Joe Haden and Abe Elam have interceptions, but the offense is fingernails-on-chalkboard awful.

View full sizeWilfredo Lee / Associated PressEric Barton leaped into the arms of Shaun Rogers after Rogers' blocked a field goal attempt by Miami's Dan Carpenter in the first quarter of Sunday's game.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Observations, opinions and some facts on the second quarter ...

• Jake Delhomme makes first first down on 15-yard completion to Benjamin Watson. Delhomme did good job finding Watson after first two reads were covered.

• Next time on third down, Delhomme's pass is batted away by Yeremiah Bell. Another punt.

• Joe Haden gets beat on stutter move by Brian Hartline, but he makes up ground and turns at the right time to intercept Chad Henne. That's Haden's fourth INT in four games and fifth overall. Exactly why did it take so long to start him, anyway?

• Browns squander the turnover. Delhomme throws it away on third down as Cameron Wake destroys John St. Clair.

• Browns' offense: Four possessions, one first down, four punts.

• Henne draws boos by throwing out of bounds on third down.

• Field position changes in Browns' favor on Miami punt from its 14. Browns take over at their 41 after 13-yard return by Josh Cribbs.

• Peyton Hillis' 10-yard run earns Browns their second first down.

• It's obvious that Lawrence Vickers isn't in the game plan today. Why? Browns squander ideal field position on third-and-6 pitchout to Hillis.

• Reggie Hodges' punt is kept out of the end zone by Mike Adams, who tips the ball to Sabby Piscitelli at the Dolphins 1.

• Davone Bess shakes off Sheldon Brown after a catch at the 7 and gains 23 to the 24. Bess is penalized half-the-distance, though, for unsportsmanlike conduct.

• Browns announce tight end Evan Moore is questionable with a hip injury.

• Henne throws his second interception. Abe Elam tipped it and caught it and returned 15 yards to the Dolphins' 28. More boos for Henne.

• Delhomme waited too long to throw to an open Chansi Stuckey in the end zone on second down, but he gets the first down on next play with a completion to Benjamin Watson.

• On third down, Delhomme throws to Mohamed Massaquoi's back shoulder. Ball goes off Massaquoi's fingertips at the 1. Browns kick field goal for 3-0 lead. Their "scoring" drive: seven plays, 14 yards.

• Dolphins get a 31-yard kickoff return, and then cross midfield on 11-yard pass and 15-yard penalty on Matt Roth for hitting Henne in the helmet.

• Dolphins self-destruct on 7-yard sack by Shaun Rogers, a dropped pass, and an offensive pass interference penalty. Then they have to use their final timeout with the play-clock running down.

• Dan Carpenter bails out Miami with a 60-yard field goal with :02 left.

PDQ decided to try to find out exactly who these people are who worship at St. Muni every Sunday. So we spent a few hours in the storied parking lot asking tailgaters 10 questions. You can take our poll, too.

Plain Dealer fileScott Keserich of Richfield makes a fingertip grab while tailgating with friends at the Municipal Lot before a Browns game in 2004.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns fans who tailgate in the Muni Lot -- that's the huge, city-owned parking area east of the stadium and just south of the Shoreway -- have earned a reputation, accurate or not.

Their image is not unlike that of a drunken fraternity, only with lower grade-point averages and higher blood-alcohol percentages. They are a drunken gang, the reputation goes, rowdy, loud and itching for a chance to verbally assault (or worse) any person wearing the opponent's colors.

The people inside tell a different story, one of a huge community of fans where strangers treat one another as friends and everyone celebrates food, drink and Cleveland football.

PDQ decided to try to find out exactly who these people are who worship at St. Muni every Sunday. So we spent a few hours in the storied parking lot asking tailgaters 10 questions.

We believe it is the first-ever Municipal Parking Lot survey.

What time should the Muni Lot open?

Midnight -- 8 percent

4 a.m. -- 47 percent

7 a.m. -- 9 percent

It should never close -- 35 percent

What do you cook most often while tailgating?

Burgers -- 36 percent

Hot dogs -- 27 percent

Brats/sausage -- 17 percent

Beef/steak -- 8 percent

Chicken -- 5 percent

Other -- 7 percent

What kind of beer are you drinking?

Bud Light -- 39 percent

Miller Lite -- 19 percent

Coors Light -- 13 percent

Budweiser -- 9 percent

Other beers/alcohol -- 15 percent

Not drinking -- 5 percent

Fine with me -- 17 percent

Stupid -- 31 percent

Dangerous -- 43 percent

Your constitutional right -- 9 percent

While tailgating, how many drinks do you consume?

Zero -- 5 percent

1-2 -- 4 percent

3-4 -- 15 percent

5 or more -- 76 percent

What time do you wake up to go tailgating?

Before 6 a.m. -- 37 percent

6-7 a.m. -- 27 percent

7-8 a.m. -- 25 percent

8 a.m. or later -- 9 percent

The Browns will get to the Super Bowl . . .

This season -- 1 percent

Next season -- 16 percent

In the next four years -- 72 percent

Never -- 9 percent

Charcoal or gas?

Charcoal -- 55 percent

Gas -- 45 percent

View full sizeJoshua Gunter,
The PDFood. Beer. Browns. Is there more to a Sunday afternoon?

Would you let your son or daughter marry a Muni Lot regular?

Yes -- 79 percent

No -- 21 percent

Would you stop drinking if it meant the Browns would win the Super Bowl?

Yes -- 51 percent

No -- 49 percent

Methodology: PDQ surveyed 75 (mostly) random adult tailgaters in the Muni Lot (we stayed away from those vehicles where loud music made it impossible to communicate) on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 28, and asked them each 10 questions. Some totals do not add up to 100 percent because of rounding. This was not a scientific -- or sober -- sampling.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jcampanelli@plaind.com, 216-999-4694

Break down the game by watching or listening to the Browns Aftermath Post-Game Show from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. Join Mike Cairns, Daryl Ruiter and Ray Yannucci sas they talk about the Browns-Dolphins live from Digital Sports Network's Tower City Center studios.

Browns Aftermath Post-Game Show airs Sunday from 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

File PhotoBreak down the Browns-Dolphins game from 4-6 p.m. on cleveland.com/dsn.

Listen Live to DSN

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Join DSN's  Mike Cairns, Ray Yannucci and Daryl Ruiter after the game for Browns Aftermath as they break down what happened against the Dolphins live from 4-6 p.m.

They'll talk about about the big plays, highlight the top performances, update all the scores from around the NFL and, as always, take your calls, chat room comments and emails.

