Ohio

College Football Playoff preview: Ohio State-Tennessee meet in first round

Published

1 year ago

December 8, 2024

College Football Playoff preview: Ohio State-Tennessee meet in first round

It’s hard to believe, but Ohio State and Tennessee have only met once on the gridiron, a Volunteers victory in the 1996 Florida Citrus Bowl. The stakes are much higher this time around as the two teams meet in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Much attention will be paid to the offenses, but both have top-five defenses, with Ohio State leading the nation in scoring defense and total defense. Something else to watch out for is Tennessee’s sometimes-undisciplined play, as untimely penalties (the Vols average more than eight penalties a game) have cost them this season.

When Tennessee has the ball

Tennessee must rely on the SEC’s top running attack and star back Dylan Sampson (one of only two SEC backs to go over 1,000 yards) and use it to set up the pass, which is precisely the opposite of what Ohio State needs to do. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava needs to stay upright, and making a few plays with his legs will keep the Buckeyes defense honest.

UP AND DOWNS: Winners and losers from the playoff reveal

POSTSEASON LINEUP: Complete college football bowl schedule

When Ohio State has the ball

The Buckeyes have no business even considering punting with all their talent on offense. Job one is for quarterback Will Howard to get the ball to their dangerous receivers, Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka, and not turn the ball over. Once Ohio State has the lead, it pounds teams into submission with TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. The game plan they had against Michigan won’t work here and will lead to an early playoff exit

The coaches: Ryan Day and Josh Heupel

If this was any other year, chances are that Ohio State coach Ryan Day would be out of a job. But even without a Big Ten title or beating Michigan, Day has a chance to prove he is amongst the nation’s elite coaches, right the ship and lead the talented – but flawed – Buckeyes to a national championship.

As a quarterback, Josh Heupel led the underdog Oklahoma Sooners to a national title nearly a quarter of a century ago. The Volunteers must be aggressive, early and often, to penetrate the stingy Ohio State defense. Look for Tennessee to take more chances than usual, especially if it gets behind.

Ohio State-Tennessee prediction

The Buckeyes have too much firepower to be denied, at least in this game. This is not the time to tinker with the offense, and if Ohio State sticks to what works, it should have no problem advancing to the next round.

Ohio State 27, Tennessee 17

Source link

Click to comment

Ohio

$50K Powerball ticket sold in Northeast Ohio; jackpot reaches $1.5B

Published

6 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

K Powerball ticket sold in Northeast Ohio; jackpot reaches .5B

CANFIELD, Ohio (WJW) – Nobody took home the massive Powerball jackpot on Wednesday, but one Canfield man is still celebrating after purchasing a winning ticket worth $50,000.

According to Ohio Lottery, Bryan decided to try his luck after realizing the Powerball jackpot was over $1 billion. He bought a ticket from the Meijer grocery store on Boardman-Canfield Road in Boardman.

The next morning, Bryan woke up and checked the ticket, stunned to discover that he won $50,000.

After mandatory state and federal taxes, the lucky winner will take home more than $36,000.

Bryan told lottery officials that he doesn’t have specific plans for money yet, but the big win will certainly make for “a very good Christmas.”

It has been months since someone won the Powerball jackpot, which now sits at a massive $1.5 billion. There is also a cash option worth $689.3 million up for grabs.

The next drawing will be Saturday night at 11 p.m. Learn more about the Powerball right here.

Source link

Ohio

After her son died in car wreck, Ohio mom fought for public records

Published

18 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

After her son died in car wreck, Ohio mom fought for public records

A mom searching for answers about her son’s death in a car wreck won a victory on Dec. 19 when the Ohio Supreme Court ordered the Richland County Sheriff to release records to her.

The court ruled in a unanimous decision that Andrea Mauk is entitled to three sets of records withheld by the sheriff, with only Social Security numbers being redacted. Mauk will be awarded $2,000 in damages but will not receive attorney fees.

On June 23, 2023, 18-year-old Damon Mauk lost control of his 1998 Ford Mustang and slammed it into a tree. His mother wanted to piece together what happened, collect his belongings and grieve the loss of her child. She didn’t think she’d have to fight for public records and take her case to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Following the crash, Richland County Sheriff’s deputies, a township fire department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded.

During the investigation, a trooper told a deputy to leave Damon’s iPhone and wallet in the car, according to Mauk’s court filings. Instead, the deputy took the belongings to the hospital and handed them off to someone who said he was Damon’s dad.

Mauk didn’t understand. Damon’s father was largely absent from his life. How could he have been there to pick up the wallet and phone?

A few weeks after the fatal crash, Mauk asked for records, including: the sheriff’s report and inventory of items taken from the car, body camera footage from deputies who gave away the belongings, the report, photos and videos created by the patrol and more.

Mauk, of the Mansfield area, received some but not all of the requested records. Mauk hired attorney Brian Bardwell to pursue records she believes exist but weren’t provided or were improperly redacted.

The sheriff’s office claimed that some of the requested records were exempt from disclosure because they are confidential law enforcement records or personal notes. The court privately reviewed the records withheld from Mauk and determined that they should be released.

The decision in favor of releasing records runs contrary to recent rulings from the high court.

In 2024, the court held that the cost of sending troopers to protect Gov. Mike DeWine at a Super Bowl game weren’t subject to disclosure and that the Ohio Department of Health should redact from a database the names and addresses of Ohioans who had died, even though that death certificate information can be released on an individual case basis.

In 2025 the court ruled that police officers’ names may be kept confidential if they’re attacked on the job, giving them privacy rights afforded to crime victims.

State government reporter Laura Bischoff can be reached at lbischoff@usatodayco.com and @lbischoff on X.

Source link

Ohio

No. 21 Ohio State women beat Norfolk State 79-45

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

No. 21 Ohio State women beat Norfolk State 79-45

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Kylee Kitts scored 13 points, Jaloni Cambridge added 11 and No. 21 Ohio State rolled past Norfolk State 79-45 on Thursday night for its eighth straight win.

Dasha Biriuk added 10 points for Ohio State, which is 10-1 overall and 7-0 at home.

Kitts was 6 of 12 from the field, and grabbed 10 rebounds to go with two steals and two blocks. Cambridge was 4-of-8 shooting and had eight rebounds and two steals.

Cambridge scored seven points in the first quarter as the Buckeyes jumped out to a 20-10 lead and built a 43-21 halftime advantage. Kitts and Cambridge each scored nine first-half points.

Ohio State outrebounded Norfolk State 55-32 and scored 21 points off 17 turnovers.

Jasha Clinton scored 18 points to lead Norfolk State (5-9). Ciara Bailey had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Up next

Norfolk State plays at Elon on Sunday.

Ohio State hosts Western Michigan on Mondahy.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Source link