceptions with deep shots. Wisconsin couldn't keep up as McSorley connected with tight end Mike Gesicki (33 yards), Blacknall twice (40, 70) and tailback Saquon Barkley (18 yards) for scores.

McSorley's scoring pass to Barkley on a wheel route down the right side gave PSU its first lead, 35-31, with 13:41 to play.

The Lions drove for another score, a 24-yard Tyler Davis field goal with 5:14 left, to make it 38-31.

And here came Wisconsin, with its big O-line and running game, one more time. The Badgers (10-3), who rumbled for 241 yards, aimed 235-pound feature back Corey Clement (164 yards, TD) at the right side of the Lions' defense on a fourth-and-one from the PSU 24 with just over a minute left.

And one of the smallest Lions defenders, 185-pound corner Grant Haley, flew in to trip him up for no gain. It was redemption for Haley, who missed on a tackle attempt of Clement in the first quarter, allowing the Badger to race 67 yards for their second touchdown.

Give credit to the PSU defense and coordinator Brent Pry for figuring out how to slow the Wisconsin run game. The Badgers were held to just three second-half points and a few Lions were terrific -- linebacker Brandon Bell (13 tackles, sack, forced fumble), safety Marcus Allen (11 stops) and defensive tackle Curtis Cothran (three TFLs).

So where does this leave PSU with Selection Sunday up next? The four college playoff teams will be announced around lunch time. The Lions, once 2-2, are now 11-2. They handed Ohio State its only loss. They mugged an Iowa team that beat Michigan.

And on Saturday night, PSU and its big-play offense, coordinator by Moorhead and directed by the fearless McSorley, took apart a very good defense.

With ease.

"Let's stop talking about 2-2 and starting talking about the last nine games,'' Franklin said afterward.

He added: "What I do know is that we just won the toughest conference in college football. We've won nine straight. They say you are allowed to overcome minor setbacks and we've done that.

"It's up to you, committee.''

Jimmy Haslam went to great lengths to put together a non-traditional football organization. Now that he's taken that route, the best thing he can do is give it time to work. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Hue Jackson assures us he hasn't come close to emptying his bag of tricks.

If true, that's in direct contrast to Jimmy Haslam, who has pretty much exhausted his. The only unused trick in the owner's bag: continuity.

Haslam's litany of hirings and firings is well known, and full of more heartache than a country western ballad. No need to call roll on the executives and coaches who've come and gone. Just know the name on the door is "Chaos."

Continuity is the only thing Haslam hasn't tried. There is something to be said for it (ya think?), especially when you've gone to great lengths to put a unique (for the NFL) structure in place.

The plan as instituted just one season ago: Hire the smartest guy in most any room (Paul DePodesta) and make him director of strategy; put a patient, bright facilitator in charge (Sashi Brown); hire a personnel man (Andrew Berry) and a coach (Hue Jackson) who has done the work before and whose offenses at his most recent job have been dynamic and versatile.

Mix and bake. Sounds easy. Here's the key, though.

Set the timer at least two years and go away.

Is that, finally, the recipe for the Browns becoming consistent contenders? Not sure. The only way to find out, though, is also the only smart thing for Haslam to do now that he's taken this route. Give it time.

DePodesta warned that once the roller coaster ride started, ownership has to see it through no matter how tough it is to stomach.

Would a traditional GM in Berea be a change for the better?

Adding a "football man" to the organization would be throwing everyone Haslam entrusted for a serious and unnecessary loop.

Jackson is that football voice in the organization. He has the temperament to get along and enough ego to avoid getting pushed into the background. My guess is he saw the opportunity in the organizational hierarchy to flex his football muscles even without owning final say on the roster. And that it's one reason he didn't get on the plane to interview with the Giants.

That was the job description presented to him when he agreed to terms. Changing the relationship among Jackson, DePodesta and Brown 16 games into what the owner told us would be a "multi-year rebuild" would mean more calamity in Berea, not less.