The Browns emerge victorious from a defensive slugfest on a Mike Adams interception and Phil Dawson field goal at the end.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerMike Adams' knee is out of bounds as he stretches the ball toward the goal line after his interception in the final minute of Sunday's game in Miami. The Browns were given the ball at the Dolphins' 2, and after burning off the remaining time, beat Miami, 13-10, on Phil Dawson's 23-yard field goal as time expired.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Take that, LeBron.

OK, so the fallen northeast Ohio sports icon isn't a Miami Dolphins fan. And the Dolphins play their games 20 miles north of where James has famously taken his basketball talents.

But some team from Cleveland had to stick it to south Florida already.

Thirteen years after the Florida Marlins stole the World Series from the Indians, and five months after the Miami Heat seduced James from the Cavaliers, the Browns exacted a tiny measure of revenge.

They outlasted the Miami Dolphins, 13-10, winning at the end on a Mike Adams interception deflected by David Bowens, and a Phil Dawson field goal from 23 yards as time ran out.

"It's about time for us to win a game like that," said Adams, whose interception with 1:05 left was the third of the game for the Browns.

Rookie cornerback Joe Haden, starting for the first time with Eric Wright healthy and active, had an interception in his fourth game in a row and three other pass breakups (one in the end zone), and safety Abe Elam added an interception.

The Browns improved to 5-7 in eking out the win. They held a commanding a 3-0 edge in turnovers and also got a blocked field goal by Shaun Rogers, his 14th career blocked kick.

The defeat, Miami's fifth in six home games, effectively knocks the Dolphins (6-6) out the AFC wild card chase. Too bad James isn't a fan, but who could blame him? The Dolphins were booed throughout the grim contest.

Quarterback Chad Henne (16-of-32, one touchdown, three interceptions, 37.8 rating) wasn't the only goat for the Dolphins. Cornerback Nolan Carroll dropped a Jake Delhomme pass intended for Benjamin Watson with 1:49 to play. It easily could have been returned 35 yards for a winning Pick Six.

The thought of his good fortune brought a smile to the face of Delhomme. The quarterback had taken so much heat for his six interceptions in three previous games that he was able to laugh about catching a break.

"That's on my mind every time I step out on the field," Delhomme said of not throwing interceptions. "Last week there was one pass that I wish I had back. That's it. I made a poor decision but today a couple of times things broke down and I threw it away."

Throwing the ball away obviously was burned into Delhomme's mind by the coaches. They also clamped a pair of handcuffs on the quarterback. The game plan seemed to be scratched from a cave wall.

But when the Dolphins proved they would sell out to stop running back Peyton Hillis, the Browns had no choice but to let Delhomme throw and hope for the best. Hillis was held to 57 yards rushing on 18 attempts. The 52 net yards rushing (counting Delhomme's three kneel-downs to set up Dawson's game-winning field goal) were by far the fewest the Browns have had in their 10 wins in two years under coach Eric Mangini. The previous low total was 116 this year against Cincinnati.

This was a tedious tug of war over field position dictated by booming punts. The punters combined to average 49.1 yards on 16 punts. Miami's Dan Carpenter made a 60-yard field goal at the end of the first half to forge a 3-3 tie.

Late in the third quarter, the Browns mounted their only extended drive. Throwing with an increasing wind at his back, Delhomme completed a pass of 37 yards to Mohamed Massaquoi, then threaded the needle for 15 more to Watson. Two plays later, Massaquoi crossed the field through traffic and took a short pass 33 yards to the Miami 3. Delhomme tossed it to Watson again on the next play for the touchdown.

Delhomme said Massaquoi was "very down" at halftime for not holding on to a back-shoulder throw from Delhomme in the final two minutes of the first half near the Miami goal line.

Henne responded to Delhomme's one good drive with his only good one. He moved the Dolphins 80 yards in 11 plays in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 10 on a thread-the-needle throw to tight end Anthony Fasano with Adams in chase. The ball impaled Fasano's gut.

The fourth quarter has been a nightmare for the Browns' defense, but on this day it was superb. It forced Miami punts on the next two possessions when Rogers tripped up a scrambling Henne from behind on one third down and Henne threw away to avoid a sack on another.

Delhomme was not much better. His last pass of this game might well have been his last pass of the season had not Carroll dropped the interception.

"I should have made it," Carroll said. "I saw the route. I knew it was coming before the play even happened because they ran the same thing earlier in the game. I just got to make the play. I score. I know for a fact I score."

But he didn't make the play and Bowens and Adams combined to make theirs 50 seconds later.

Mangini had instructed his pass rushers to raise their arms en route because Henne had a penchant for getting passes deflected earlier in the season. Bowens, who always seems to be involved in Browns' wins, tipped the ball 90 degrees to the left, where Adams was stationed after his assigned man in coverage stayed in the backfield to block.

Adams returned the ball 24 yards and was knocked out of bounds at the 2 with :54 on the clock. He wanted the touchdown, but just maintaining possession probably was more prudent.

"I got an early Christmas gift," Adams said.

And a lump of coal for LeBron James.

Cameron Heyward and Terrelle Pryor was named the Buckeyes' outstanding players on offense and defense.

Marvin Fong/ The Plain DealerPreviously named first-team All-Big Ten, receiver Dane Sanzenbacher was named Ohio State's team MVP at the Buckeyes' football banquet today.

While the Buckeyes await the official announcement of their bowl trip, which almost certainly will be the Sugar Bowl, receiver Dane Sanzenbacher was named the team's MVP at the season-ending football banquet today. Sanzenbacher was also named the most inspirational senior and the outstanding receiver. Terrelle Pryor was named the most outstanding offensive player and Cameron Heyward was named the most outstanding defensive player.

 The other award winners:

 * Academics: Long snapper Jake McQuaide
 * Freshman offensive player: WR Corey Brown
 * Freshman defensive player: DL Johnathan Hankins
 * Special teams: K Devin Barclay
 * Defensive lineman: Dexter Larimore
 * Linebackers: Brian Rolle and Ross Homan
 * Defensive backs: Chimdi Chekwa and Jermale Hines
 * Offensive back: Dan Herron
 * Offensive lineman: Justin Boren and Bryant Browning
 * Best player on homecoming: Andrew Sweat
 * Best player in Michigan game: Jermale Hines
 * Warrior Award: Brandon Saine and Aaron Gant
 
 The official bowl announcement selection show, which should land the Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl against Arkansas, airs tonight on ESPN at 8:15.

