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Milwaukee Admirals use same formula to again beat Lake Erie Monsters

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Former Monster Chris Mueller has two goals and an assist as Milwaukee beats the Monsters for the second consecutive night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Monsters have seen enough of Milwaukee Admirals right winger Chris Mueller.

For the second time in less than 24 hours, Mueller put on a show against his former team on its ice. He scored two goals, including the game-winner in a short-handed situation at 18:53 of the third period, as the Admirals prevailed, 3-2, Saturday afternoon at The Q.

Friday night, Mueller notched two goals and one assist in a 4-0 victory. He entered the weekend with one goal in 13 games.

Mueller insisted it is not personal when he faces the Monsters, for whom he had five goals and 11 assists in 59 games in 2008-09.

"It was my first [full] season as a pro, so Lake Erie always will have special meaning to me," he said. "I enjoyed my time here. It's fun to come back."

At 18:19 of the third, a Milwaukee boarding penalty gave Lake Erie the man-advantage in a tie game. The Monsters applied pressure, then Milwaukee blocked a shot. The puck slid toward Lake Erie center Ryan Stoa.

Suddenly, Mueller was on top of Stoa and poked the puck away.

"I don't think he saw me coming," Mueller said. "We bumped into each other, and I was able to get control."

Mueller sliced from right to left and slipped a backhander through the five-hole and behind goalie Trevor Cann.

"It squeaked through there," Mueller said. "I was fortunate."

Still on the power play, Lake Erie failed to seriously threaten the Admirals and goalie Jeremy Smith the rest of the way.

"It's disappointing because, when the power play started, I thought we'd have a chance to win the game in regulation," Monsters coach David Quinn said. "That was the best our power play had looked all weekend. Instead, there's a loose puck in the neutral zone, we lose the one-on-one battle and it goes the other way."

One of the reasons Lake Erie is 6-7-1-2 is Stoa's substandard play. Last season, he had 23 goals in 54 games for the Monsters as a rookie out of the University of Minnesota. He played 12 games with the parent Colorado Avalanche, scoring two goals.

This season, Stoa has managed four assists in 15 games.

The Admirals took a 1-0 lead at 5:59 of the first period when Mueller beat Cann. Mueller capitalized on a Monsters turnover.

Lake Erie used a shorthanded goal to tie it at 16:17, center Mike Carman scoring while Tom Zanoski was in the penalty box for interference. Left winger Justin Mercier earned the assist. Carman and Mercier have been superb on the penalty kill this season.

Milwaukee (9-3-1-2) regained the advantage at 5:49 of the second. In a 4-on-4 situation, defenseman Roman Josi found the back of the net from the edge of the right circle.

Mercier scored at 8:26 of the third to tie the game. Carman and defenseman Cameron Gaunce got the assists.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dmanoloff@plaind.com, 216-999-4664


Walsh Jesuit girlsl shut out Pickerington North to win Division I soccer crown

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See a photo gallery from the game here. COLUMBUS, Ohio — Sandra Yu has it. ¶

The Walsh Jesuit girls soccer team hoists the Division I championship trophy on Saturday after defeating Pickerington North. - (Gus Chan / PD)

See a photo gallery from the game here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Sandra Yu has it. ¶

When it comes to good soccer mojo, the Walsh Jesuit sophomore had it working once again on Saturday as her two goals helped the Warriors become the first team, boys or girls, to win five state championships. With Yu scoring in each half and senior captain Kelsey Smigel adding the final touch, third-ranked Walsh defeated fifth-ranked Pickerington North, 3-0, to win the Division I girls soccer title at Columbus Crew Stadium. ¶

"The only thing standing in our way was ourselves," said Yu, who had six goals in the past three playoff games. "If we played our game we would be fine." ¶

Just as Yu maintained her consistency, the Warriors (19-1-3) were relentless on both the offensive and defensive side. The formula of speed and pressure held the Panthers (20-3) in check for much of the contest. Walsh won the shooting contest, taking 20 shots to Pickerington’s five. ¶

The Walsh defense, with senior Erin Flynn in the net, did not allow a goal in seven tournament games. The Warriors allowed six goals all season, with the defensive line of seniors Alexis Gable and Brianna Kanz, along with juniors Katie George and Kaylee Semelsberger, coming in for special praise. ¶

"The whole entire defense was solid," said Flynn, who was called on to make two saves. "When one player misses, the other one is there to get it. The pressure kind of builds, but it makes you want to do your best." ¶

Walsh did not waste time getting on the board, scoring two minutes into the game. ¶

Semelsberger blooped the ball to the top of the penalty box, then followed to use her head in directing it to the right side. The ball glanced off a Pickerington defender and Yu was there to direct it into the net off her right foot. ¶

"I was in the right place at the right time," said Yu. ¶

Twelve minutes after the break, Yu got past a Pickerington defender to draw out goalkeeper Heather Lauefer and easily put the ball past her for the 2-0 lead. Smigel finished matters with seven minutes to play on a solo effort. ¶

"If you are humble, you don’t know if you are going to get back here," said Walsh coach Dino McIntyre, who has been at the helm for 18 seasons. "We stuck together and came through some adversity. Our defenders and goalkeeper were amazing. Sandra Yu is a lion out there." ¶

The Warriors won Division II titles in 2000 and 2001, adding Division I titles in 2004 and 2006. ¶

Pickerington (20-3), ranked fifth, has never won a championship. 

 

Overtime goal is heartbreaking finish for Hathaway Brown in Division II soccer title match

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See a photo gallery from the game here. COLUMBUS, Ohio — Oh, so close. ¶

Hathaway Brown's Kate Dolansky sits dejected as the Madeira soccer team celebrates its overtime victory on Saturday. - (Gus Chan / PD)

See a photo gallery from the game here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Oh, so close. ¶

Hathaway Brown will just have to be satisfied that it nearly pulled off the best championship-season comeback in the history of Ohio soccer. Of course, that will be easier written than accepted by the Blazers after the heartbreak of losing to top-ranked Cincinnati Madeira, 2-1, in overtime in the Division II girls title match Saturday at Columbus Crew Stadium. ¶

The Blazers, who started their postseason run with a 6-9-1 mark, were denied the championship when Madeira senior Katie Landgrebe scored from in front of the net with 6:30 remaining in the first overtime session for the sudden-death victory. Winning seven straight in the playoffs, the Blazers bow out at 13-10-1. No boys or girls team had ever won a title with more than six losses. ¶

"We grew as the season went on," said Hathaway Brown coach Dennis Weyn, who started the program 11 years ago. "It’s tough that only one team can win. I’m incredibly proud of these girls. "Not a lot of people expected us to be here. We were eight minutes away from winning." ¶