Would the Browns have been better off had Haslam simply decided to hire a traditional GM and let him pick the head coach instead of hiring DePodesta and putting Brown in charge of football operations? It's quite possible.

Just because previous attempts didn't immediately produce results only meant Haslam didn't hire the right people or didn't give them enough time. Plenty of teams are winning with a football-savvy GM and head coach sharing responsibilities.

But what we can say for sure is that it's time to find out if this way will work, if smart people in the front office can successfully blend their talents with a passionate, respected head football coach.

Provided they're all given the time to do the things they were hired to do.

Crazy as that sounds.

The Buckeyes are in the College Football Playoff as the No. 3 seed.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the end, Ohio State didn't have to sweat it out all that much.

The Buckeyes sat at home over conference championship weekend, knowing they were probably in the College Football Playoff but hoping for a little bit of chaos that would make Saturday night's sleep a little easier.

That chaos didn't happen, but the Buckeyes are still in.

Ohio State is in the College Football Playoff as the No. 3 seed, and will play No. 2 Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. Top-seeded Alabama will play No. 4 Washington in the Peach Bowl.

The National Championship will be played on Jan. 9 in Tampa, Fla.

Ohio State is the first at-large team to make the field in the short three-year history of the playoff. The Buckeyes made the playoff over Big Ten champion Penn State, which finished No. 5 despite having a head-to-head win over the Buckeyes.

All along the selection committee has reminded us that conference championships are not play-in games for the playoff. Their mission was to "select the four very best teams for inclusion in the playoff," committee chair Kirby Hocutt said last week at other times along this five-week journey of figuring out who exactly should be in the playoff.

7 things you should know about Clemson

The Buckeyes started at No. 6 even after they were already saddled with a loss at Penn State. They jumped to No. 5 the following week, and have been at No. 2 for the last three weeks. That was the committee telling us that they viewed Ohio State as playoff-worthy even when it became clear the Buckeyes weren't going to play for the Big Ten Championship.

Ohio State, by nature of top-10 wins over Michigan, Wisconsin and Oklahoma -- two of those on the road -- didn't need a Big Ten title to make it like it did in 2014.

Clemson and Ohio State last played in the Orange Bowl after the 2013 season. The Tigers won 40-35. Clemson reached the National Championship last year, where it lost to Alabama.

The Browns are on a bye week, so here are some observations about the team as they return to work on Monday. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are on a bye this week, thankfully. This is normally the time on a Sunday afternoon that you would fire up your TV to watch and I would fire up the post that will soon become my instant game analysis.

Instead, let's keep it simple. Here are 13 observations in honor of the league's 13th week:

1.) The bye week for the Browns starts with Jason La Canfora's report that the Haslams held a meeting to preach stability and "staying the course." That's a start.

2.) I'm not normally in the "we need to hear from the owner" camp at every sign of adversity, but I do think, in the midst of a winless season, now would be the time for Haslam to make himself available to address the fans in a press conference. I know Haslam has come out and vowed not to blow things up before, but doing it at the start of training camp like he did a few months before blowing up the tandem of Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine and doing it in the middle of December in a winless year are different circumstances.

3.) A few weeks ago I wrote that the Browns can't go 0-16 and claim they've made progress. I received some responses that said they absolutely could -- that if players develop and are getting better, that's progress.

So, let me clarify and dabble in semantics. Player development is one thing. I understand that's a part of all of this. That's not the type of progress I'm getting at, though. What I'm getting at is real progress, taking positive steps forward as an organization. 0-16 is not a positive step. It might be a much-needed rock bottom. It's not a positive step, though. That's the point I was chasing.

4.) Mary Kay Cabot and I did a podcast on Friday in which she explained her reasoning in calling for the Browns to hire a traditional football GM. Her column was met with plenty of criticism in the echo chamber of Twitter but there were supporters, too. I think she made a fair argument.