Tigers get their first No. 1 ranking in Associated Press football poll since 1985.

Associated Press Auburn running back Michael Dyer gets yardage for the Tigers during their 56-17 rout of South Carolina in the SEC title game.

Auburn rode its overwhelming win in the Southeastern Conference championship game to its first No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press college football poll since 1985.

The Tigers (13-0) jumped Oregon (12-0), which had been on top the last seven weeks, after beating South Carolina 56-17 on Saturday at the Georgia Dome. The Ducks fell to No. 2 after using a late surge to pull away for a 37-20 victory at Oregon State.

Auburn, which started the season No. 22, received 36 first-place votes. Oregon received 23 and No. 3 TCU (12-0) got one.

The Bowl Championship Series pairings were set to be released later Sunday (ESPN, 8:15 p.m. ET), with Auburn and Oregon expected to be matched in the national championship game.

There were few other changes in the media poll after a Saturday with no upsets. The Horned Frogs were followed by Wisconsin, Stanford, Ohio State, Michigan State, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Boise State.

No. 25 Connecticut moved into the ranking for the first time this season after beating South Florida 19-16 to win a share of the Big East. The Huskies were last ranked in 2008.

Northern Illinois fell out of the ranking after being upset by Miami, Ohio, in the Mid-American Conference championship game on Friday.

The second 10 starts with No. 11 LSU, followed by Virginia Tech, Nevada, Missouri and Alabama. Oklahoma State is 16th and Nebraska fell four spots after losing the Big 12 title game 23-20 to Oklahoma.

Texas A&M is 18th. South Carolina fell one spot to No. 19 and Utah is No. 20. The final five are Mississippi State, West Virginia, Florida State, Hawaii and Connecticut.

Conference champion Miami to play in Mobile on Jan. 6 against Middle Tennessee State.

View full sizeCarlos Osorio / Associated PressMiami of Ohio's Jordan Stevens (21) and Austin Brown (90) celebrated the MAC football championship on Friday, and the RedHawks learned on Sunday that they'll play Middle Tennessee State in the Jan. 6 GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Mid-American Conference placed four teams in bowl games this postseason as invitations were officially extended Sunday afternoon.

Ohio was invited to the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, giving the conference an extra team in the postseason beyond the MAC's three contracted bowl relationships.

The MAC has sent four or more teams to bowl games in five of the last seven years.

"We are extremely excited for the bowl invitations to our four MAC institutions," said conference commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. "I strongly feel that this reflects on the competitive nature of our conference and I congratulate all of our universities, coaches and student-athletes for their efforts this year."

Two MAC programs -- Temple (8-4) and Western Michigan (6-6) -- were bowl eligible, but did not receive a bowl invitation.

The MAC bowl schedule:

Dec. 18: uDrove Humanitarian Bowl -- Boise, Idaho.

5:30 p.m. / ESPN

Northern Illinois (10-3, 8-0 MAC) vs. Fresno State (8-4, 5-3 Western Athletic Conference)

Northern Illinois is making is third consecutive bowl appearance under coach Jerry Kill. This is the Huskies' fourth bowl appearance in the last five years.

Dec. 18: R+L Carriers Bowl -- New Orleans, La.

9 p.m. / ESPN

Ohio (8-4, 6-2-0 MAC) vs. Troy (7-5, 6-2 Sun Belt)

Ohio is making its second consecutive bowl appearance (2009 Little Caesars). The Bobcats received a bowl invitation for the third time in five years.

Dec. 26: Little Caesars Pizza Bowl -- Detroit, Mich.

8:30 p.m. / ESPN

Toledo (8-4, 7-1 MAC) vs. Florida International (6-6, 6-2 Sun Belt)

Note: Toledo is making its first bowl appearance since 2005 (GMAC Bowl) and its first under coach Tim Beckman. Toledo has 11 bowl appearances, the most of any MAC program. The Rockets are 8-2 in their previous 10 games.

Jan. 6: Go Daddy.com Bowl - Mobile, Ala.

8 p.m. / ESPN

Miami (9-4, 7-1 MAC) vs. Middle Tennessee State (6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt)

Winner of this year's MAC title game, the RedHawks under second-year coach Mike Haywood recorded the best turnaround in college football after going 1-11 in 2009. Miami will be making its first bowl appearance since the 2004 Independence Bowl. This is the RedHawks' 10th bowl game, and they have a 6-3 record.

Browns were 1-11 at this time a year ago, and are 9-7 since.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini (left).

Cleveland, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns' 13-10 win over the Dolphins today in Miami makes them 5-7 with four games to go.

The Browns were 1-11 at this time a year ago, during Eric Mangini's first season as coach. They had been outscored by 164 points, or 13.7 per game. Cleveland won its last four games by an average of 8.5 points to finish 5-11.

This season, Cleveland has been outscored by 10 points. That's 0.8 points per game. In their losses, the Browns have trailed by more than four points at the start of the fourth quarter just once: losing, 14-3, at Pittsburgh on Oct. 17. Cleveland went on to lose, 28-10, its worst margin of defeat this season, in quarterback Colt McCoy's NFL debut.

The other loss by more than a touchdown was the previous week, on Oct. 10 in Cleveland, when the Browns were defeated by the Atlanta Falcons, 20-10. The Browns led, 10-6, midway through the third quarter and trailed, 13-10, as the quarter ended. Cleveland, with quarterback Seneca Wallace (sprained ankle) leaving the game just before halftime to be replaced by a hobbled Jake Delhomme (sprained ankle), couldn't come back.

The Browns are 9-7 since their 1-11 start in 2009, the 16 games being the equivalent of a full regular season. Their five wins thus far this season matches their win total of a year ago.

Browns president Mike Holmgren will probably, it seems as of now, wait until after the season to announce whether Mangini will be the Browns' coach in 2011.

In many ways, the Browns' 13-10 victory at Miami was how Eric Mangini hoped to win.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerEric Barton celebrated Shaun Rogers' block of a field goal attempt by Miami's Dan Carpenter in the first quarter on Sunday. The Browns were able to celebrate getting a lot of the little things right in defeating the Dolphins, says Terry Pluto.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- "People like progress," said Eric Mangini. "But they don't like change, and the pain that comes along the way."

The Browns coach smiled as he said those words following his team's 13-10 victory at Miami.

Change is how the Browns won this game as they forced Miami into three turnovers, while making none themselves. Change is how Miami entered the day determined to run the ball, but the Browns stopped them when it meant the most.