They certainly were. ¶

In a game featuring tight defense, the Blazers found one of the few openings midway through the second half. Junior captain Kate Dolansky had the Blazer faithful feeling like champions when she put away a shot from 10 yards with 16:35 to go. It was set up by a crossing pass from junior Sophie Daroff. ¶

It was a matter of hanging on at that point, but the Amazons (21-0-3) caught a break when sophomore midfielder Lysette Roman was given a yellow card for rough play about 40 yards out. ¶

On the restart, Madeira senior Cari Rusk scored off a scramble in front of Hathaway Brown senior goalkeeper Grace Redmon with 9:18 left. ¶

The call against Roman did not sit well with Weyn. ¶

"Just an awful call," said Weyn. "They deserved it because they scored the goal. But it changed things." ¶

Decimated by injuries all season, the Blazers had another one when Redmon had to leave the game for a minute after a collision put her on the ground. She returned to finish regulation, but was obviously hurting. ¶

Everyone on the Hathaway Brown side was in misery when the miracle run ended with such finality in the extra session. Redmon, like most of her teammates, spent several minutes on the ground, head in hands, after the game-winning drive got past her. Finding a semblance of composure during the awards ceremony did not come easy. ¶

The Amazons outshot the Blazers, 12-5. Redmon made the game’s only save. ¶

The Blazers won titles in 2004 and 2007. They had to give back last year’s championship when it was ruled they had used an ineligible player. ¶

It was Madeira’s first championship. 

 

After a flat start, Ohio State Buckeyes get a key catch in the flat: On the Clock

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Dan Herron's reception for a first down on the Buckeyes' first drive of the third quarter helps the team build momentum and take control of the game.

dan herron 2.JPGView full sizeOhio State's Dan Herron scores touchdown in the third quarter as the Buckeyes begin to take control of the game on Saturday.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A detailed look at the Ohio State-Penn State football game Saturday:

5:28 p.m.: Backed up at their own 2-yard line after a penalty to start the drive, the Ohio State Buckeyes had managed to advance 6 yards in two plays before running back Dan Herron slid out into the flat on third down.

It was the first drive of the third quarter, the Buckeyes were trailing Penn State, 14-3, and if Ohio State didn't get something going here, the second half was going to start to feel as long as the first half had. The OSU defense would have some tricks in store for the Penn State offense later. But right now, the offense had to do something.

It should come as no surprise that it was Herron, who was quarterback Terrelle Pryor's safety valve on the play, who made something happen.

"Terrelle just found me on the check-down," Herron said, "and I was able to get a couple yards after that."

With Penn State losing its top linebacker, Michael Mauti, to a shoulder injury during the game, Herron was able to catch the ball 2 yards short of the first down, make a move to evade a tackle and produce an 11-yard gain that kept the fledgling drive alive.

"I tried to make a guy miss, and I got him to miss," Herron said, "and then I tried to fall forward for extra yards."

That turned out to be the only third down on an 11-play, 96-yard drive that finished with a Herron 5-yard run for the Buckeyes' first touchdown of the game. Without that little catch and one little move, the Buckeyes would have been forced to punt still trailing by 11, and an eventual 38-14 victory may have taken a different turn.

5:46 p.m: The ball was now in the air for the third time now. Off Ohio State cornerback Devon Torrence's arms, then his hands, and then . . .

"I don't even remember," Torrence said. "Everything happened so fast. I just remember breaking on the ball, and I had to extend my arms. It just popped up, and I hit it again, and then it went behind me, and I turned all the way around to catch it, and it fell in there."

Torrence was off down the sidelines for a 34-yard touchdown, as he juked around Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin and entered what has become an Ohio State-Penn State tradition: A Buckeyes interception return for a touchdown at Ohio Stadium. From Chris Gamble in 2002 to Malcolm Jenkins and Antonio Smith in 2006, the Buckeyes have almost come to expect it.

"It is a tradition," Torrence said. "I was thinking about that on my way here. I was like, 'I hope I get one in this game,' and I did."

It didn't look like the tradition would live on in the first half, as McGloin picked apart the OSU secondary, Torrence in particular. But the Buckeyes switched up their coverage in the second half, got better pressure on McGloin and changed the game.

"You've just got to forget about that. That's the nature of the position," Torrence said. "I didn't get beat for a touchdown or anything, and then our coaches did a great job of making adjustments."

OSU coach Jim Tressel said: "He obviously learned as the game went on. But he might have been in a little bit different look sometimes."

6:19 p.m.: And here was interception return No. 2. Travis Howard picked off this McGloin pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown and a 31-14 lead, causing Jenkins, who was offering his thoughts on Twitter, to remember that 2006 game. This was the first career interception for Howard, a redshirt sophomore and the No. 3 cornerback.

"I saw the quarterback roll out, so I just waited for him to throw," Howard said. "I saw him releasing it, and I couldn't believe it. I knew I was going to score. I was too close to the end zone. All the talk this week was how [McGloin] was going to come after our DBs, and we were ready.

"I ran off the field, and my head was spinning. It hasn't hit me yet. I dreamt about this last night. I said if a play came my way, I needed to make it, so I guess my dream came true."

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


Penn State's Matt McGloin throws four TD passes, but two go Ohio State's way

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Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin erased the Nittany Lions' inability to score a passing touchdown in Ohio Stadium in the first half. Twice. But in the second half, McGloin only completed two passes against a renewed OSU defense.

Matt McGloin.JPGView full sizePenn State quarterback Matt McGloin (11) talks with head coach Joe Paterno as he walks off the field in the fourth quarter Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Matt McGloin might be just a redshirt sophomore walk-on with limited experience for Penn State, but the quarterback still knows a thing or two about the history of the game.

He knew it had been mentioned, for instance, that Penn State had not thrown a touchdown pass at Ohio Stadium since the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten in 1993.

"Yeah, I think I heard something about that," McGloin said with a wry chuckle. "But I'd rather be the guy who won."

McGloin broke the streak of no touchdown passes twice in the first half Saturday when he was the quarterback that Ohio State couldn't stop. McGloin completed 13 of 18 passes for 141 yards, zinging the ball into double coverage, floating it up for receivers to snag and generally dissecting the Buckeyes' defense. So disappointed were Ohio State fans in the Buckeyes that they booed players as they trotted off the field at halftime.

"I saw pretty much everything they were going to do in the first half, which is why we made plays," McGloin said. "We got the crowd out of it, which is what we needed to do."

But the second half brought a rejuvenated Ohio State defense that made adjustments, baited McGloin into passing into coverage, intercepted McGloin twice and limited him to just two completions in 12 tries.

Touchdown passes were no longer the issue. Merely completing passes were.

"In the first half, I was able to look at coverage and -- bang! -- I knew where I was going," McGloin said.