5.) No matter your feelings on the idea, there are a few basic things we need to remember as the Browns go into their latest, most important offseason:

• Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta are still pretty new at this.
• The results of their first dip into free agency and the draft is still very much in question. It's incredibly early, but no single player from this draft class has played at a consistently high level. It doesn't mean they can't or won't, it's simply to say they haven't.
• If the front office torpedoes this offseason with poor decisions in using their picks and cap space, they aren't coming back from it.

6.) I guess what I'm saying is it's completely plausible to, on one hand, say let's give this front office a chance while still looking at it a bit side-eyed based on the experience level and short track records of those involved. It's also perfectly acceptable and normal to say you'd trust a more experienced football voice in the front office. We really can have reasonable discussions about this thing.

7.) I still believe the Browns' biggest asset is Hue Jackson. There have been some questionable coaching decisions and every now and again some head-scratching comments, but overall, he's the key to this whole undertaking. Here's why:

• He is the most prominent traditional, veteran football voice.
• He is a good offensive coordinator and can do something on that side of the ball if he has the talent.
• I have yet to find a player that gives off any sense that they don't believe in what he's doing. Somewhere in that locker room there might be someone, but it sure isn't coming out at this point. Would it be different in a more veteran locker room? Maybe. That's not the case here, though.

8.) One thing I know for sure: Jackson can't go through this again. He fought back tears when he was talking about being 0-12 last Sunday. It would be unfair to Jackson for this front office to put him in a similar position again next year -- not that Jackson didn't know what he was signing up for or is an innocent bystander in all of this. Still, it's clearly been difficult.

9.) Which leads us to reasonable expectations for 2017. We don't know who will be playing quarterback. We don't know who on this roster will be back and we don't know how the young players will develop in Year 2. What we do know is that there have been times this season where the Browns have been completely overmatched.

So...what happens in 2017? What's the leap going to be if there is one? It's hard to imagine the ceiling as much more than five or six wins, but there's a lot that will happen between now and then.

10.)Lastly: My favorite email of the week came from a reader whose subject line was simply, "shirts."

"Hi Dan

Just to let you know, I'm a fan and enjoy your writing and videos with Mary Kay. I say all that because I have a criticism. Dude, your shirts suck. Now, it's true I live in NYC and yadda yadda, but still--you married?--you need to tell your wife to get you some relaxed but cool shirts.If she does, next stop ESPN."

So, I use my last three points to analyze my questionable wardrobe decisions.

11.) Cardigan weather

Nothing says winter in Ohio like a cardigan and maybe some sort of overpriced Starbucks drink.

While it might be easy to get distracted by whatever it is I chose to wear under the cardigan this day (Spoiler alert: there's a rip in the back of that blue shirt), if you don't look at me in this screen shot and think, man, that dude is ready to sit by the fireplace and read some pretty big leather bound books, I can't help you.

One other piece of trivia: When you get your English degree from Kent State, they actually give you a free cardigan and a gift certificate towards self-publishing your poetry.

12.) The suburban dad

I can admit that I'm a sheep. I challenge you to find any suburban dad over the age of 30 who doesn't own some version of this sweater. Go ahead. I'll wait.

It's an incredibly versatile sweater. You can wear it over anything and the zipper in front allows you to exude however much cool is appropriate at the time. There are different varieties, too. The one I'm wearing is affordable yet warm, but if you've got some money burning a hole in your pocket, there are much more expensive versions. It transcends social class.

It's also a sign to all other dads in the area that, hey, if you're looking for somebody to hang out and drink some craft beer, I'm down. I've just got to be home by 9 because I have a DVR full of shows that aren't going to watch themselves.

13.) I can't defend this

OK. You got me on this one. We all have that one wardrobe item that is less a piece of clothing and more a security blanket. That's what I'm wearing here. In my defense, it was good enough to be worn by a character on 'The Walking Dead,' but I probably shouldn't be making wardrobe choices based on a poorly-written, fictional zombie apocalypse show. (Also, I wore it first.)

Listen, we all make mistakes and we all show up to work the day before Thanksgiving without thinking about the fact that we'll probably still shoot a video that day.