Change is how a Browns team with no chance of the playoffs went on the road against a team needing to win to at least dream about the postseason -- and the Browns proved to be mentally and physically stronger.

Suddenly, the Browns are 5-7, having won four of their last six. Suddenly, they have a two-game winning streak, both victories coming on the final play. Suddenly, the Browns are a team that no one wants to play -- just ask contenders New Orleans, New England and the New York Jets.

You can argue that the Browns were lucky to beat Carolina, 24-23, last week when a Panthers' field-goal attempt kissed the upright.

You can try to make the case that the Browns were fortunate Sunday, when it appeared Miami's Nolan Carroll would intercept a Jake Delhomme fourth-quarter pass and return it for a touchdown -- but he dropped it.

You can say someone from the football heavens must have been wearing orange and brown when David Bowens deflected Chad Henne's pass. That was with 65 seconds left in a 10-10 game. The ball banged off Bowens' hand and found its way into Mike Adams' arms. He returned it to the Miami 2, setting up the game-winning field goal.

But the fact is the Browns have been putting themselves in position to win games nearly every week. They are sticking to Mangini's gospel of intense practice preparation. Bowens mentioned how Henne has had a dozen passes deflected in his last four games, so the Browns rushers were determined to keep their hands high in hopes of putting at least a finger on the ball.

Which Bowens did.

He was one of the veteran players and former Jets imported by Mangini to help change the losing and lax culture that had its claws in the Cleveland clubhouse. The man who caught the deflection was Adams. He is a holdover from the Phil Savage/Romeo Crennel regime who has bought into the discipline installed by Mangini and his coaching staff.

"Two years ago, or even last year, you can remember us losing a game like that," said Adams.

How about earlier this season, when the Browns lost three games by four or fewer points?

"Resiliency is learned," said Mangini. "We've been in a lot of games, it nice to win some close ones. We keep telling the guys to win each game that is in front of us, to keep getting better."

That's not an easy sell when it's December and a team is out of the playoff hunt. Hurting players want to sit out, others don't feel like putting in the extra work required to prevail in tight games.

If you dial back to the 4-game winning streak at the conclusion of 2009, the Browns are 9-7 in their last 16 games, which is the length of an NFL season. That is progress.

While you can say that this was ugly football, perfect for those who love the days of leather helmets and no face masks, the Browns needed some clutch late-game passes from Delhomme to win.

"We knew this would be game of attrition, because they are so big, physical and strong," said Delhomme, who was handed a conservative game plan and handled it well by completing 24 of 34 passes for 217 yards.

Delhomme, 36, talked about how "it never gets old to win in the NFL," and he meant no matter how it happens.

Victory-starved Browns fans sure know that's true, which is why what they have been watching lately is so refreshing.

The inconsistent Dolphins showed their worst side in Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Browns, and probably lost all hope for the playoffs, too.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerShe might have been in the minority on Sunday, but this Browns fan got the last laugh as she enjoyed Mike Adams' interception that set up Phil Dawson's game-winning field goal at Sun Life Stadium.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The biggest problem for Miami coach Tony Sparano, the one that still confounded him after he watched the Browns sneak away with a 13-10 victory Sunday, is that he doesn't know what to expect from his consistently inconsistent Dolphins team.

Will they be the group that is 5-1 on the road, or the one that is 1-5 at home?

Will quarterback Chad Henne have the kind of performance he had last week in a 33-17 victory over Oakland when he recorded the third-highest quarterback rating of his career? Or the three-interception showing that yielded a 37.8 rating, the lowest of his career, in Sunday's loss?

Will they be able to make the playoffs now that they've dropped to 6-6 with four games remaining?

"We just made it that much more harder for ourselves," Miami receiver Davone Bess said. "We just got to keep fighting and keep fighting."

It will take a lot of fighting and a lot of luck for the Dolphins. They have the Browns to thank for the latest dose of disarray that came with a combination of all the Dolphins' faults, as Henne played his worst game, Miami lost at home again, and the offense was inept against the stingy Browns defense.

Part of the blame can be assessed to injuries -- receiver Brandon Marshall was inactive with a hamstring injury, and Brian Hartline left the game in the second half with an injured finger.

But when Henne's final interception came with less than a minute left in the game, the Dolphins were at their own 26 on third-and-9, still confident that only a few plays would at least bring Miami to within field-goal range.

"We were right there," Miami linebacker Cameron Wake said. "It wasn't a game where you feel like they kicked our butts. We shot ourselves in the foot. I feel like it's not as much as they beat us as we lost the game."

Two previous Henne interceptions yielded just three points for the Browns, as Cleveland's offense struggled as mightily as Miami's. The two teams combined for 16 punts and converted just six third-down attempts.

As it turned out, six points off three turnovers was enough to decide the game.

"At the end of the day, if you turn the ball over three times in a close game, you're going to lose," Sparano said. "[Henne has] done some good things, but you just can't turn the ball at that rate."

The Dolphins also know there's only fading hope for the postseason. Mixing wins with losses -- Miami has flip-flopped results in its past eight games -- is making it difficult to know what to expect.

"We don't know what's going to happen," running back Ronnie Brown said. "But I like to be able to control our own destiny, go out and win games when we're supposed to win them, play the way we're capable of, and not have to rely on other teams and hope they lose."

Woods had never lost a tourney as a pro when leading by at least 3 shots going into final round, as he did today in the 18-player field.

Associated PressEventual winner Graeme McDowell during today's final round of the Chevron World Challenge.

Thousand Oaks, Calif. – U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell capped off his greatest year by putting together the greatest comeback ever against Tiger Woods in the Chevron World Challenge.

Woods looked as though he would recover from losing a four-shot lead Sunday when he stuffed his approach to inside 3 feet on the 18th hole, but McDowell knocked in a 20-foot birdie putt that forced a playoff.

On the first extra hole, McDowell again made a birdie putt from 20 feet. This time, Woods couldn't match him. His 15-foot birdie putt slid by on the right, and Woods ended a calendar year without winning.

Woods had never lost a tournament as a pro when leading by at least three shots going into the final round.

Wrapping up some odds and ends as 70 teams (believe it or not) prepare for a bowl game.

View full sizeJohn Bazemore / Associated PressThere may be unresolved questions about him off the field, but there's few that would dispute Cameron Newton as the year's best football player and lopsided Heisman favorite, says Doug Lesmerises.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Wrapping up some odds and ends as 70 teams (believe it or not) prepare for a bowl game:

HEISMAN WATCH

1. Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn, Jr., Odds: 1-5: Should he be eligible to play? Maybe not. Will he win after throwing for 28 TDs and running for 20 more? Absolutely.

2. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon, Soph., Odds: 15-1: Led nation with 1,682 rushing yards, 21 rushing TDs. May not get a lot of first-place votes, but should grab many seconds and thirds.

3. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State, Jr., Odds: 40-1: Fourth in nation with 33 TD passes, I'll be surprised if he's not invited to New York.

4. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State, Soph., Odds: 55-1: With 151 receiving yards per game and nation-best 18 TD catches, I think he's gained some ground as a dark-horse alternative.

5. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford, Soph., Odds: 60-1: Just 21st in nation in passing yards, but potential No. 1 pick in NFL Draft getting more attention than I realized. Could sneak to New York.

6. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan, Soph., Odds: 80-1: He's the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year, but I don't think the conference will have a player in the top five for fourth straight year, since Troy Smith won.

7. Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State, Jr., Odds: 100-1: Finished regular season 46th in passing yards, 14th in passer rating, 18th in points responsible for. If he's back next year, still right in the running.

DOUG'S TOP 25

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

Explaining my ballot

• This was the seventh week atop my ballot for Auburn, and for the first time, the rest of the AP poll agreed. The Tigers gained 13 first-place votes from last week and finished No. 1 in the AP poll, 11 points up on Oregon.

• I don't penalize teams for losing in conference title games when other teams are sitting home because they weren't good enough to get there. So Nebraska, South Carolina and Florida State basically held their spots.

Joe Haden's debut as a starting cornerback came with the performance fit for a Pro Bowler.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerAnother strong day by rookie cornerback Joe Haden -- here denying Miami's Marlon Moore in the second quarter -- earned plenty of praise in the Browns locker room. "Joe had a heckuva game," said linebacker David Bowens. "He's having a heckuva end of the season and I think he's going to be a great player in this league for a long time."

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Joe Haden showed his appreciation for winning a starting job at cornerback by having the kind of game against Miami that you'd expect from a Pro Bowler, not a rookie.

Haden, who kept the starting role despite the return of Eric Wright from a knee injury, had his best game as a Brown. It featured his fourth straight week with an interception, a huge breakup in the end zone, three other passes broken up and five tackles -- second-best on the team. He also made a special teams stop.

"He had a great game," said safety and fellow rookie T.J. Ward. "He made some clutch tackles and another pick -- four in a row -- and some more breakups. That's not just a great game for a rookie, it's a great game period."

Haden, the reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month, set the tone on the Dolphins' first drive when he knocked down a deep ball to Canton native and Ohio State alum Brian Hartline in the end zone. Three plays later, Shaun Rogers blocked a Dolphins' field goal attempt.

On the Dolphins' first play of the second quarter, Haden caught Hartline from behind and picked off Chad Henne's deep offering down the right side.

"It's the same thing that happened in Jacksonville," said Haden. "He ran a double move and I'm very aggressive, so I jumped the first one, but with my speed I caught up to him. He started looking back and his eyes got big like he was about to catch the ball so I just looked back and caught it."

On the next possession, Haden swatted away a pass to receiver Marlon Moore that helped end the drive.

But it was one third-quarter sequence in which Haden really shined against both the pass and the run. On consecutive plays, he stopped Ronnie Brown after a 2-yard gain, broke up a deep ball down the middle to Moore and then tackled Brown after a 3-yard run to force a punt.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain Dealer"This game definitely ranks right up there with any I've had," a jubilant Joe Haden said after Sunday's game. "But to do it in the league, it was a statement. I felt like it was really meaningful."

It was an All-Haden drive.

"The last quarter of the season he's playing lights out," said David Bowens. "They tested him a few times and Joe held his own. Not only that, but in the tackling game, he supported well.

"Joe had a heckuva game. He's having a heckuva end of the season and I think he's going to be a great player in this league for a long time."

On Friday, Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said Haden is already ahead of where Raiders three-time Pro Bowler Nnamdi Asomugha was as a rookie.

"I missed Nnamdi's rookie year, but no, he wasn't [where Joe is]," said Ryan. "He had to make himself that great. Joe is much further along, absolutely."

Haden, who leads the team with five interceptions, was surprised the Dolphins kept throwing his way.

"I thought after I broke up the first two that they weren't going to throw two more," he said. "I just have to be ready every play. That's one of my strengths is the deep ball. They just kept trying and I just kept knocking it down."

He hopes teams won't think twice about doing it in the future.

"I like to make plays," said Haden, the No. 7 overall pick. "I hope they keep throwing it over there."

Haden and the entire defense worked hard to shore up the tackling problems they had the previous three weeks. He also tackled Brown after a 3-yard screen pass in the third quarter.

"I knew they were a very good screen team, especially with Ronnie Brown in there, so our coach told us, whenever they break through, they should never have a gain over 15 yards," said Haden.

Haden became the first Brown to record an interception in four straight games since Ernie Kellerman in 1968. That same season, Ben Davis had an interception in seven straight games from Oct. 20-Dec. 1. Haden is also the first rookie with five interceptions since Daven Holly in 2006.

"It feels great," he said. "This game definitely ranks right up there with any I've had. But to do it in the league, it was a statement, I felt like it was really meaningful."

He said he put no pressure on himself to play well. "The game is just slowing down for me and I'm feeling more comfortable," he said.

Browns coach Eric Mangini said next Haden will have to prove himself outside the sunny confines of Florida, where he played his college ball.

"Now we have to enter the frozen tundra over the next month," Mangini said. "I'll get him some foot warmers and stuff and hopefully he'll continue to play at the same level."

Conference, which adds Nebraska next year as a 12th member school, releases statement saying it intends to stay at that number for awhile.

Associated PressNebraska fans during the Cornhuskers' 23-20 Big 12 title game loss to Oklahoma on Saturday. Nebraska will play next season in the Big Ten.

Park Ridge, Illinois -- The Big Ten says it's not looking to expand again in the near future.

The conference, which is adding Nebraska as its 12th member next year, released a statement Sunday saying it "will not be actively engaged in conference expansion for the foreseeable future and does not expect to be proactively seeking new members."

However, the Big Ten says it will "continue to monitor the intercollegiate landscape."

The statement came the same day the Big Ten's presidents and chancellors held their winter meetings.

Nebraska's move is one of several by important football programs. Colorado and Utah are going to the Pac-10, TCU is switching to the Big East, and Boise State is joining the Mountain West.

Poor shooting send the Cavaliers to their fourth straight loss with one more game left on road trip.

