Ohio
Paul Finebaum names CFP National Champion favorite between Oregon, Ohio State
With just one week remaining in the regular season, there is only one team across all of college football that remains undefeated at this point: the Oregon Ducks.
So, it stands to reason that the undefeated Ducks should be the favorite to end the 2024 hoisting the College Football Playoff National Championship trophy, right?
Not according to SEC Network host and ESPN personality Paul Finebaum.
“I’m ‘Paul Out’ with block letters. I don’t even think Oregon is the best team in the Big Ten, let alone the favorite to win it all,” Finebaum said during Sunday morning’s ‘Paul-In, Paul-Out’ segment on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “And thanks Ducks fans waking up on the West coast, I’m aware that you beat Ohio State. But Ohio State, to me, looks like the best team in the country.
“I think they’ll have a fun game in a couple of weeks in the Big Ten championship game, and both are going to go to the Playoffs and be in very good shape. But Oregon, to me, looks a tad below Ohio State.”
As Finebaum reminded the college football world, this exact matchup has already been decided on the field once this season, with the Ducks eking out a 32-31 win in Eugene in mid-October. While it’s not official yet, all expectations are Oregon (11-0, 8-0 B10) and Ohio State (10-1, 7-1) will meet again in the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis.
But in the meantime, Finebaum is sticking by the preseason favorite Buckeyes.
Ryan Day wanted to ‘leave no doubt’ vs. Indiana
Ryan Day wanted to leave no doubt during Ohio State’s 38-15 win over Indiana Saturday in Columbus and it certainly worked out by the time the game came to its conclusion.
After trailing 7-0, Ohio State ripped off 31 straight points to erase any opportunity of the Hoosiers pulling off the biggest win in school history. The Buckeyes and Hoosiers came in No. 2 and 5 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.
But with Day and Ohio State one step closer to the Big Ten Championship vs. Oregon, they can put this game to rest.
“Game got a flip there with the punt return (for a touchdown by Caleb Downs),” Day told FOX’s Jenny Taft postgame. “I thought, you know, we had a chance to really separate ourselves in the first half. We didn’t do that. I thought we played well in the second half. I thought we played physical all across the board, and our guys had a great look in their eye. And so now it’s onto the rivalry game.”
As far as scoring the final touchdown, despite a 31-15 lead with less than two minutes to go, Day and Ohio State wanted to leave their mark.
“Well, you say, leave no doubt,” Day said. “And you know, these guys want to finish the game the right way. TreVeyon (Henderson) did the right thing going down at the one-yard line. We ate up the clock. We didn’t want to put the defense back out there. You just never know in games like this, it’s a top five matchup. So we wanted to finish it the right way and make sure that everybody knows that this is the Ohio State Buckeyes.”
Nick Kosko contributed to this report.
The 2026 NFL Draft began on April 23 with a flurry of Ohio State players going off the board.
Four Buckeyes were among the top-11 picks in the draft, beginning with wide receiver Carnell Tate who was taken by the Tennessee Titans at No. 4 overall.
Linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles soon followed as they went No. 5 and No. 7 to the New York Giants and Washington Commanders, respectively. Safety Caleb Downs was the Dallas Cowboys’ selection at No. 11.
Even with the early wave of players who went, Ohio State still has its share of prospects left, with the second and third rounds of the draft set for April 24.
Here are the best remaining ones:
Kayden McDonald, defensive tackle
It figures McDonald will be among the earlier selections in the second round after he had generated some first-round buzz in recent months and was invited to the draft in Pittsburgh.
But Florida’s Caleb Banks and Clemson’s Peter Woods were the only defensive tackles to be picked in the opening round.
McDonald emerged as a run-stuffing nose tackle for the Buckeyes in his first year as a starter and was named a unanimous All-American and the Big Ten’s defensive lineman of the year.
He followed Downs, Reese and Tate in leaving school a year early to turn pro.
Max Klare, tight end
Klare was one of the Buckeyes’ top pass-catching weapons after he transferred from Purdue.
He had 43 catches for 448 yards and two touchdowns in 2025, nearly matching his production from the previous year when he led the Boilermakers in receiving as their top target.
Klare considered his move to Ohio State as an opportunity to develop into a more well-rounded tight end, pointing to blocking as an area of growth.
If he goes in the second or third round, he’d be the Buckeyes’ first tight end to be drafted on Day 2 since Jeremy Ruckert in 2022.
Davison Igbinosun, cornerback
Igbinosun spent three years with the Buckeyes after he transferred from Mississippi in 2023.
His physicality as a 6-foot-2, 189-pound cornerback challenged receivers, but also left him prone to pass interference.
He was the most heavily penalized cornerback in the nation in 2024 before cutting down on penalties last season.