It was easy enough early that he hurled a 23-yard touchdown pass to receiver Justin Brown in the first quarter that gave Penn State a 7-3 advantage. He knew Ohio State cornerback Devon Torrence was blitzing on the play and knew that Brown would be open in the corner of the end zone.

One series later, McGloin completed 4 of 5 passes, including a 6-yard touchdown bullet to Derek Moye that sliced between Buckeyes defensive backs Chimdi Chekwa and Aaron Gant. That completion gave the Nittany Lions a 14-3 advantage and quieted Ohio Stadium.

It also erased eight games of futility for the Nittany Lions in Columbus. During those contests -- only one of which was a victory -- Penn State completed just 46 percent of its passes and averaged 110 passing yards.

"I felt great, I had a lot of confidence," McGloin said of his halftime swagger. "But they did a great job of making adjustments at halftime. I just wasn't able to get a flow going. I wasn't comfortable at times, and it showed."

Adjustments included altering coverage and baiting McGloin into tossing to receivers he thought were open. And those adjustments led to two OSU interceptions that were returned for touchdowns.

"Those kinds of plays take games over," said OSU defensive tackle Dexter Larimore. "It hurts their offense and quarterback. They start second-guessing themselves, thinking, 'Well maybe we can't do that play anymore because they'll get the ball.' "

McGloin, who threw four touchdown passes last week against Northwestern, admitted his mistakes in reading defensive coverage led to both OSU interceptions. Penn State coaches were less willing to blame the quarterback, though.

"I'm always hesitant to put it on him," said Penn State quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno. "We've got to do a better job as coaches."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654

Browns fan Susan Montville shares her fan story. What's yours?

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Montville was in Virginia when she met a guy who was also a Browns fan. Can you guess what happened next?

Susan Montville was in Virginia when she met a guy who was also a Browns fan -- and could there be any doubt that they went on to marry?

Montville shared her Browns story with us in a video, and you can too. As The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com publish excerpts from Terry Pluto's new book, "Things I've Learned from Watching the Browns," we'd like to highlight your Browns anecdotes. All you have to do is make a short video and upload it to cleveland.com.

Looking for inspiration? Watch some of the fans who contributed to Pluto's book talk about their memories or consult our complete database of every Plain Dealer Browns game story, back to 1946.

John Carroll trick plays help it get past Baldwin-Wallace

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DaQuan Grobsmith scores three touchdowns in the first half to help John Carroll keep the Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy.

Norm Weber / Special to The Plain Dealer

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — DaQuan Grobsmith scored three touchdowns in the first half to help John Carroll keep the Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy with a 31-28 win over Baldwin-Wallace in the season finale for both Division III football teams Saturday at Don Shula Stadium.

The Blue Streaks improved to 5-5. The Yellow Jackets fell to 7-3.

Frank Ross caught a 47-yard pass from Devin O'Brien on the first play from scrimmage for John Carroll. Two plays later, Grobsmith ran 9 yards for a TD.

Baldwin-Wallace's Ryan O'Rourke (Avon) threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Hurd halfway through first quarter to tie it, 7-7.

An interception by D.J. Debick (Gilmour Academy) set up Grobsmith's 3-yard TD run, and Grobsmith scored from 8 yards at the start of the second quarter for a 21-7 JCU lead.

With three of its runners getting knocked out of the game with injuries -- Andrew Dziak (Padua), John McGraw (North Ridgeville) and Tim Miker (Parma) -- B-W opted for some razzle-dazzle.

O'Rourke threw an overhand lateral to Anthony Fairhurst near the sideline. Fairhurst then whipped a forward pass downfield to Kyrell Crook for a 41-yard TD to make it 24-14 at the half.

Kevin Johnson (St. Ignatius) returned the second-half kickoff 62 yards for B-W. Seven plays later, a 6-yard bootleg by O'Rourke made it 24-21.

Ross scored his first rushing TD of the season from 5 yards out with three minutes to go in the third quarter to give the Blue Streaks a 10-point lead again.

In the fourth quarter, B-W used another trick play. Danny Reineck threw downfield on the flanker option, connecting with Aaron Manders for 42 yards to give the Jackets a first-and-goal on the 9. However, a 37-yard field goal missed wide left.

Crook had a 1-yard TD run for the Yellow Jackets with 1:05 left.

Norm Weber is a freelance writer in Lakewood.

Mount Union rolls to OAC title, undefeated regular season: Local college football roundup

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Case Western Reserve wins, but Lake Erie College and Notre Dame College close their seasons with losses.

Collinwood's Cecil Shorts III eclipsed 4,000 career yards in receiving and had his first four-touchdown game as Mount Union, the No. 2-ranked football team in Division III, defeated visiting Muskingum, 52-0, to claim the outright Ohio Athletic Conference championship Saturday.

The Purple Raiders (10-0, 9-0 OAC) posted their 53rd consecutive regular-season victory.

CWRU 28, Carnegie Mellon 0 Zach Homyk had 13 catches for 160 yards and two TDs, becoming Case Western Reserve University's all-time leader in career receptions (211) and single-season receiving yards (1,165) as the host Spartans (8-2, 1-2 University Athletic Association) blanked the Tartans (4-6, 0-3).

CWRU's Shaun Nicely (Willoughby South) tied a school record with his 31st career receiving touchdown.

Ohio Wesleyan 47, Hiram 24 Freshman quarterback Mason Espinosa was 34-of-44 and set school records with 471 passing yards, 484 yards total offense and six touchdown passes -- three to Dave Mogilnicki (Midpark) -- for the host Battling Bishops (2-8, 2-4 North Coast Athletic Conference).

Glenn Campbell (Buchtel) caught a 69-yard touchdown pass for the Terriers (1-9, 1-5).

Allegheny 17, Oberlin 14 Joey Zebelian threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns, but the host Yeomen (4-6, 3-3 NCAC) lost to the Gators (7-3, 5-2).

Division II

Ashland 87, Lake Erie 17 Joe Horn scored six touchdowns, and the host Eagles (8-3, 7-3 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) led, 38-17, at the half before outscoring the Storm (3-8, 3-7), 42-0, in the third quarter.

NAIA

Urbana 32, Notre Dame College 0 The host Falcons (2-9) were shut out in their season finale.


Kent State men's basketball team routs Bryant University

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Strong defense overall and hot shooting from junior guard Carlton Guyton lift Kent State to a 90-49 victory over Bryant University Saturday evening in the second game of the World Vision Classic at Cleveland State's Wolstein Center.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The off-season question for Kent State men's basketball this season was firepower. After two games that question appears moot as three players have scored big, early.

The Golden Flashes improved to 2-0 on the season with a resounding 90-49 victory over Bryant University on Saturday afternoon in the second of three games this weekend in the World Vision Classic at Cleveland State's Wolstein Center.

"We've got a lot of guys who understand offense," head coach Geno Ford said.