View full sizeDuane Burleson / Associated PressAnderson Varejao and the Cavaliers had the early jump on Greg Monroe and the Pistons, but Detroit dominated after halftime in building a sizable lead at Auburn Hills, Mich.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Notes and observations from the Cavs game against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills:

Final: Pistons 102, Cavs 92. The Cavaliers played better than they have in a week, but it was still not good enough to beat the Detroit Pistons on Sunday evening at The Palace.

Cleveland was undone by six turnovers and an 11-0 run in the third quarter and horrible shot selection in the fourth, when the Cavs made just 6 of 22 shots (27 percent).

Antawn Jamison had 22 points to lead the Cavs, who fell to 7-13 with their fourth straight loss.

The Pistons were led by their backcourt of Rip Hamilton and Rodney Stuckey, who had 27 and 24 points, respectively, to help Detroit improve to 7-14 and end a seven-game losing streak to the Cavs.

Third quarter update: Pistons 78, Cavs 67. After Cavs pulled into a 55-55 tie, they were undone by an 11-0 run by Detroit. But the Pistons are not strong finishers. They're just 4-3 when leading or tied after three, so hope wasn't totally lost.

Rodney Stuckey and Rip Hamilton have 20 points apiece, while Antawn Jamison is the only Cav in double figures with 15.

Halftime update: Pistons 51, Cavs 46. Rodney Stuckey presented all sorts of problems in the second quarter, when he scored 13 points to bring the Pistons back. But, again, at least the Cavs are fighting back tonight. Will it last?

First quarter update: Cavs 24, Pistons 19. It's still early, but the Cavs are putting forth more effort and energy than at any point during Saturday's loss at Minnesota.

They're shooting 47.6 percent and have held the Pistons to 35 percent shooting and forced five turnovers. Will they keep it up?

Cavs starters: F Joey Graham, F J.J. Hickson, C Anderson Varejao, G Anthony Parker, G Mo Williams.

Pistons starters: F Tayshaun Prince, F Jason Maxiell, C Ben Wallace, G Richard Hamilton, G Rodney Stuckey.

Injuries: None for Cavs. Jonas Jerebko (partially ruptured right Achilles tendon) and Terrico White (broken right foot) are out.

Inactives: Christian Eyenga, Manny Harris and Samardo Samuels for Cavs. Jonas, DaJuan Summers, White for Pistons.

Officials: Marc Davis, Tony Brown, Derek Richardson.

Three things to watch

1. If you can bear to watch, will this be the game the Cavs pull themselves together?

2. If they don't, will coach Byron Scott blow up during the game?

3. Can the Cavs defense, such as it is, take advantage of the fact that the Pistons rank fourth in the league in turnovers (13.5 a game.)

The big-name free agents are starting to sign with teams as the winter meetings begin Monday. The Indians, however, are still waiting to make a move.

View full sizePaul Battaglia / Associated PressA versatile defensive player who can handle several infield positions, Nick Punto could be targeted by the Indians to help provide a short-term solution at third base.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Cliff Lee is still out there. So is Carl Crawford, Paul Konerko, Adrian Beltre and Carl Pavano. The free agents, however, are starting to come off the board as the winter meetings open Monday at the Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin resort.

The White Sox signed slugger Adam Dunn. The Yankees have ended several weeks of false drama by reaching deals in principle with Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. It wasn't like they were going anywhere in the first place, but arch-rival Boston tweaked the Yankees' nose by offering Rivera a two-year deal.

With Jeter and Rivera back in pinstripes, the Yankees can turn their attention to Lee and Crawford.

The Nationals on Sunday provided the first jolt of the meetings by signing outfielder Jayson Werth to a seven-year, $126 million deal. Werth's agent is Scott Boras.

Boston, meanwhile, reportedly dipped into its farm system and sent three prospects to San Diego for first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. With David Ortiz fading, Gonzalez should help the Red Sox get back to the postseason, a party they missed last season.

But Sunday, the deal stalled because the Red Sox were unable to sign Gonzalez to an extension before the trade became official. It still might happen, but there is a lot of ground to cover.

While Boston talks megadeals, Indians GM Chris Antonetti arrives in Florida trying to improve his team. While other clubs use a fire hose to make that happen, Antonetti is armed with an eye-dropper.

The Indians have spent the off-season looking for a third baseman. There was a chance Kevin Kouzmanoff could have been the answer. Last week, however, Oakland non-tendered third baseman Edwin Encarnacion instead of Kouzmanoff. Still, there was hope because Oakland has been pursuing Beltre, Boston's free-agent third baseman.

If the A's landed Beltre, they may have been willing to trade Kouzmanoff to the Indians. But on Sunday, it appeared that the A's had grown weary of being rebuffed and were no longer pursuing him.

The Indians have talked to a number of free-agent infielders who could help them at third.

Nick Punto, a switch-hitter, has spent the last seven years playing a variety of infield positions with the Twins. He became a free agent when the Twins declined his $5 million option for 2011. The Indians and Punto's agent will talk at the meetings.

Punto, 33, is looking for everyday at-bats. He opened last season as the Twins' third baseman, but a left hamstring injury and a poor offensive performance cost him playing time.

If the Indians don't feel Punto is the everyday answer, they have enough infielders to match him with in a platoon. Punto does catch the ball and the Indians defense certainly needs improvement. The Indians ranked seventh in fielding percentage in the American League, a ranking that doesn't do justice to how poorly they played.

Encarnacion, who played third for Toronto last season and hit 21 homers, is a possibility. The Indians like Encarnacion's power, but he committed 18 errors in 95 games.

Kansas City non-tendered Josh Fields last week. The White Sox's former No.1 pick in 2004 played 12 games at third for the Royals and made five errors. He has been bothered by knee and hip injuries.

Starting pitching and an extra catcher are also among the Indians' needs.

They were in on right-handers Javier Vazquez, Jon Garland and Aaron Harang, but couldn't get a deal done. Vazquez signed a one-year deal with Florida worth $7 million. Garland signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers for $5 million with a vesting option for 2012 if he pitches 190 innings. Harang reportedly signed a one-year deal with San Diego.

Carlos Santana, if he recovers from left knee surgery, Lou Marson and recently-signed Luke Carlin give the Indians three catchers between the big leagues and Class AAA Columbus. They need a fourth and they'd like to bring someone in to push Marson if Santana is ready to start.

Chris Gimenez was a possibility, but he appears to be headed to another team.