-----

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Could there be an Alabama-Ohio State matchup coming in the national championship?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Could there be an Alabama-Ohio State matchup coming in the national championship? 

If things go the way Vegas betting spreads are reportedly going to indicate, it's looking like a distinct possibility. 

According to gamlbling expert RJ Bell, Ohio State will be a 3.5-point favorite over Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl and Alabama is an 11-point favorite over Washington in the Peach Bowl. Both games are College Football Playoff semifinal games. 

CFB Playoffs - Opening Spreads
#1 Alabama -11 over #4 Washington
#3 Ohio State -3.5 over #2 Clemson
[via Vegas bookmaker @CGTechnology_]

-- RJ Bell (@RJinVegas) December 4, 2016

Ohio State is 6-6 against the spread this season, but hasn't covered each of the last two spreads in wins over Michigan State and Michigan. 

Urban Meyer will address the media on Sunday around 2 p.m. after the Buckeyes were announced as one of the four College Football Playoff teams.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State is in the College Football Playoff. Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer will discuss that and a Fiesta Bowl matchup with Clemson during a news conference on Sunday.

Meyer is expected at the podium around 2 p.m. Updates from Meyer will appear in the comments section below.

Both playoff games will be played on Dec. 31. No. 1 seed Alabama will play No. 4 Washington at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. No. 2 Clemson will play No. 3 Ohio State at the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix.

The National Championship will be played on Jan. 9 in Tampa, Fla.

The Buckeyes made the College Football Playoff again, getting there in a new way. But they always are there.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Welcome to the playoff, Ohio State, again and always.

The Buckeyes made the 2014 College Football Playoff because they won the Big Ten Championship so convincingly.

The Buckeyes made the 2016 College Football Playoff without going to the Big Ten Championship because the committee found them so convincing during the regular season.

Maybe the surprise now is that Ohio State, at 11-1 and ranked No. 1 most of last season, didn't get picked for the 2015 College Football Playoff.

During the 16 years of the BCS era, from 1998 through 2013, no team made more BCS bowls than the Buckeyes, who played in 10.

Back then, they often dominated a weak conference and were picked for the most prestigious bowls when fan bases and the potential for bowl cash were still a primary motivating factor.

In the playoff era, the Buckeyes have been helped by a weaker Big Ten ('14) and by a stronger Big Ten ('16), helped by the existence of a championship playoff game and fine without it.

In 2014, Ohio State had one win against a top-10 team (and other wins over No. 18 and No. 25) and made the playoff by drubbing Wisconsin 59-0 in Indianapolis.

In 2016, Ohio State has three top-10 wins, over No. 6 Michigan, Oklahoma and Wisconsin and was aided by not having to prove it could beat Wisconsin again in Indy. 

We're not saying, as ESPN's Danny Kanell did, that Ohio State made the playoff because of brand. 

But when Ohio State proves itself, no matter how it proves itself, college football is conditioned to listen. It's the same thing with Alabama, if the Crimson Tide - the No. 1 seed, No. 2 seed and No. 1 seed in the three playoff years - ever found itself needing the benefit of the doubt

Ohio State earned its place as the No. 3 team in the playoff, heading to the postseason in Arizona again for the seventh time in the last 15 years. But five teams probably "earned" spots this year, and only four could go.

If the committee really wants to put the four best teams in the playoff each year, then Ohio State should have gone last year. As the defending national champs with everyone back, the Buckeyes shuffled through the regular season with a QB question they couldn't escape, then lost the one game te Michigan State they couldn't lose.

They finished No. 7 in the final playoff ranking, behind No. 6 two-loss Pac-12 champ Stanford, and went to the Fiesta Bowl to beat up Notre Dame. But four best? If that truly was the goal, then the one-loss, non-champ Buckeyes who would send 10 players into the first three rounds of the NFL Draft, they were among the "four best" a year ago. 

Did they earn it in 2015? The committee said no.

That's rare. Usually, when Ohio State wins, college football listens.