Junior guard Carlton Guyton led KSU with 19 points, all within the first 25 minutes of the game. In Kent's game Friday against Iona, Justin Greene scored 26 points and Rod Sherman had 20. Greene had 12 against Bryant, while point guard Mike Porrini had 10 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Guyton was an efficient 7-of-10 from the field, including 5-of-5 on 3-pointers to pace Kent against the Bulldogs (0-2).

KSU will next face host Cleveland State at 6 p.m. today in the third game in three days for both teams. And Kent will clearly need a comparable defensive effort to stay with the veteran Vikings. Kent held Bryant to 29.6 percent shooting for the game and outrebounded the Bulldogs, 51-31.

Kent State opened with a 10-3 run behind two Guyton 3-pointers and an alley-oop dunk by Justin Manns. In short order, the Bulldogs went to their high-flying freshman Alex Francis (11 points), who scored five straight points in one stretch to get Bryant back into the game, 17-11.

Kent, already nine players into its bench with 11:53 to play, was clearly working on cutting down the turnovers as they slowed down several fast-break opportunities. That in turn opened the door for Greene to assert himself. Greene went on his own 10-3 run, working inside and at the free-throw line as Kent pushed its lead to 33-16.

But with Greene on the bench the final seven minutes of the half, Bryant again had the better of the Golden Flashes and closed within 39-29 by halftime.

The game remained close the first few moments of the second half before three 3-pointers from Guyton gave Kent a 50-31 lead with just under 18 minutes to play. It never got closer after that as Bryant was held to six points the first 12 minutes of the second half on 2-of-14 shooting.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

P.M. Cleveland Cavaliers links: Hopes to snap home loss string would improve with Anderson Varejao and Mo Williams

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Cavs, 3-1 on the road, are 1-4 at home and on 4-game home losing streak after playing without injured Varejao and Williams in loss to Pacers.

mo-williams-anderson-varejao.jpgMo Williams (left) and Anderson Varejao (right) are arguably the Cavaliers' most important players.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to solve their home court problems on Tuesday night when they host the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Cavs (4-5) are 3-1 on the road, but 1-4 in games at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won at Philadelphia, 123-116, on Nov. 5.

Cleveland didn't have center Anderson Varejao (bruised ribs) and point guard Mo Williams (strained groin) in their latest home defeat, 99-85, to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.

Varejao and Williams are, arguably, the Cavaliers' two most important players. They were listed as questionable for the Indiana game before not playing, and their status will be updated as Tuesday's game approaches.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage includes Mary Schmitt Boyer's feature story on guard Daniel Gibson; her game story on the loss to Indiana; her Cavaliers Insder; her NBA Insider; her "Hey, Mary!;" Terry Pluto's "Terry's Talkin.' "

Cavs links

NBA notes by Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Twinsburg High School graduate James Posey, a Pacers forward, has little to say about LeBron James leaving the Cavs, by Mike Wells for the Indianapolis Star.

A look at 10 top prospects, according to scouts, for the 2011 NBA draft, by Marc J. Spears for Yahoo! Sports.

A Cavaliers Team Report, from USAToday.com.

Cavaliers notebook, by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Analysis of the Cavs-Pacers game, by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

NBA points and rumors, by Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Comments on the Cavs-Pacers game, by Jacob Rosen on the blog WaitingForNextYear.

Cavs-Pacers game stories by Bob Finnan for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal; by Jason Lloyd for the Akron Beacon Journal; by Mike Wells for the Indianapolis Star.

Doug Lesmerises' preview of the week ahead in college football

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Taking a look at the best of the upcoming week in college football, the Heisman race and the rankings.

nebraska-martinez-horiz-ap.jpgView full sizeNebraska's multi-talented quarterback Taylor Martinez will get to strut his stuff in a showdown Saturday with Texas A&M.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Taking a look at the best of the upcoming week in college football, the Heisman race and the rankings:

This week's best national games

1. No. 8 Ohio State at No. 21 Iowa, Saturday, 3:30, ABC: The whole country is getting this game on ABC, so it's more than just a great Big Ten matchup. The Buckeyes are still looking for their first signature win.

2. No. 9 Nebraska at No. 18 Texas A&M, Saturday, 8, ABC: Scouting mission for Ohio State fans as Huskers face a good road test -- less than 11 months until Buckeyes go to Nebraska.

3. Fresno State at No. 3 Boise State, Friday, 9:30, ESPN2: With fellow undefeateds Oregon, Auburn and TCU on off weeks, this is the only taste of the national title race.

This week's best Big Ten games

1. Illinois vs. Northwestern, Saturday, 3:30, ESPNU: Watch it for the venue -- first college football game at Wrigley Field since 1938. And on a baseball theme, Notre Dame plays Army at Yankee Stadium on NBC at 7.

2. No. 6 Wisconsin at Michigan, Saturday, noon, ESPN: If the Badgers scored 83 on Indiana, might they get 100 against the Wolverines? Could be a fun one.

3. Purdue at No. 11 Michigan State, Saturday, noon, ESPN2: How will Jim Tressel disciple Mark Dantonio fare with the Spartans coming off a bye? Victory would give Spartans first 10-win season since 1999.

HEISMAN WATCH

bsu-moore-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeKellen Moore keeps winning, but the Boise State quarterback doesn't have the showcase games left to lift him above Auburn's Cameron Newton in the Heisman race.

1. Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn, Jr., Odds: 3-2, bye week: Second in passer rating, eighth in rushing, has almost reached the point where if he's eligible, he wins. Only Alabama and SEC title game left.

2. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State, Jr., Odds: 3-1, vs. Fresno State: With Newton and James off, has a chance to own the weekend, might get to play four quarters against decent opponent.

3. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon, Soph., Odds: 6-1, bye week: Second game of the season under 100 yards rushing as Ducks only beat Cal, 15-13. Hurt the cause.

4. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State, Soph., Odds: 12-1, at Kansas: Has 180 more yards than any receiver in the nation, averaging 159 per game, along with 16 touchdowns for one-loss Cowboys.

5. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan, Soph., Odds: 15-1, vs. Wisconsin: Numbers came down a bit, but he's on a two-game winning streak and is still nation's No. 3 rusher.

6. Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State, Jr., Odds: 20-1, at Iowa: More of a bystander in Buckeyes' comeback win vs. Penn State. Has thrown at least one interception in four straight games.

7. Dominique Davis, QB, East Carolina, Jr., Odds: 40-1, at Rice: Only player in the country accounting for more points than Cam Newton. Has thrown five TD passes two straight weeks for 6-4 Pirates.