This will be Mark Shapiro's first winter meetings as team president. He's been the club's general manager for the last nine years. While Shapiro is available for advice to Antonetti, he will be busy meeting with Commissioner Bud Selig and the rest of his on-field committee.

Adding another wild card team to each league has gained momentum. The chances of it going into effect next season would take a change in the basic agreement that expires in December of 2011.

Byron Scott admits that roster changes could be in the offing as his team continues to struggle.

View full sizeDuane Burleson / Associated PressRamon Sessions (3), Ryan Hollins (right) and the rest of the Cavaliers had no answers for Detroit guard Rodney Stuckey on Sunday, who scored 24 points with 11 assists in the Pistons' victory at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Byron Scott admitted he was considering lineup changes from top to bottom in the wake of the Cavaliers' struggles.

"I'm at a point of a lot of things right now," he said. "Yeah, I've considered [changes], but I think I'm going to wait a few more games to see what happens.

"I've been thinking about a lot of things, and the one thing about me is that when I do think about these things I don't take them lightly. I don't rush at them because of a loss like [at Minnesota] or the last three games. I try to think about it and consider everything before I make a move like that because I want to feel extremely comfortable when I do it.

"I don't want to do it because of a reaction. So I'm going to take some days before I do anything."

The changes could mean playing time for rookies Manny Harris and Samardo Samuels, who have been inactive most of the season.

Bench marks: The Cavs and Pistons came into Sunday with two of the best benches in the NBA. Cleveland was ranked first in bench scoring at 46.5 points per game and Detroit was fourth with 39.3.

The Cavs' bench came out on top in Sunday's matchup, thanks to 22 points from Antawn Jamison that led to a 41-29 advantage.

Getting hooked: Perhaps it was only natural that the subject should come up with two former Laker players -- Scott and Kurt Rambis -- squared off as coaches on Saturday at Minnesota.

In talking about their glory years, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook came up, and it was suggested that it would be a good shot for the Cavs' 7-0 backup center Ryan Hollins.

"Some of the things you need to be able to use that shot is great lower body strength and pretty good-sized hands," Scott said. "I don't know if Ryan has the hands to be able to do that shot on an everyday basis.

"But he definitely has the length and the jumping ability. It should be something he tries to do just to see if it's something he could put in his arsenal.

"Kareem, just watching him over the years, it was a thing of beauty."

Hollins air-balled a hook shot on Sunday evening.

Ben Watson had a career-high 10 catches and the Browns only touchdown.

View full sizeJ. Pat Carter / Associated PressBen Watson had a short stroll to the end zone after being uncovered after catching Jake Delhomme's 3-year toss in the third quarter Sunday.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Ben Watson must be making the Patriots sorry they ever let him go.

Watson, who signed with the Browns as an unrestricted free agent after six seasons in New England, had a career-high 10 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown Sunday against the Dolphins. He now leads the team with 574 receiving yards and is second with 50 receptions (Peyton Hillis has 53). He also leads with three receiving touchdowns.

"Ben had an outstanding game," said coach Eric Mangini. "I'm happy with the way guys continue to work and they resilience they're showing."

Watson said it felt like a career day for him, although he did have a 107 yards and two TDs in a New England win over the Browns in 2007.

"It was great to be able to contribute," he said. "That's why you play the position, to get a chance to go out there and make plays like that. I'm definitely thankful for the win above all else. This team fought to the end and was able to pull out a win."

Watson's 50 catches are a career high, one more than in 2006. He's on pace for 765 receiving yards, which would also be a personal best. Seven catches and 74 of his 100 yards came in the second half when the Browns opened things up.

"It was a combination of the defense, playcalling, of Jake [Delhomme] making those throws," he said. "We wanted to come in and take what the defense gave us, and that's what they were giving us, so we took it."

On the second drive of the third quarter, Watson caught passes of 20 and 22 yards to set up Phil Dawson's 47-yard field goal attempt, which hit the left upright. On the next drive, he caught a 15-yarder that led to his own 3-yard TD.

"It was a play we practiced," he said of the score. "I had a little crossing route and Jake just waited for me and threw the ball. It just opened up, kind of like how we worked on."

The only pass thrown his way that Watson didn't catch was the one almost picked off by cornerback Nolan Carroll, who dropped what would have been a likely TD with 1:44 left.

"It was close," said Watson. "We've got a lot of sight adjustments and stuff like that built in. Sometimes [defenders] jump stuff, and fortunately for us he didn't pick it off."

No respect: Dolphins defensive end Kendall Langford revealed a possible reason why the Dolphins lost.

"I thought we were going to beat the ---- out of Cleveland. Just like everybody else did," said Langford. "But, it didn't happen like that. Like I said, it's a big disappointment."

Someone must have forgot to tell him about the Saints and Patriots.

Roth's homecoming: Linebacker Matt Roth got what he came for: a victory against the team that unceremoniously dumped him last year. Roth made four tackles, but was flagged 15 yards for unnecessary roughness when his helmet grazed Chad Henne's after a scramble.

"I didn't hit him hard," said Roth. "I just came inside on a pass rush move and Henne was there and we kind of just barely tapped helmets. I didn't think it was a foul. Hopefully I don't get fined for it. It was nothing dirty towards Henne. I like the guy."

Roth revealed that an arbitration hearing against the Dolphins for events surrounding his waiver last year is a couple of months away.

"I feel 100 percent confident I'll win that," he said. "I came here and got my win. It's everything I wanted to do."

Roth also admitted he's still not fully recovered from a recent virus.

"I wasn't feeling too good the last couple weeks and I had to muster the energy to come in here," he said. "I knew this was a big game for us and obviously this was my old team."

Good day in front of friends: Safety Abe Elam had an interception against his hometown team in the second quarter that led to a field goal. Elam, from nearby Riviera Beach, had 100 people at the game, including 50 underprivileged kids from his Team Elam Foundation.

"It was crazy," he said. "Pulling up to the stadium, I was in tears because I remember dreaming as a little kid, praying and hoping to one day be able to play in this stadium. Now I'm living it out, so it was great. I'm thankful for the win. My team, they played well, and it was very exciting."

Elam led the team with seven tackles and had his third straight game with a big play. In Jacksonville, he had an interception and fumble recovery for a touchdown. Last week, he had two sacks.

"I'm just steady doing my job, being consistent, being able to step up when my number's called and being what our team needs," said Elam. "I don't think my preparation has changed. I don't think my play has changed. Just when those opportunities come, I'm making those plays now."

Letting his play speak: Shaun Rogers blocked a field goal, made a shoe-string tackle of Henne in the fourth quarter and sacked Henne in the second.