Ohio State's third-place finish in the College Football Playoff standings and inclusion in the hunt for the national championship, despite not being Big Ten champion, isn't as controversial as Washington's No. 4 spot

(This column was updated at 4:15 p.m. with the final CFP Top 25 standings.)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State, winner of not even its division, albeit the most top-heavy one in college football, is in the College Football Playoffs.

Penn State, the Big Ten champion, the only team to beat Ohio State this season, is out.

Red hot and spurned 

Penn State finished with what they call in the Olympics the lead medal. It's fourth place. (It's not a real medal, it's just a sarcastic concept for the competitor who finishes behind the gold, silver and bronze medalists.)

In college football, it's for the fifth-place team in a sport whose Final Four get to play for the national championship.

Penn State is the hottest team out there. It has won nine straight games and came off the deck, trailing by three touchdowns in the first half, to win the Big Ten Championship Game, 38-31 over higher-ranked Wisconsin.

The final CFP Standings

Unbeaten Alabama finished No. 1 in the CFP committee rankings. Clemson moved ahead of OSU to No. 2 by virtue of its ACC Championship Game win over Virginia Tech. The Buckeyes, by-sitters for the Big Ten Championship Game, finished No. 3. Washington was No. 4.

Washington played a non-conference schedule of the court jesters from Big Ten embarrassment Rutgers, (2-10 record); Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head from non-Power 5 Conference Idaho (8-4 in the Sun Belt); and Portland State (3-8 in one of college football's Triple-A leagues, the FCS Division's Big Sky conference.)

The Huskies aren't even the best team in the Pac-12 right now. That's No. 9 USC, which dusted Washington in Seattle. Ohio State-like, the Trojans missed their conference's championship game.

The Buckeye Precedent

In 2014, CFP No. 5 Ohio State crushed No. 13 Wisconsin, 59-0, in the Big Ten Championship Game for its 11^th straight win. The Buckeyes moved to fourth in the final CFP standings, the last rung for the CFP.

TCU, co-champion of the Big 12, winner in a 55-3 rout of Iowa State, was demoted from third in the next-to-last standings to sixth, behind both OSU and Big 12 conference co-champion Baylor.

Ohio State went on to win the national title.

Washington probably stayed No. 4 because its 41-10 victory over 10-3 Colorado in the Pac-12 title game was against a worthier final opponent than TCU's over a 2-10 Iowa State team.

Behind Penn State upset of Ohio State

Penn State's 24-21 upset turned on once -- OK, twice -- in a blue moon stuff. The Nittany Lions' two fourth quarter blocked kicks wiped out a two-touchdown OSU lead.

It was also a "schedule" win. Ohio State was playing its second straight Saturday night road game, after a comeback victory in overtime at Wisconsin, against a second straight team that had a bye week coming in.

No. 5 Penn State's resume

Overall record, 11-2. Lost at No. 23 Pittsburgh (8-4), 42-39, and at No. 6 Michigan (10-2), 49-10.

Hold it right there. Without those losses, Penn State is in the CFP.

(Hold it right there again. How is Michigan, a 39-point winner head-to-head, ranked below Penn State? Ah well, it is college football's very inscrutability that either irritates or entrances fans.)

CFP Top 25 record, 3-2: Lost at Michigan, at Pitt, beat No. 3 Ohio State. Beat No. 24 Temple, the American Conference champion, 34-27, in neutral Pittsburgh. Beat No. 6 Wisconsin (10-3), in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis.

CFP top 25 road record: 0-2.

Opponents' record: 88-70, 56 percent.

No. 6 Michigan's resume:

Overall record: 10-2. Lost at Ohio State, 30-27, in double overtime in a CFP elimination game and at unranked Iowa (8-4), 14-13.

CFP Top 25 record: 3-1. Beat No. 10 Colorado (10-3 ), 45-28; No. 5 Penn State; No. 8 Wisconsin (10-3), 14-7, all at home. Lost to No. 2 Ohio State, 30-27, in double overtime in Columbus.

CFP Top 25 road record: 0-1.