Dropped out: TCU QB Andy Dalton (6), Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi (7)

DOUG'S TOP 25

1. Auburn; 2. Oregon; 3. TCU; 4. Boise State; 5. Michigan State; 6. Wisconsin; 7. LSU; 8. Stanford; 9. Nebraska; 10. Ohio State; 11. Oklahoma State; 12. Alabama; 13. Missouri; 14. Arkansas; 15. Virginia Tech; 16. Oklahoma; 17. South Carolina; 18. Texas A&M; 19. Mississippi State; 20. USC; 21. Arizona; 22. Nevada; 23. Iowa; 24. North Carolina State; 25. Florida State

Explaining my ballot

• Auburn continued to earn my No. 1 for the fourth straight week, and the Tigers picked up some support after beating Georgia, 49-31, while No. 1 Oregon slid past Cal by only 15-13. Auburn has a total of 53 No. 1 votes in the three major polls, compared to 13 last week. Oregon's No. 1 vote total dropped from 192 to 149.

• Though Boise State moved ahead of TCU, jumping from fourth to third in all three major polls, the Horned Frogs retained their No. 3 spot on my ballot despite only a 40-35 win over a decent San Diego State. I still think TCU's overall resume is a bit better, though Boise State plays a respectable Fresno State team on Friday and that could change. So my top 10 did not change at all, as I remain the staunchest supporter of Michigan State.

• Ohio State stayed at No. 10 on my ballot, No. 7 in the coaches poll, No. 7 in the Harris poll and No. 8 in the AP poll. But the Buckeyes lost points in every poll: 16 in the coaches, 14 in the AP and 3 in the Harris. Wisconsin, meanwhile, stayed at No. 5 in the coaches poll and Harris poll and gained a total of 52 points in the two polls, increasing the gap between the Badgers and Buckeyes in that part of the BCS standings.

Cleveland State storms back in the second half to outlast Kent State, 69-66

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Senior guard Norris Cole led the Vikings with 21 points with Jeremy Montgomery getting all 14 of his points in the second half.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A furious second-half rally by Cleveland State turned a 16-point deficit into a 69-66 victory over Kent State Sunday night to keep the Vikings undefeated (3-0) in the title game of CSU's World Vision Classic.

The Golden Flashes fell to 2-1 as a rash of missed shots and failure to go inside to center Justin Greene the final 15:49 led to their demise.

Senior guard Norris Cole led the Vikings with 21 points with Jeremy Montgomery getting all 14 of his points in the second half. Greene paced Kent with 17 points, but only two after the Flashes built what looked like a commanding lead.

"They threw a nice first blow, we took it and threw it back and they couldn't overcome it,'' Cole surmised after the game.

The first half saw Kent State turn a 10-10 tie into a 34-23 halftime lead that easily could have been higher if not for some ill-timed turnovers and 41 percent shooting. What aided the Flashes greatly was a 30-19 advantage on the backboards including a 9-5 edge on the offensive end. Even that understated the domination, as 6-11 Justin Manns had a pair of tip-dunks off missed Kent State shots, but was credited with just one offensive board.

Kent's defense was also strong, holding Cleveland State to 29.4 percent shooting in the opening half, with Cole going 4-of-11 to lead the Vikings with 10 early points. The one big plus for the Vikings was no player in foul trouble, opening the door for some serious second-half defensive pressure against Kent.

That pressure came after the Golden Flashes had pushed their lead out to 45-29 with 15:49 to play. But it came with something else, a zone, to force Kent to shoot from the outside and also shut down Greene in the paint.

"Greene was scoring on a pace you couldn't stop,'' CSU head coach Gary Waters said. "Zones are good this early part of the season, and that was a decision made off the cuff.''

"They dared us to shoot the ball,'' Kent coach Gene Ford said. "They said 'beat us with a shot.' Our legs just went, and fatigue showed.''

In short order, the Vikings got hot and the Flashes turned cold. With Jeremy Montgomery getting on a roll, CSU closed within 50-48 with 8:41 to play.

Two possessions later, Tim Kamczyc followed a CSU miss to tie the game at 50 to cap a 21-5 run. CSU built a 56-52 lead after a pair of Montgomery free throws, but Kent State flashed back with a dunk from Manns and a 3-pointer from Guyton to regain the lead.

Inside the final three minutes, a power move from Pogue and another tip-in from Kamczyc put the Vikings back on top, 60-57.

"In the second half, our physicality and our toughness showed,'' Cole said.

Kent tied the game at 61 on a Carlton Guyton 3-pointer. But after Cole's layup gave CSU a 63-61 lead, Kent guard Michael Porinni traveled at midcourt then compounded his mistake by getting a technical foul. Cole knocked the free throws down for a four-point lead. Kent had an open 3-pointer to tie at the buzzer, but it missed.

High school football regional championship game pairings, sites are set

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Ten teams from The Plain Dealer's seven-county coverage area will play in regional title games on Friday and Saturday nights.

sam-grant.jpgSt. Edward's Sam Grant scores on a 13-yard pass from Kevin Burke during the Eagles' 42-22 regional semifinal win over Glenville.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Two of Ohio's four undefeated Division I high school football teams will play for a regional championship on Saturday night at Parma's Byers Field.

Solon and St. Edward, both 12-0, will meet with the winner advancing to a state semifinal game.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association has announced the sites for Ohio's 24 regional title games -- four games in each of the six divisions. Scroll down to the end of page 3 of the OHSAA's football release to see the pairings and sites.

High school sports coverage, including football coverage, continues in The Plain Dealer and on cleveland.com.

Regional championship games on Friday night at 7:30 involving teams in The Plain Dealer's seven-county coverage area:

Division II

Maple Heights (12-0) vs. Olmsted Falls (9-3), Baldwin-Wallace College

Lake Catholic (11-1) vs. Ashland (10-2), Brunswick High School

Division IV

Akron Manchester (12-0) vs. Chagrin Falls (11-1), Nordonia High School

Division VI

Mogadore (12-0) vs. McDonald (10-2), Twinsburg High School

Regional championship games on Saturday night at 7:00 involving teams in The Plain Dealer's seven-county coverage area:

Division I

Solon (12-0) vs. St. Edward (12-0), Parma Byers Field

Division III

Buchtel (9-3) vs. Cardinal Mooney (7-4), Ravenna Stadium

Division V

Kirtland (12-0) vs. Youngstown Ursuline (12-0), Aurora High School

 

 

 

 

 

Win or lose, the Cleveland Browns increasingly put their trust in Colt McCoy: Bud Shaw

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Colt McCoy's fourth-quarter game-tying drive Sunday should've delivered a semi-happy ending for the Browns, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes.

mccoy-scramble-vert-jk.jpgView full sizeBrowns quarterback Colt McCoy scrambles away from the Jets' Eric Smith during the second quarter of Sunday's game. McCoy's advanced poise for a rookie is best reflected in the Browns' confidence in him during the overtime period -- win or lose -- says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns lost a game Sunday in part because Colt McCoy doesn't play like a rookie.

