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Indiana, Ohio State battle for Big Ten title and top seed in College Football Playoff

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Indiana, Ohio State battle for Big Ten title and top seed in College Football Playoff


Conventional wisdom has top-ranked Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana both earning first-round byes in the College Football Playoff regardless of what happens in Saturday night’s Big Ten Championship Game.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is not buying that for one second.

“The way you play should mean something. It will be the last thing you put on the field. I don’t expect any handouts,” Cignetti said during a Zoom call on Sunday. “We’ve earned everything up to this point and we’ve got to earn it on Saturday.”

If this had been last year, the winner would get the first-round bye and the loser likely the No. 5 seed and a first-round game since the top four ranked conference champions got the top four seeds in the first year of the 12-team field.

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However, the rules were adjusted this year where the top four teams — even if they are from the same conference — receive the byes.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day is of the opposite opinion, pointing out that if a team is already seeded highly, it shouldn’t get dinged for playing this Saturday.

“You’re not supposed to be penalized for playing in the conference championship,” he said. “So yeah, both teams deserve to get a first round bye.”

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti looks on during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Purdue, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in West Lafayette, Ind. Credit: AP/Doug McSchooler

Day though also knows that a win on Saturday would lock up the top seed as Ohio State tries to become the first team since Georgia to win two straight national titles.

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“I think it’s important to win this game and be the one seed. It’s going to help your chances. Everything matters,” Day said.

Both teams are 12-0 and unbeaten in nine Big Ten games.

Indiana started its preparations after a 56-3 romp of Purdue on Friday night. Ohio State snapped a four-game losing streak to Michigan with a 27-9 victory.

The Buckeyes coaching staff started watching film in Ann Arbor on Saturday night as the plane was delayed from taking off due to a snowstorm.

This will be only the third time there has been a matchup between the top two ranked teams in a conference championship game. The previous times were in the Southeastern Conference when Alabama faced Florida.

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Both times the No. 2 team won the matchup. Florida beat Alabama 31-20 in 2008 and the Crimson Tide returned to get revenge the following year with a 32-13 victory.

Cignetti was an assistant at Alabama during those two matchups.

The Buckeyes are 3-2 as the top-ranked team when facing No. 2. The last time was in the 2007 BCS title game when they lost to LSU 38-24.

Indiana comes into the game with the nation’s second-highest scoring offense, averaging 44.3 points per game. Ohio State leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 7.8 points per game.

It will also be a chance for both quarterbacks to make their final case for the Heisman Trophy.

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Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is considered the favorite with 2,758 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Ohio State’s Julian Sayin leads the nation with a 78.9% completion rate and has thrown for 3,065 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Heisman ballots from voters are due on Dec. 8.



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Ohio State Transfer QB Lincoln Kienholz Commits to Louisville

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Ohio State Transfer QB Lincoln Kienholz Commits to Louisville


LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Louisville football program, presumably, has their QB1 for the 2026 season.

Former Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz announced Saturday that he has committed to the Cardinals. He will join Louisville will two years of eligilbility.

Keinholz is Louisville’s second portal commitment of the cycle, joining Kentucky cornerback D.J. Waller. The duo are the first to offset 21 portal defections that UofL has seen so far. The 14-day transfer window officially opened up this past Friday, and is the only opportunity for players to enter following the removal of the spring window.

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The 6-foot-2, 214-pound quarterback was involved in a highly competitive battle for the Buckeyes’ starting gig in the preseason, before ultimately losing out to eventual Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin. He saw action in seven games this past season, going 11-of-14 through the air for 139 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 66 yards and two scores on 11 attempts.

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“Just a tremendous athlete,” OSU head coach Ryan Day said of Kienholz at Big Ten Media Days this past summer. “You pick a sport, he can do it. He’s like a four handicap [in golf]. He can hit the [baseball] out of the park. He was a major league baseball prospect. He can windmill dunk. He can do a lot of things.”

The Pierre, S.D. native spent three seasons in Columbus. As a true freshman in 2023, he played in three games, going 10-of-22 for 111 yards, while also rushing for two yards on six attempts. He did not log any stats during Ohio State’s 2024 national championship season.

Kienholz was a highly-regarded recruit coming out of high school, ranking as No. 194 prospect in the Class of 2023. He chose Ohio State over Illinois, Kansas State, Pitt, Washington, Wisconsin and others.

He has the inside track to be Louisville’s starter next season given recent roster movement. Previously, incoming true freshman Briggs Cherry was the lone scholarship quarterback on the roster after Deuce Adams, Brady Allen and Mason Mims all hit the transfer portal.

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In their third season under head coach Jeff Brohm, Louisville went 9-4 overall, including a 4-4 mark in ACC play and a 27-22 win over Toledo in the Boca Raton Bowl. The Cardinals have won at least nine games in all three seasons under Brohm, doing so for the first time since 2012-14.

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(Photo of Lincoln Kienholz: Adam Cairns – Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

You can follow Louisville Cardinals On SI for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:

Facebook – @LouisvilleOnSI
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You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X and @mattmcgavic.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Ohio Lottery Pick 3 Midday, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for Dec. 28, 2025

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The Ohio Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 28, 2025, results for each game:

Pick 3

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 9-0-9

Evening: 2-4-1

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Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 4

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 6-4-5-8

Evening: 4-6-2-6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Pick 5

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., except Saturday evening.

Midday: 6-8-6-2-0

Evening: 2-4-5-7-9

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Rolling Cash 5

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 7:05 p.m.

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10-11-15-19-34

Check Rolling Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Lucky For Life

Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 10:35 p.m.

12-17-25-34-42, Lucky Ball: 09

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Enquirer digital news director. You can send feedback using this form.



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Ohio Turnpike issues travel ban for high-profile vehicles due to high winds

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Ohio Turnpike issues travel ban for high-profile vehicles due to high winds


Due to high winds in Northeast Ohio, the Ohio Turnpike has issued a travel ban for certain vehicles on Monday.

From 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., some high-profile vehicles that may be affected by high wind speeds will be prohibited from using the turnpike.

The following vehicles will not be able to travel using the turnpike:

  • All high-profile (greater than 7-feet 6-inches in height) tow-behind trailers, campers, boats, and enclosed trailers. (This does not include trailers with fifth-wheel type trailers).
  • Commercial trucks towing an empty, single 53-foot box-type trailer.
  • All mobile homes, office trailers and livestock trailers.
  • All long combination vehicles (LCV) that include double-trailer combinations exceeding 90 feet in length. (Enclosed trailers only, including Conestoga type trailers).
  • All LCV triple-trailer combinations.
  • Two-axle buses longer than 40 feet.
  • Buses with three or more axles greater than 45 feet.

The travel ban will not impact the following vehicles:

  • Passenger cars and pickup trucks.
  • Commercial trucks towing a loaded, single 53-foot trailer.
  • Self-propelled motor homes.
  • Low-profile trailers.
  • Fold-down camper trailers.
  • Pickup trucks with slide-on camper units.
  • Vehicles towing fifth-wheel type trailers or any other type of trailers towed by passenger vehicles or pickup trucks that are not listed in the “prohibited” vehicles section above.
  • Commercial trucks towing a single flatbed or tanker trailer.
  • Commercial trucks towing a car hauler trailer.
  • Commercial trucks towing flatbed double-trailer combinations.
  • Commercial trucks towing any double-trailer combinations less than 90 feet.
  • Two-axle buses less than 40 feet.
  • Buses with three or more axles less than 45 feet.

The travel restriction will be continuously evaluated throughout the weather event.

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