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NJ high school teammates squaring off in Ohio State-Notre Dame championship game

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NJ high school teammates squaring off in Ohio State-Notre Dame championship game


ATLANTA — The sports world will be watching Ohio State and Notre Dame Monday night with the national championship at stake. 

So will Rich Hansen, but he will be particularly focused on two guys: Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon and Notre Dame defensive end RJ Oben. 

St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City will be on center stage, featuring two of its alums in college football’s biggest game. The duo played together for three seasons. 

Cody Simon celebrates during the Ohio State-Oregon game on Jan. 1, 2025. AP

“I’m excited for them, man,” Hansen, the school’s athletic director and former football coach, said. “These two guys are among the finest humans walking the planet, and I mean that. Obviously they possess an athletic skill set, but there’s so much more to them, you know. 

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“They embraced the grind, the competition and challenge, and that’s really what sets them apart. Their work ethic, they carried themselves with maturity and class here. I can’t think of two guys who are more deserving to be in that environment and have that opportunity. It was the honor of my career to coach two guys like that.” 

Both Simon and Oben have helped their respective defenses be among the country’s best.

Cody Simon playing for St. Peter’s Prep Courtesy of St. Peter’s Pre

Simon led Ohio State in tackles with 104 and notched seven sacks and seven passes defensed.

He was the Defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl, a one-sided Buckeyes victory over Oregon in which he had 11 tackles and two sacks.

In his first season at Notre Dame, after spending the first five years of his career at Duke, Oben had 18 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. 

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RJ Oben celebrates during the Notre Dame-Georgia game on Jan. 2, 2025. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

Both had to be patient.

Simon waited his turn at Ohio State, finally breaking out as a fifth-year senior.

Oben, the son of former Giants offensive lineman Roman Oben, didn’t play quite as much as he may have liked this year, but he came up big in a quarterfinal win over Georgia with a strip sack. 

Cody Simon speaks to the media on Jan. 18, 2025. Getty Images

Now, the two former high school teammates will share the same field one more time as opponents at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

“I talked to RJ a couple days ago. It’s always bigger than the rivalry or anything,” Simon said. “I just appreciate he’s in the position with me and we can all share the moment. Two guys from the same high school are pretty cool. 

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“We have a term called, ‘Prep for Life.’ That really does run deep. There’s a lot of people who have come from our school, and we always try to stay connected. It does mean a lot for our high school.” 

RJ Oben playing for St. Peter’s Prep Courtesy of St. Peter’s Prep

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Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon and Notre Dame defensive end RJ Oben.

The only problem for St. Peter’s Prep and Hansen is picking a side. The former coach can’t do it. He does have a dream for Monday night, though. 

“I am rooting for the first ever 0-0 tie in national championship college football history,” Hansen joked. “That’s the bad part of this whole thing. Someone is going to walk off losing and neither one of them deserves to lose. But I’m going to honestly just enjoy their effort and know that they really deserve to be in this environment.”

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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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