Hard to imagine, that. Still, it happened.

Instead of running Peyton Hillis two or three times from their own goal line in overtime, they called two pass plays. A month ago, they wouldn't have had the faith in the kid from Texas. Sunday, they acted as if he were the other Peyton, Manning.

McCoy did nothing to lose the game, mind you. In fact, he made overtime possible with a game-tying fourth-quarter drive highlighted by pinpoint throws to tight ends Ben Watson and Evan Moore, then had the Browns moving for a win in OT before Chansi Stuckey fumbled.

In overtime at the goal line, McCoy overthrew Watson on first down, handed to Hillis on second, then made sure to get out of the end zone to avoid a sack on third down.

"You always play to win the game," McCoy said in defending the strategy.

Except, before you can play to win the game there, you need a first down to rule out losing it in the field position exchange.

If McCoy had Santonio Holmes, Jerricho Cotchery and the guy who used to play for the Browns -- the name escapes me -- it still would've been difficult to get in field goal position from the 3. Given that Josh Cribbs was missing and the normal deficiency was even worse at wide receiver, the degree of difficulty for McCoy in that spot was near impossible.

Trust in him is growing, obviously, and the Browns are mostly benefiting from it. But in the second quarter, near the Jets' goal line after a great catch and run by Cribbs, McCoy took three snaps in the shotgun formation. Only one was a handoff to Hillis. The Browns had to settle for a field goal and a 13-10 lead.

The Browns and their quarterback didn't deserve to lose on a day that tested their depth as much as their resolve, a day that cost them the services of corner Sheldon Brown, linebacker Scott Fujita and their Swiss Army knife, Cribbs.

Don't believe what they say about ties. They're not all benign wastes of time. Some are better than others.

A tie against the Jets looked like an oasis given where McCoy and the offense found themselves after Joe Haden instinctively intercepted a Mark Sanchez pass at the 3 instead of batting it down and forcing a punt.

There's no guarantee that three Hillis runs would've moved the chains, of course, but they would've moved the clock. The Jets had one timeout.

The Browns' play calling seemed stuck in no-man's land.

The good news is they trusted McCoy. The catch is McCoy's mobility, one of his strengths, was pretty much negated at the goal line in OT. Slip or get sacked scrambling in the end zone for a safety in a 20-20 game, you got some explaining to do.

His poise didn't forsake him at least. It hasn't yet.

At the beginning of the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter, McCoy commanded the huddle as if he'd actually been in that situation before in his NFL career. Sheldon Brown would watch that drive from the sideline and later call McCoy a "special player."

"He looked us in the eye and said we're going to score now and win it in overtime," said Stuckey, who sabotaged that prophecy with a fumble inside the Jets' 40 while fighting for a few extra yards.

The Browns have to be all-in with McCoy now. He's never acted like a rookie. And Sunday, for better and for worse, they made it clear they're done treating him like one.

TCU, Boise State tight 3-4 in BCS standings; vie for possible national title game berth if Oregon or Auburn stumble

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Even if title game spot doesn't occur, TCU and Boise are competing for automatic BCS bid, one that would likely send the highest ranked of the two to the Rose Bowl while the other could get left out of any BCS bowl game.

boise-state.jpgBoise State, led by quarterback Kellen Moore (11), gained some ground despite staying at No. 4 in the new BCS standings.

New York, New York -- Watch out, TCU. Boise State is gaining.

The Broncos narrowed the gap on the Horned Frogs in the Bowl Championship Series standings and put themselves in position to pass their BCS Buster rivals down the stretch.

Oregon and Auburn are still in the top two spots in the standings released Sunday. TCU remained third, but had a bad week in BCS terms.

The Horned Frogs and Broncos are vying for two prizes. The team in third place in the BCS standings is likely to be next in line for the national championship game if Auburn or Oregon slip up down the stretch.

Auburn plays Alabama the day after Thanksgiving and South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference title game.

Oregon has off this weekend, followed by a home game against Arizona and a road game against Oregon State.

Ohio State is ninth after its 38-14 win over Penn State on Saturday.

Even if a title game spot doesn't come up, TCU and Boise State are still competing for an automatic BCS bid, one that would likely send the highest ranked team to the Rose Bowl while the other could get left out of the BCS all together.

The Horned Frogs played their closest game of the season Saturday, a 40-35 victory against San Diego State in which they allowed the Aztecs back in the game with two long fourth-quarter touchdown passes.

TCU also was hurt by Utah's 28-3 loss at Notre Dame. The Horned Frogs beat the previously unbeaten Utes 47-7 in their prior game. It looked like a big win at the time and helped TCU widen its lead on Boise State in the BCS standings.

A week later, beating the Utes doesn't look so impressive and Boise State has crept closer. The Broncos beat Idaho 52-14 on Friday night.

With three more games to play, compared with one for TCU, the Broncos might have enough left to edge past the Frogs.

Boise State jumped TCU and moved into third in both the Harris and coaches' polls, though in both cases the Broncos and Frogs are separated by less than a dozen points. TCU still holds a decided edge in the computer ratings at third compared to Boise State's sixth.

That leaves Boise State with a BCS average of .8634 and TCU with an average of .8966.

Boise State plays Fresno State (6-3), Nevada (9-1), 18th in the BCS standings, and Utah State (4-6) over the next three weeks.

TCU has a week off before closing its season against New Mexico (1-9).


Broken coverage leaves Browns defenders broken-hearted in postgame locker room

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"It's disheartening," said cornerback Eric Wright. "We fought so hard and so long, and for it to end that way, it's disheartening."

holmes-free-td-jets-squ-jk.jpgView full sizeBrowns defenders (from left) T.J. Ward, Eric Barton and Eric Wright are helplessly behind Santonio Holmes after the Jets receiver broke free on the game-winning reception Sunday afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Eric Wright and rookie T.J. Ward shared the blame for Jets receiver Santonio Holmes' game-winning 37-yard touchdown catch that beat the Browns, 26-20, in overtime on Sunday.

With 24 seconds left, Holmes beat cornerback Wright on a short slant to the left at the Browns 30, and safety Ward missed the tackle when Holmes cut past him. Inside linebacker Eric Barton also had a shot at Holmes and missed, enabling him to run the final 30 yards untouched.

"I'll have to look at the tape, but it seemed to me he ran a one-step slant and it was a good play," said Wright, who played off at the snap. "They ran a decent play, but we just have to get him down. It's real simple."

Wright, flagged 27 yards for interference on Holmes in the second quarter on a drive that led to a touchdown, dressed quietly and was as down as anyone in the somber locker room.

"It's disheartening," said Wright. "We fought so hard and so long, and for it to end that way, it's disheartening."