"Just another day at the office," he said, declining to answer further questions.

His 14 blocked field goals are the most since the stat started being kept in 1992. Among active players, Chicago's Julius Peppers is second with 10.

A happy spectator: David Bowens had no idea where the ball went after he deflected Henne's fourth-quarter pass towards Mike Adams for the decisive pick.

"I was looking for it, I didn't know where it went, then out of my periphery I saw Mike. He had a little Easter basket. It was awesome. It was sweet. I'm glad we made some plays to help our team win."

Explained Adams: "We were in a Cover 5 and my man was in the backfield. As he blocked I started to blitz, go in and sack the quarterback. I saw him release the ball, D-Bo got his hand up, and it was Merry Christmas."

A hard day's work for Phil: Dawson's 23-yard field goal as time expired was his 14th career game-winner and second in as many games.

"It was pretty intense wind," Dawson said. "It seemed to pick up as the day went on. A lot of gusts, a lot of swirling. I've got to give the guys who kick here every week a lot of credit. Everybody thinks 'We're going to Florida, it's going to be a nice, easy day.' It definitely wasn't easy today. One of the tougher days we've had all season."

Earlier, Dawson smacked a 47-yarder off the left upright.

"Sometimes the ball doesn't do what you think in the air," he said. "I didn't expect that one to go to the left quite as much as it did. Those are the kind that hurt."

Extra points: Tight end Evan Moore left with a hip injury and didn't return. ... Dolphins Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall was inactive with a hamstring. "It was easier to win without him, but you always want to play the best," said Joe Haden. ... Former Buckeye Brian Hartline left with a finger injury in the second half. ... Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter's 60-yard field goal was his career long and longest in Dolphins history. ... Over the last two years, Mangini is 5-1 during December/January, winning the last five contests.

Buckeyes are 0-9 in bowl games against Southeastern Conference teams.

Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, coach Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes will play Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Ohio State will play Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4 in New Orleans. It will be OSU's ninth appearance in the 13 years of the BCS system, the most of any school.

The Buckeyes are 11-1 and ranked sixth in the nation. Arkansas' No. 8 Razorbacks are 10-2.

Tim May writes about the Ohio State-Arkansas matchup for the Columbus Dispatch:

Will this be the year the Buckeyes get the SEC bowl burden off their backs? They are 0-9 in bowls against opponents from that league, including back-to-back losses to Florida and Louisiana State in the national-title games following the 2006 and '07 seasons, respectively.

This will be their first-ever game against Arkansas, who along with Mississippi and Mississippi State are the only SEC members the Buckeyes have never played in either the regular season or in a bowl.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage includes Buckeyes beat writer Doug Lesmerises' report on Ohio State's football award winners; his Hey, Doug!; his Weekly Wolverine Watch; his National College Football Insider.

Ohio State's men's and women's basketball programs continue to thrive. OSU's women's team (7-0), ranked sixth in the country, defeated No. 11 Oklahoma, 95-84, tonight in Columbus, as reported by the Associated Press and OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

The Buckeyes' men's basketball team (6-0), ranked second in the nation, hosts IUPUI (4-5) on Thursday night.  

Post patterns

Looking ahead to Ohio State vs. Arkansas, by Kevin Noon for rivals.com and Yahoo! Sports.

Ken Gordon and Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch look at Ohio State's football season.

Complete bowl game schedule, on ESPN.com.

Big Ten and Ohio State football on the Big Ten Blog by Adam Rittenberg for ESPN.com.

Some former Ohio State players think there should be a college football playoff system, by Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch.

A couple Ohio State men's basketball players are included in a 2011 NBA mock draft, from nbadraft.net.

A November recap, looking to the upcoming games and more about the Ohio State men's basketball team, from the Columbus Dispatch.

Detroit is the latest team to end a long losing streak against the Cavaliers.

View full sizeDuane Burleson / Associated PressDetroit's Tracy McGrady snuffs out this driving flip shot by Daniel Gibson in the first half of the Pistons' 102-92 victory Sunday evening at Auburn Hills, Mich. Gibson had 12 points, but missed nine of his 13 shot attempts.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- This is how the other half lives.

For the better part of the last seven years, the Cavaliers with LeBron James lived the high life, trouncing lesser opponents regularly, victories piling up like the snowflakes.

But with James gone to Miami, it's payback time.

When Minnesota clobbered Cleveland on Saturday night in Minneapolis, it snapped the Timberwolves' nine-game losing streak to the Cavs.

When Detroit won, 102-92, Sunday evening at The Palace, 102-92, it ended the Pistons' seven-game losing streak to the Cavs.

Don't think there weren't some smiles in the home locker rooms at what has become of the wine and gold, who lost their fourth straight game and their sixth straight on the road to fall to 7-13.

"Nobody's going to feel sorry for us," said Antawn Jamison, who again led the Cavs with 22 points. "It's a transition these guys are starting to understand. You know what? For the last five or six years, you've been pounding people, and a lot of organizations look at this as an opportunity to do the same to us. We have to understand that."

Every team is taking its best shot at the staggering Cavaliers. Sunday's effort was their best in a week, but it wasn't good enough. Cleveland was undone by four turnovers in an 11-0 run by Detroit in the third quarter and terrible shot selection in the fourth, when they made just six of 22 field goals (27.3 percent).

A perfect example of the way things are going occurred when the Pistons' 18-point lead was trimmed to 93-82 with 4:45 left. The Pistons missed two shots, but grabbed two offensive rebounds. Anthony Parker locked down Tayshaun Prince in the corner, forcing a bad shot that banged off the rim. But Rip Hamilton grabbed the offensive rebound and eventually hit a 3-pointer to restore the lead to 96-82.

"That is so demoralizing," coach Byron Scott said.

"You see a couple plays that sum up what's going on with us," Parker admitted. "When it rains, it pours. We have to change it. We can't feel sorry for ourselves. We can't look for calls from the refs. It's got to be us."

Scott knows that as well as anyone.

"It has nothing to do with Xs and Os right now," he said. "It has everything to do with heart and another part of your anatomy that I can't mention...

"I don't know how many of these guys have been through this before. A lot of guys in that locker room who've been here the last five or six years haven't gone through anything like this. So they're not used to this. It's how we deal with it."

Daniel Gibson is one of those guys. He admits it. But he's trying to use this as a learning experience -- one really tough learning experience.

"We'll find out what this team is made of and what these guys are made of going through this spell," he said. "We've got to stick together and figure a way to get out of it."