Michigan played eight of its 12 games within its home state. Only the Michigan State game, a 32-23 Wolverines' victory, was outside Ann Arbor. At hapless Rutgers was Michigan's only other road win.

Opponents' record: 82-65, 55.8 percent.

No. 3 Ohio State's resume:

Overall record: 11-1. Lost to No. 5 Penn State on the road.

CFP Top 25 record, 3-1.Won at No. 7 Oklahoma (10-2 record), 45-24, at No. 8 Wisconsin, 30-23, in OT. Beat No. 5 Michigan, 30-27, in double overtime at home. Lost at No. 5 Penn State.

CFP Top 25 road record: 2-1.

Opponents' record: 86-60, a winning percentage of 58.9.

Bottom Line

Ohio State had the best overall record, tied Michigan for the best record against CFP top 25 teams, had the only road wins against CFP Top 25 teams among the three teams, and Ohio State's opponents had a higher winning percentage than the other Big Ten playoff contenders

With the weakness of the SEC, even though Alabama is the only unbeaten team, and with the strength of the Big Ten, Ohio State probably has the most impressive resume, not only of the Big Ten contenders, but of all the CFP teams.

That's a 5:00 p.m. local kick time.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State's College Football Playoff semifinal game vs. Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl is the night semifinal game with kickoff time at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on New Year's Eve.

That's a 5:00 p.m. local kick time. 

Alabama and Washington, who meet in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, are the early game with a 3:00 p.m. ET kick. 

The national championship game will be played on Jan. 9 in Tampa, Fla. 

The Cavs will get Mike Dunleavy back from a concussion on Monday against the Toronto Raptors, which could help Channing Frye.

TORONTO -- Cavs shooter Mike Dunleavy (concussion protocol) practiced Sunday and is expected to return Monday against the Raptors after missing the past two games, coach Tyronn Lue said.

Dunleavy was hit in the head last Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks, but did not show symptoms of a concussion until Thursday.

Dunleavy, 36, is really struggling this season, his first with the Cavs. He's averaging 4.2 points and shooting 28.2 percent from 3-point range. He's a career 11.4-points-per-game scorer and shoots 37.5 percent from deep.

Despite Dunleavy's issues, he'll be a welcome addition to the Cavs' second unit. Without Dunleavy on the floor the past two games, opposing teams have gone small when Channing Frye takes the court -- limiting Cleveland's best 3-point shooter this season (Frye) to just three attempts. He's averaging 5.5 3-point attempts per game and making about half.

For instance, the Bulls guarded Frye with Dwyane Wade in Friday's loss to the Bulls. Having another shooter on the court like Dunleavy could create for Frye, who is 6-11, more room to shoot. 

The Cavs have lost their last three games and are riding their longest losing streak in precisely one year. They dropped three straight from Dec. 1-5 of 2015.

"I found out today when they flashed our sign on ESPN. ... A lot of anxiety, a lot of hope. I think we certainly are one of the best teams in the country, but I think there's some great teams out there."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There was a general thought that Ohio State was a lock to make the College Football Playoff despite the fact it didn't play for a Big Ten Championship.

And now that the No. 3 Buckeyes are in with a date with No. 2 Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl/playoff semifinal, it's hard to argue that they weren't.

They're in, so if you questioned whether they could be left out, you're wrong.

But here's something you should know: Urban Meyer wasn't walking around at the end of the week feeling like anything was a lock.

"I was with our team Friday -- we had practice Friday," Meyer said Sunday after the announcement. "I think it started back in '06 when you just don't know until you know. I remember I found out with Gene Smith and my family in 2014 when America found out, when they flashed our sign on ESPN.

"I found out today when they flashed our sign on ESPN. ... A lot of anxiety, a lot of hope. I think we certainly are one of the best teams in the country, but I think there's some great teams out there."

It was a murky situation, one that Meyer even acknowledges, especially after watching some of the football being played in conference championship games on Friday and Saturday night.