Holmes, the former Ohio State Buckeye and Steeler, said he may have put the bug in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's ear to run the play because Wright had been playing off him.

"He did it the whole game and I kind of went to my O.C. Brian Schottenheimer and told him, 'coach I need a slant route on 21 [Wright] at some point in this game because he's giving me too much leverage.' We hadn't run a slant all game and we caught it at the perfect time."

holmes-td-reax-vert-jk.jpgView full size"When I saw the safety step up, and he just went flat-footed, I knew to just take off on him," said the Jets' Holmes after the game. "I put my head down and dug for the end zone. I didn't want to hesitate any longer. I'm pretty sure that if I would have [hesitated], they could have made a stop and we would have been battling for a field goal."

Ward, who was drafted for his big-hitting ability, said he absolutely should've made the tackle.

"I definitely had a shot," he said. "If I'm in the vicinity, then I have a shot. He made a good cut. It was a great play by him. I had help on the backside. When I came over, he had caught the ball. I tried to cut the field off but he made a good cut and turned it upfield."

He said embattled cornerback Wright shouldn't be blamed for the loss.

"It wasn't just Eric's play to make," said Ward. "After [Holmes] caught the ball, I was there and [Eric Barton] was there. There were three players that could've made a play on that. I wouldn't at all put all the blame on Eric."

Ward stressed that "nobody was out of position. We just didn't make a play. He gets paid, too."

Holmes said he knew he was gone once he got past Ward.

"Once I saw the ball leave Mark [Sanchez's] hand, my job was to at least get a first down," he said. "When I saw the safety step up, and he just went flat-footed, I knew to just take off on him. I put my head down and dug for the end zone. I didn't want to hesitate any longer. I pretty sure that if I would have [hesitated], they could have made a stop and we would have been battling for a field goal."

Rex Ryan said Holmes wanted to apologize to Ryan's brother, Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan after the TD. "I'm like, 'hey forget all that.,'" Rex Ryan said. "'Don't worry about that, buddy. He forgives you.'''

Holmes thanked the Browns for going for the win instead of the tie, which included throwing deep on first down when they were backed up at their 3.

"That's all self-explanatory," said Holmes. "They probably should have stuck with running the ball, and they shouldn't have called timeout. That's how they gave us the game again."

Explained Braylon Edwards: "We'd been running a lot of verticals, so they were playing off. Mark gave [Holmes] the signal that said, 'If you see this, run it.' They executed it well. Thirty-seven yards later, we got the win."

Cornerback Sheldon Brown, who watched from the locker room after suffering a shoulder/neck injury, said Wright and Ward shouldn't be too hard on themselves.

"That was a championship fight," he said. "It's a tough way to lose. It [stinks] for everybody involved, not one individual. But you can take some positives out of it. I hope those guys understand that we have a good football team."

Said Ward: "It hurts to lose like that, but we found out a lot about ourselves. We're a very prideful team and we know we could've won that game. I'd rather lose like that than in a blowout anytime."

P.M. Ohio State football/basketball links: After a good week, three OSU teams face challenges

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Football Buckeyes play at Iowa on Saturday. Men's basketball team visits Florida Tuesday night; women's team plays at Louisiana State the next night.

daniel-herron.jpgOhio State's Daniel Herron (red jersey) scores on a 5-yard run during the Buckeyes' 38-14 win over Penn State.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Ohio State football and basketball has provided what its fans expect over the last few days.

The football team, ranked eighth in the nation, rallied in the second half to rout Penn State, 38-14, on Saturday at Ohio Stadium, as The Plain Dealer's Doug Lesmerises detailed.

The Buckeyes' No. 4-ranked men's basketball team opened its season on Friday night at home with a 102-61 pounding of North Carolina A&T.

The No. 7 women's basketball team is 2-0 after wins at Temple, 84-75 on Friday night, and at home on Sunday over Eastern Michigan, 75-62.

The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com continues its Ohio State sports coverage. Doug Lesmerises writes about the week ahead in college football; his National College Football Insider; his Buckeye Leaves; his Weekly Wolverine Watch.

The numerous reports on the Buckeyes-Penn State game include Bill Livingston's column about the Buckeyes' perspective on Veteran's Day, which was on Thursday.

Ohio State's teams have challenges in the week ahead, beginning Tuesday night, when the men's basketball team visits No. 9 Florida. Wednesday night, the women's team plays at No. 26 Louisiana State.

OSU's football team (9-1, 5-1 in the Big Ten) plays at No. 21 Iowa (7-3, 4-2) on Saturday.

Buckeyes football links

Buckeyes and Wisconsin's status in the BCS standings detailed by Adam Rittenberg for ESPN.com.

Grading the Buckeyes' performance against Penn State, by Ray Stein of the Columbus Dispatch.

Tough to get a real read on how good the Buckeyes are, by Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Stories on running back Daniel Herron for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal, and by Tim May for the Columbus Dispatch.

Coach Jim Tressel motivated the Buckeyes against Penn State, by Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch.

Buckeyes cornerbacks came through against the Nittany Lions, by Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch.

Some kudos for the Buckeyes in Stewart Mandel's look at college football for Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

Ohio State-Penn State game stories by Mark Podolski for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal, and by Jeff Seemann for FOX Sports Ohio.

Buckeyes basketball links

An analyst comments "people are under-rating Ohio State," in a men's basketball predictions feature on ESPN.com.

OSU men's basketball freshman class was impressive against North Carolina A&T, by Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch.

Men's basketball notes on OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

Game stories on Sunday's Ohio State-Eastern Michigan women's basketball game on OhioStateBuckeyes.com from the Associated Press, and on emueagles.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Fresh faces dominate the scene as BCS picture begins to clear: National College Football Insider

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Florida, Texas, USC and maybe Ohio State are out, while Auburn, Oklahoma State, Oregon and Michigan State could be in. An old system is at least getting some new teams this year.

socar-lattimore-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeMarcus Lattimore gave legs to South Carolina's offense this season, and the Gamecocks made it pay off with their first trip to the Southeastern Conference championship game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Florida and Texas were ranked No. 3 and No. 4 in the preseason coaches football poll. Today, after losses to South Carolina and Oklahoma State on Saturday, the Gators and Longhorns are a combined 10-10.

Don't blame the polls. Thankfully, neither 6-4 Florida nor 4-6 Texas picked up a single vote in any of the three major polls Sunday.

The point is that though the Bowl Championship Series system for determining a champion is antiquated, biased, flawed and will almost certainly make fans of worthy teams justifiably angry, the game is trying to give us something fresh this season. The been-there, done-that team in this national title race is actually No. 4 Boise State, which gained on No. 3 TCU in the BCS standings released on Sunday night. The Broncos haven't reached the BCS National Championship before, but they've become a regular part of late-season undefeated talk.

