The Crew stunned Inter Miami 2-1 in dramatic fashion, with substitute Jamal Thiaré scoring deep into second-half stoppage time to send the Columbus crowd into a frenzy and give the Black & Gold three enormous points.

The atmosphere surrounding the match felt different long before kickoff. Messi jerseys were seemingly everywhere — the pink of Inter Miami mixed with the famous blue and white stripes of Argentina — as supporters packed the stadium hoping to catch a glimpse of the living legend.

For Columbus soccer fans, Messi’s appearance also carried some added significance.

Messi previously played at the Crew’s current home in October 2024, scoring twice as Miami defeated Columbus 3-2. But last season’s highly anticipated Crew home match against Miami was moved approximately 130 miles north to Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland in an attempt to accommodate a much larger crowd.

That decision sparked controversy among Columbus supporters, some of whom felt one of the biggest matches on the schedule belonged in Columbus.

On Sunday night, Messi was back where Crew fans wanted this matchup to be — in the heart of Columbus.

The Crew struck first in the 28th minute. After video review resulted in a penalty, former Inter Miami star Josef Martínez stepped to the spot and converted to give Columbus a 1-0 advantage.

But when Lionel Messi is on the other side, a one-goal lead never feels comfortable. Just five minutes later, Messi produced the moment so many in attendance had been waiting to see.

From an extremely difficult angle on the right side, Messi stood over a free kick and unleashed a beautiful left-footed shot. The ball curved through the air, sailed beyond the reach of Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and found the net. 1-1. It was vintage Messi.

For a few seconds, team allegiances almost seemed secondary. Thousands of phones went into the air and the stadium erupted as the 39-year-old superstar provided another addition to a career filled with spectacular goals. It was Messi’s 21st MLS goal of the season.

The Crew, however, weren’t interested in becoming a footnote in another Messi highlight reel. Columbus continued attacking and finished the match with a commanding 14-5 advantage in total shots and a 7-3 edge in shots on target despite Miami holding slightly more possession.

The match became increasingly physical as the night continued, and Miami was reduced to 10 men late in stoppage time when Santiago Morales received his second yellow card.

Then came the moment Crew supporters will remember. With the match appearing destined to finish 1-1, Brais Méndez fired a shot toward goal. Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo made the initial stop but couldn’t control the rebound. Thiaré was there. The Crew substitute pounced on the loose ball and buried it in the 98th minute.

Crew 2, Inter Miami 1. ScottsMiracle-Gro Field exploded. It was the perfect ending to a night that felt bigger than an ordinary regular-season match. The world’s most famous soccer player delivered a spectacular goal, and the home team still found a way to walk away victorious.

Miami finished with 54.5 percent of the possession, but Columbus generated far more opportunities. The Crew recorded 14 shots to Miami’s five and nine corner kicks compared with just one for the visitors. More importantly, Columbus got the three points.

For many of the 21,188 people inside the stadium, however, Sunday night will be remembered for more than numbers or standings.

Parents brought their children to see Messi. Fans filled the stands wearing his Argentina and Inter Miami No. 10 jerseys. Crew supporters packed their home stadium hoping to see their club knock off one of MLS’s biggest attractions. Everybody seemed to get something.

Messi gave Columbus a little bit of his magic.

Thiaré gave Columbus the victory. And more than 21,000 fans gave the night an atmosphere worthy of the occasion.What a night. What a finish. And what a fun night for soccer in Columbus.

The post Messi Magic Meets Crew Drama in Unforgettable Night in Columbus appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

However, the Browns offense had one last jolt to take the lead back and the team’s defense held the Panthers down on two last minute drives. 

The Browns didn’t have many offensive possessions in this game that were successful but they did take advantage of some Panther mistakes to build a 10-0 lead early. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson didn’t play great in the game either but had a few really good plays with both his arm and feet to help build the early lead. Those advantages showed up again late in the game to take the lead back.

There had been a lot of buildup in Watson starting this Week 3 game as it was the Browns home opener. After weeks of speculation about Watson after he ripped the Cleveland fan base for booing him during a previous preseason game there were questions on how the fans would react to Watson in this home opener. There were some boos for his poor play during this game. However, there were also cheers for many great plays he made. 

Watson had this to say about the buildup to the game:

“From the moment I woke up just the anticipation, just the anxiousness, just to get in front of the fans, just to get here, just to get started…l wanted to play perfect so bad. The energy, the tans…it was amazing. I told our guys in the huddle, ‘just keep believin’ in me!”

Cleveland got on the board first late in the 2nd quarter with a 48 yard field by Andre Szmyt to go up 3-0. On the next Carolina possession they turned the ball over on downs to give the Browns excellent field position at the Panthers 40 yard line.

From there Cleveland moved the ball down to the 10 on runs of 11 yards by Quinshon Judkins and 19 yards by Raheim Sanders. 

Facing a 4th and 3 with 1:43, Watson was able to find tight end Harold Fannin in the back corner of the endzone to expand the lead to 10-0. 

Carolina then started chipping away with field goals into the second half and eventually took the lead 12-10 on their fourth field goal of the day. 

Cleveland wasn’t done though as they put together a late 4th quarter drive of their own and got a field goal to go back up 13-12. On the drive, Watson was able to connect with wide receiver Denzel Boston on a 20 yard gain.

The tiring Browns defense though couldn’t stop the Panthers on their next possession as Carolina went 72 yards on six plays and scored their first touchdown on the day to go up 18-13 with 4:29 left in the game. The Panthers missed on their 2 pt conversion attempt.

