Ohio
How Carter Lowe developed into Ohio State’s first offensive line commit of 2025 class
It did not take long for Toledo Whitmer High football coach Eric Brown to realize the potential offensive lineman Carter Lowe had. All Brown had to do was look at Lowe, who grew into a 6-foot-6, 300-pound tackle who had the attention of college football programs across the country.
But Brown says he knows size alone doesn’t mean much. And with Lowe, Brown said, Whitmer has a lineman who works relentlessly.
“I quickly realized how crazy his work ethic was and how willing he was to work to actually get to that next level,” Brown said. “Not just to say, ‘Oh, he has potential,’ but to say, ‘Man, this guy’s going to be a dude.’ ”
Ohio State bought into Lowe’s potential and became one of his first Power Five offers. And Lowe bought into Ohio State’s potential for his development, committing to the Buckeyes’ 2025 class Jan. 27 over Michigan, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.
Chris Lowe, Carter’s father, has also bought into his son’s potential. That potential, he said, stems from pairing “God-given athleticism” with a work ethic. Carter does not have to be pushed to be successful.
“You can take anybody and, with that size and with that mobility, they still won’t be able to do what Carter does,” Chris Lowe said. “It’s the will that he has. It’s God-given. And when he puts his mind to it, he just goes.”
Carter Lowe develops into offensive line weapon
Carter Lowe has already had firsthand experience of what development at Ohio State looks like.
Lowe worked one-on-one with Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye the summer before his junior season. At an OSU recruiting camp, Frye taught Lowe everything from foot positioning to hand and foot placement to learning how important agility and movement is for an offensive tackle.
Chris Lowe said his son talked with Frye on a regular basis, with Frye breaking down film from that camp session as if Carter was already an Ohio State player.
“When coach Frye is breaking down film … he’s intense,” Chris Lowe said. “When I say intense, I see why he’s coaching because he loves the game, he loves teaching and putting people in a position to learn the game and to be better.
“Carter listens (and) does it to a point where you can see the difference and he can feel the difference.”
Basketball was Lowe’s first love, and he played both AAU and for his school team. Chris Lowe said his son never really wanted to play football.
But after a ninth-grade football season in which Chris said he son looked like “a newborn deer” on the field, Carter’s love for sport clicked.
“Here’s a young kid that we couldn’t get him to play football,” Chris said. “And then when he started to play football, he just was going through the motions the first year a little bit, just learning the game and everything. Now colleges are hounding him.”
Carter is listed as the No. 79 player in the country per 247Sports’ composite rankings and is the ninth-best offensive tackle in the 2025 class.
Lowe grew into a utility weapon for Whitmer up front as a tight end and offensive tackle while remaining a focal point blocker for running backs to follow.
“His pass sets are unreal,” Brown said. “He moves so well for his size. He moves people from point A to point B, and he kind of gives us the ability to move him around.”
Relationships brought Carter Lowe to Ohio State’s 2025 class
Even before Lowe’s recruitment escalated, his father made one thing clear.
“Relationships are everything,” Chris said.
Relationships are what brought Carter Lowe to Ohio State, and he joined the Buckeyes as their first offensive line commitment of the 2025 class.
“I wanted him to get somewhere where he’s accepted and not tolerated,” Chris said. “You have some programs, you know, you’re just there. But I want him to get somewhere where he’s taught, where he’s trained to the point where he’s pushing himself and they’re pushing him to get to the next level.”
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cgay@dispatch.com

Ohio
‘I know how to outsmart him.’ Santino Ferrucci plots revenge on Conor Daly after Mid-Ohio incidents