If the system made a little more sense, this could actually be pretty fun.

In the Pac-10, BCS No. 1 Oregon did win the conference title in 2009, but that was the Ducks' first crown since 2001. Yet some Oregon fans are peeved that their total of first-place votes in the three major polls fell from 192 to 149 after a 15-13 win over Cal. Apparently 64 percent of the first-place votes for a team that's never won a national title isn't good enough.

After USC won or shared seven straight Pac-10 titles from 2002-08, the Ducks' ascendency as the new Pacific Coast power is welcome. The Trojans are nothing more than spoilers this season, while Stanford is a real contender as long as Jim Harbaugh sticks around as coach, which might not be past this season.

When Utah joins the Pac-12 in 2011, the Utes, though overrated this season, could shift the balance of power.

Good for the game.

In the SEC, South Carolina's win over Florida means the Gamecocks won the East and are headed to the SEC title game for the first time in its 19 years of existence. In the first 18 seasons, Florida won the East 10 times, Tennessee five. In the West, No. 2 Auburn won its division for the fourth time and will go to Atlanta for the first time since 2004.

The Tigers' fans should be enjoying the extra 40 first-place votes they picked up this week, but between the Cam Newton saga and the memory of getting left out of the title picture in 2004 as an undefeated team, it's OK if Tigers supporters are queasy.

Still, good for the game.

In the Big 12, the last season of the conference as we knew it has already been one of change. Entering its 15th season with a title game, the Big 12 South could be represented for the first time in 12 years by a team other than Oklahoma or Texas. Oklahoma State is in control of its own destiny, with the Cowboys aiming for their first title game appearance, and a Nebraska-Oklahoma State championship would ensure that the automatic BCS bid for the Big 12 will go to someone other than the Sooners or Longhorns for the first time since 2003.

Good for the game.

Even the Big Ten has Michigan State, Wisconsin and Ohio State on track for a potential three-way tie at 7-1.

While the Buckeyes are looking to win or share a record-tying sixth straight conference title, Wisconsin hasn't won the Big Ten since 1999 and Michigan State hasn't done it since 1990. If Ohio State loses to Iowa and the Spartans and Badgers finish tied at 7-1, the head-to-head tiebreaker will send Michigan State to its first Rose Bowl in 23 years.

Good for the game.

The six automatic BCS bids could go to Oregon, Oklahoma State, Auburn, Michigan State, Virginia Tech and Connecticut. Boise State and TCU could beat any of them. That has the makings of an intriguing playoff. Instead, it may at least freshen up a stale way of structuring a postseason.

Calm on the field, Braylon Edwards was gracious off it, praising the Cleveland Browns after Jets' OT win

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In a situation screaming for smack, Edwards sounded like Big Bird on Sesame Street as he chatted with reporters after the Jets' win on Sunday.

edwards-brown-collide-jg.jpgView full sizeThis first-quarter hit between New York's Braylon Edwards and Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown ended with Brown leaving the game with a shoulder injury and players briefly scuffling on the field. "They look good," Edwards said of the Browns. "They're putting a team in place to be a contender."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Braylon Edwards was a party pooper, straight up, after his Jets beat the Browns late Sunday afternoon.

In a situation screaming for smack, Edwards sounded like Big Bird on Sesame Street as he chatted with reporters. Maybe it was because Edwards caught just four passes for 59 yards, or that Santonio Holmes had made the game-winning grab in a 26-20 overtime victory.

Or maybe Edwards became a new man in less than one week.

Whatever the case, Edwards was all about the team, not the personal satisfaction of having gotten the best of his former employer in his first crack at it.

"In life, you learn, you get older, you mature in some ways," he said. "I felt as though, today, I just came here to play football. I didn't come here to get into it with fans or anything like that. I was focused on the goal at hand, which was helping the Jets do whatever we could to win.

"The storybook ending for me is getting a team win."

Seriously, B.E.? The only thing missing was a rocking chair.

Reporters wondered what had happened to the old Edwards, the Edwards who, at the outset of the previous week, seemed to delight in talking junk about the Browns and Cleveland.

Edwards insisted those who thought he was running his mouth must have been mistaken.

braylon-fans-vert-jg.jpgView full sizeMany Browns fans didn't hide their distaste for Braylon Edwards' return to Cleveland on Sunday. But Edwards shrugged off the reception.

"I don't think I was talking during the week," he said. "The only comment I made was, 'Bring your popcorn,'" he said. "And if you brought your popcorn, it was well-deserved because it was a great game between two teams that wanted a big win."

Not only did Edwards refrain from taking post-victory swipes at the Browns, he praised them.

"They look good," he said. "They're putting a team in place to be a contender. They took us to the end of the 'fifth' quarter. I like what they're doing; they're definitely a team on the rise."

Not content to stop there, Edwards threw a bone to Browns faithful.

"[The stadium] is a great atmosphere to play in," he said. "The fans are loud. They do a good job in terms of trying to help out the Browns and get into the opponent's head."

Browns players sought to mess with Edwards on New York's first drive. At the end of a six-yard reception to the Cleveland 11, Edwards and cornerback Sheldon Brown smashed into each other. While Brown was on the ground feeling shoulder pain, several of his teammates moved on Edwards. There was pushing and shoving and, in the case of Cleveland lineman Ahtyba Rubin, an apparent punch that whiffed.

Edwards was asked if he thought Rubin attempted to punch him.

"There was a lot of things going on," Edwards said. "The only thing I sensed was Sheldon Brown trying to make a tackle. We went helmet-to-helmet, he went down, and I think my knee touched the ground and I was ruled down -- yet guys still tried to take shots at me after the play. But that's football. Those guys were excited to get out there, and I don't thinkanything was dirty."

Fans booed loudly and chanted. At that point, Edwards could have turned the game into one-against-a-city and adversely affected his team. Instead, he remained calm the rest of the way. If he chirped at the Browns, it was not blatantly evident. Nor did he make gestures to egg on the crowd.

"In any situation like this, there's a lot of emotion," he said. "There are tempers that can flare up. You can get caught up in some nonsense. We're human.

"But the question for me was, 'For what?' What do I gain from getting into it with anybody, or backsliding, or being what they perceive me to be? I just said, 'Let me be what I know I am.'"

On Sunday afternoon, he was a receiver who caught four passes for 59 yards, earned a team victory and kept it vanilla afterward.

"Everybody did a good job of keeping their personal issues aside and just coaching football, playing football and getting a win at the end," he said. "We played for the betterment of the Jets organization."

Bring back the old Braylon. ASAP.

Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot analyze the Cleveland Browns loss to the New York Jets (video)

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Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot analyze the Cleveland Browns 26-20 overtime loss to the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday.

Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot analyze the Cleveland Browns 26-20 overtime loss to the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday.










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