Ohio State had the deepest resume in college football with three wins over top-10 teams, but there was some question about Penn State's nine-game winning streak, its head-to-head win over the Buckeyes and its Big Ten title.

Did the committee get it right?

"All due respect, I'm not going to go and make an appeal," Meyer said. "I don't have to. I will make an appeal for how hard kids are playing right now. This is the golden years of college football, man.

"What I watched last night, it doesn't get any better. What I've seen this season as far as our conference that we're in, we've gone from -- in 2012, I remember, I was actually shocked at the disrespect. I never looked at it that way. But how lousy everybody said our conference was. I don't think we were lousy, but we weren't great.

"Now to say, I hear every person, it's the best conference in college football. You tell me that's not just a great reward for administrations and coaching staffs and players that have made that drastic change."

Meyer's daughter Nicki gave birth the morning of the College Football Playoff selection show. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There was birth. Then there was a berth.

Urban Meyer's oldest daughter, Nicki, gave birth to a son on Sunday morning at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus. Meyer, at age 52, became a first-time grandfather at 5:30 a.m.

A few hours later, Ohio State was named as one of the four teams in the College Football Playoff.

"We watched the selection show from the maternity ward," Meyer said.

The No. 3 Buckeyes will play the No. 2 Clemson Tigers on Dec. 31 in the Fiesta Bowl. No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Washington will play in the other playoff semifinal.

Meyer said he and his son, Nate, got to the hospital on Sunday around 6:15 a.m. The official playoff announcement on ESPN came at 12:30 p.m. 

That Meyer got this Ohio State team -- the youngest in the nation coming into the season -- to the playoff would have made Sunday's happenings a big enough deal. The addition to the family made it something much more.

"I'm just one of those guys, I understand these are all gifts and you're just very grateful that God blessed my daughter with a healthy baby and a great husband. So that's the first thoughts," Meyer said.

"Second of all, there's so many teams. I never really watched it this close because I guess we've had time. The amount of teams that were worthy of this -- I just said, I'm going to send a text out to my players and staff right now that we receive this opportunity with incredible humility and class because I can name six, seven teams right now that are that quality of teams ... We're going to do the best we can to represent."

The Ohio State coach saw the Buckeyes make the College Football Playoff without a conference title.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Eleven of the 12 teams to take part in the three-year history of the College Football Playoff shared one thing in common.

They were conference champions.

What does the coach of the one team to make the playoff without a conference crown think of conference championships?

"I think it's extremely important," Urban Meyer said Sunday.

The Buckeyes made this playoff as the No. 3 seed at 11-1 with wins over the No. 6, 7 and 8 teams in the final rankings and a loss to No. 5. Those wins over Michigan, Oklahoma and Wisconsin pushed the Buckeyes into the national semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl against No. 2 seed Clemson on Dec. 31.

The inclusion of Ohio State and exclusion of No. 5 Penn State, which beat Wisconsin to win the Big Ten title, might show nothing more than the fact that the Buckeyes built up their resume to the extent that a title wasn't needed.

By the way, after winning six straight Big Ten titles between 2005 and 2010, Ohio State now has one in the last six years, in 2014.

Is a conference title worth worrying about?

"I value them as much ... that's why you go to work every day. You see the Big Ten championships right there," Meyer said, pointing to the graphic display on the wall of the team meeting room listing Ohio State's 35 Big Ten titles.

Meyer's continued answer on the topic straddled the line between valuing a conference crown, without saying it's the primary factor in evaluating a team.

"I think when they put together this College Football Playoff, I think you ... do you play a light schedule and put everything into your conference championship?" Meyer asked. "That's not what I'm feeling across the country. They want to make every game important, which they have."

Meyer talked about the clear value of Ohio State's week three win at Oklahoma. That win is really what put the Buckeyes in the playoff.

The conference title, or lack of one?

"To answer your question, we value it," Meyer said.

That's a man who in 11 years as a head coach at Florida and Ohio State has won three conference championships.

Who now has a chance to win his fourth national championship.