Coach Ryan Day praised Igbinosun for his toughness last year, pointing to his influence on the culture of their secondary.
“A gritty, competitive dude who just brings it every day,” Day said. “He’s had a major impact on our program.”
Will Kacmarek, tight end
Kacmarek was another multi-year player out of the transfer portal for the Buckeyes after leaving Ohio for Ohio State in 2024.
He provided them with a dependable run-blocking tight end who also caught 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns during his two years.
Even if he isn’t a frequent receiving target, he’ll provide a physical presence with his 6-foot-5, 261-pound frame.
Ohio State’s remaining draft-eligible players
- RB CJ Donaldson Jr.
- TE Will Kacmarek
- TE Max Klare
- OL Ethan Onianwa
- DL Caden Curry
- DL Tywone Malone Jr.
- CB Davison Igbinosun
- S Lorenzo Styles Jr.
- LS John Ferlmann
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
When’s Ohio’s 2026 primary election? Date, candidates, changes to know
See which candidates are conditionally qualified for Ohio’s 2026 primary ballot and key election deadlines.
Ohio’s primary election season has begun – Election Day is May 5. Ohio’s candidates are vying for spots on the ballot for the November midterm elections.
That’s nothing new, but Ohio made significant changes to mail-in voting that voters need to know about.
What has changed with Ohio’s mail-in ballots?
Voting through a mail-in ballot? There are some changes voters should know.
Signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine in December 2025, Senate Bill 293 requires absentee ballots to arrive by the close of polls to be counted, with an exception for military and overseas voters.
Any mail-in or absentee ballots must now be received before or on Election Day by 7:30 p.m. in order to be counted. There is no longer a 4-day grace period after Election Day.
The primary election is May 5, and the general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
So, when should you send your mail-in ballot in Ohio? The sooner the better. The U.S. Postal Service does not necessarily postmark your mail the day it is received unless you specifically request it. So, you ballot may not make it to a postal processing center until the day after you drop it in a mailbox.
When does Ohio early voting start? Key dates for early, absentee, mail-in votes
The primary election will be held May 5, 2026, according to this year’s voting schedule.
Early in‑person voting began on April 7, including the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Absentee voting by mail also began on April 7.
On Election Day, May 5, polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Absentee ballots must be received by your local board of elections by 7:30 p.m., per the voting schedule.
Ohio voter registration deadlines for 2026 elections
Ohioans must register or update their voter registration no later than 30 days before an election. The registration deadline for the May 5 primary was April 6, 2026.
Here are the upcoming voter registration deadlines in 2026:
- April 6, 2026, for the May 5, 2026, primary and special election
- October 5, 2026, for the November 3, 2026, general election
If you register or update your information after the deadline, the changes will apply for the next election.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Mrs. Mary Lucille Young, 74, of Youngstown, departed this life on Friday, April 10, 2026 at her residence where God welcomed her home.
Mary, affectionately known as “Mary Lou” and “Tang”, was born March 8, 1952 in Youngstown, a daughter of Lawrence and Ada Mae Alexander Hamilton Young.
She was a proud 1971 graduate of South High School.
Mary was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church.
She attended Louis Weinberger Hill Beauty School, and was accepted as a model with Barbizon Modeling Agency.
Mary worked and retired from Youngstown Sheet and Tube.
She enjoyed looking her best, dancing, shopping, casinos and decorating her home. Mary was strong, bold and took no mess. She was loved by many people.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her pride and joy, two daughters, Adalatesha Bright and Richlynn Bright; two sons, Ja-Juan Young and Dr. Ty-Juan Bright all of Youngstown; five grandchildren; two sisters, Cynthia (Floyd) Davis, Janet (Steve) Gardner both of Youngstown; and a host of family and friends.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Michael Lamar Young; three brothers, Isaiah, Edward, Lorenzo Young.
Private services were held at the L.E. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Lucille Young, please visit our floral store.
-
Colorado1 minute ago
Corpse abuse cases force changes on Colorado’s scandal-plagued funeral industry
-
Connecticut7 minutes agoAdvocates pushing to expand bill protecting Connecticut renters
-
Delaware13 minutes agoDelaware crabshack remains enthusiastic despite increased crab prices – 47abc
-
Florida19 minutes agoThe Vikings’ new DT Caleb Banks has strength that fits his massive size
-
Georgia25 minutes ago
Five Stats to Know about Texans G Keylan Rutledge
-
Hawaii31 minutes agoAloha in Action benefit concert raises money for flood victims
-
Idaho37 minutes agoIdaho officials review medical cannabis campaign as donor records change
-
Illinois43 minutes agoHow Illinois affordable housing bills could change suburban neighborhoods