Santino Ferrucci acknowledged he made a mistake at Mid-Ohio, forcing Conor Daly off the track in last weekend’s IndyCar race. Ferrucci doesn’t appreciate Daly’s response — and not the one on social media.
The two touched wheels midway through the race and Daly was forced well into the grass. Ferrucci wound up finishing 16th and Daly 19th.
Ferrucci said Thursday at Iowa Speedway that he was late entering a turn and, in trying to correct his position on track, their wheels touched. Ferrucci’s car briefly couldn’t turn and Daly had to go off track to avoid harder contact.
What has rankled Ferrucci is not Daly calling him “this clown” on social media, but that Daly “brake-checked” him — stopping abruptly in front of him on pit lane, risking contact post-race.
“I would have gone up and said something after the race in pit lane, but he decided to brake check me in pit lane, which is just dumb,” the 27-year-old Ferrucci said.
Ferrucci improved just one spot from his starting position at Mid-Ohio, but over the previous four races, he had improved 58 positions — finishing in the top 5 in each.
“I’m really mad at myself because I feel like I’ve run four perfect races going up to that point, and that’s the only mistake I’ve made in the last five weekends,” he said.
Ferrucci added he’s eager to match moves and wits with Daly in this weekend’s races at Iowa Speedway — a 275-lapper on Saturday and another on Sunday.
“If he doesn’t think memories are shot, he’s got something else coming,” Ferrucci said. “I know how to outsmart him on an oval. I’ve done it before. It’ll be fun.”
Nathan Brown is your best IndyCar follow, and keep up with coverage throughout the season with IndyStar’s motorsports newsletter.
Ohio
The Athletic names Ohio State vs Michigan as best rivalry in college football

The Athletic has put out a list of the top 100 rivalries in college football. They don’t really give a lot of detail or analysis as to why or how they made their decision. They just presented a list, like so many outlets and blogs have in the past. The rankings release did come partnered with an article further detailing just what makes this rivalry so amazing.
Of course, Ohio State fans don’t need to be told what makes this rivalry amazing. We all know it. We know the legends, the moments, the stories–the good and the bad. Still, it’s nice to see recognition from national outlets, even if picking The Game as the biggest rivalry isn’t a particularly bold decision. The only other real choice is Army-Navy, for very different reasons, and The Athletic put that at No.4 (behind the Iron Bowl and the Red River Rivalry).
Two other Ohio State rivalries also made the top 100 list. And both are interesting, though in very different ways. The first is Ohio State vs Illinois. And while that rivalry was once pretty big, it’s been decades since it has been meaningful as a rivalry in any real way. Including it in a top rivalry list in 2000 would have made a lot of sense. In 2025? Not quite as much.
Also, Ohio State vs Penn State clocked in at No.8 on the list. With just 40 total meetings, it’s one of the rarest matchups on the entire list. Michigan vs Notre Dame was the only other rivalry in the top 50 with fewer than 50 meetings. And a stat about the rivalry they provide is impressive: in all 39 modern meetings between the two schools, at least one has been ranked in the AP Top 25. That’s pretty impressive.
While we would have liked for The Athletic to better explain its rankings and give us numbers showing why The Game is the best rivalry in college football, this is still obvious validation from a prominent national outlet.
Ohio
Ohio lawmaker proposes ban on free sports tickets for legislators

COLUMBUS — A Democratic Ohio state lawmaker wants to ban Ohio legislators from accepting free or discounted tickets to professional sporting events, pointing to ethical concerns raised by the state’s $600 million commitment to a new Cleveland Browns stadium.
State Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan, a Parma Democrat, said the legislation would close a loophole that allows lobbyists and team officials to offer lawmakers perks to high-profile games. The bill would require state lawmakers to pay fair market value for any tickets to professional sporting events, regardless of who offers them.
“As legislators, we are often asked to make decisions involving public funding for sports stadiums, arenas and other subsidies to professional franchises,” Brennan said in a statement. “Accepting free or discounted tickets from those very teams—teams that benefit from taxpayer dollars—compromises our credibility and raises serious ethical concerns.”
Brennan pointed to the state budget bill signed by Gov. Mike DeWine last week that allocates $600 million for a new Cleveland Browns stadium in Brook Park as an example of why the legislation is needed.
“Whether it’s a football game, a baseball game, a hockey match or courtside seats at an NBA matchup—if it’s tied to a team we fund with taxpayer dollars, then it’s off limits,” Brennan said. “This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s about restoring trust and setting clear ethical standards.”
An announcement from Brennan’s office said the legislation is expected to be formally introduced in the coming weeks. Brennan is calling for bipartisan support to enhance transparency and accountability in state government.
Ohio law currently states that lawmakers must report gifts valued over $75. They must also report free admission to events if the cost of admission is $25 or more. The proposed legislation would create a blanket prohibition specifically for sports tickets, regardless of value.
AI was used to help organize information for this story.
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