Cleveland had one more drive to try and take the lead back and they did. Watson made a huge 3rd down conversion with his legs rumbling for 21yards on a 3rd and 3 from the Carolina 45. That got his team down to the 24 yard line. The Browns then took advantage of a late hit on Watson by the Panthers that got them down to the 14 yard line. Watson then converted a 14 yard touchdown to Fannin to grab the lead back 19-18 with 1:55 remaining. They made it 21-18 on the 2 point conversion with Watson hitting Boston for the score.

On Carolina’s next offensive possession the Browns forced the ball over on downs and it looked like they would walk away with the win. However, the offense sputtered and got another of its 12 penalties on the day to stop the clock. Cleveland tried to go for it on a 4th and 1 but couldn’t convert. 

Thus the Panthers got the ball back with a minute to go. 

Fortunately, the Browns defense kept pressuring the Carolina quarterback Bryce Young and forced a tipped pass that was intercepted by Browns safety Ronnie Hickman Jr ending the last threat. 

After the Browns last sequence on the field and giving the ball back to the Panthers, Cleveland head coach Todd Monken said this:

“It’s never easy, you know, it’s just not,” Monken said. “I credit our defense for going back out there — it’s why I have my hat backwards. It’s for Rudy. I don’t ever wear my hat backwards. But hats off to the defense. I mean, what a great job they did.”

If you had said the Browns would have a record of 2-1 after three weeks of the NFL season I think most Browns fans would be very happy. It hasn’t looked pretty but still Cleveland has won two games and are tied for the AFC North Division lead.

Now, attention will go to Cleveland’s next game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday. 

The post Browns win a back and forth battle against the Panthers 21-18 appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

I knew better than to believe it would be easy. With the Guardians, the best nights rarely arrive wrapped in comfort. They make you pace the room, refresh the score from somewhere else and bargain with every baseball superstition you have collected over the years. September 26, 2026, was exactly that kind of night and by the end of it, Cleveland belonged atop the American League Central once again.

Three Runs Down, Still Standing

Kansas City scored three times in the first inning, the sort of opening that could have tightened every shoulder in Cleveland’s dugout. Instead, the Guardians answered before doubt had time to settle in. A Royals error cracked the door open in the second, Nathaniel Lowe’s sacrifice fly put Cleveland on the board and Patrick Bailey’s two-run homer hit the right-field foul pole. Then Steven Kwan’s slicing RBI triple gave the Guardians a 4–3 lead. In the span of one inning, nerves became momentum.

That response felt like the season in miniature. Tanner Bibee steadied himself after the rough first and delivered six innings, while Cleveland kept pressing. Chase DeLauter homered in the third. Travis Bazzana tripled and scored in the sixth. Brayan Rocchio went deep in the seventh, then Bailey and Rocchio struck again with back-to-back home runs during a four-run ninth. Five Guardians homers, 14 hits and nine extra-base hits turned a tense night into an 11–5 statement.

The Score That Mattered Somewhere Else

Winning in Kansas City was only half the equation. Cleveland also needed Colorado to beat Chicago, so one eye stayed on the Guardians and the other wandered toward the White Sox score. When the Rockies finished a 9–6 victory, the math finally became a celebration: Cleveland held a two-game lead with one game remaining. The Guardians were division champions for the third consecutive season, owners of the American League’s No. 2 seed and a first-round bye into the Division Series.

Why This One Felt Different

This was not a season that moved in a clean, triumphant line. Cleveland slipped into a midseason swoon and had to stay afloat while José Ramírez recovered from left hamate surgery. On July 8, after a fourth straight loss left the club only one game above .500, Austin Hedges spoke about being tested and overcoming hardship. Months later, that struggle gave the champagne meaning. The Guardians had not simply survived the difficult stretch… they had used it to become the team nobody in the division could shake.

That is the version of Cleveland baseball I carry with me: never loud for the sake of being loud, never promised an easy road, always finding another out, another arm, another unlikely swing. Bailey and Rocchio may have supplied the biggest fireworks, but the night belonged to the whole stubborn machine. To Kwan stretching a liner into three bases, to Bibee resetting after the first inning and to a roster that won nine of its final 10 games when the race demanded its best.

From statistics and standings to October

Division titles can become statistics on a page…three straight, seven in 11 seasons, another banner for the record book. But this one will live for me as a collection of small sensations: the tension after Kansas City’s first inning, the relief when Bailey’s drive found the pole, the grin that arrived with Kwan’s triple and the breath held while a game in Chicago finished the job.

At last, the standings stopped moving. The Guardians had earned their rest, their home-field advantage and their place in the next round. For one September night, Cleveland did not have to wonder what might happen next. We could simply look at the top of the Central, see our team there and let the whole hard, improbable summer wash over us. Then, as always in this city, we turned our eyes toward October.

The post The night Cleveland claimed more than October baseball appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

This marks a third consecutive postseason appearance for the Guardians and the 19th playoff berth in franchise history. Sustaining that run is especially notable for a club that continues to blend established leaders such as José Ramírez with young players developed through its own system. Cleveland has now reached the postseason in eight of the past 10 seasons, turning October baseball into an expectation rather than an exception.

The work is not finished. At 83-76, Cleveland holds a one-game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central with three games remaining. Chicago owns the head-to-head tiebreaker, so the Guardians cannot afford to ease up. Winning the division would likely secure the American League’s No. 2 seed and a first-round bye into the Division Series. Missing out would send Cleveland into the best-of-three Wild Card Series.

The rookie class has helped make this season feel different. Chase DeLauter announced himself by hitting two home runs on Opening Day in his regular season major league debut and has remained an important part of the lineup. Parker Messick has delivered an ace-like rookie season, while top prospect Travis Bazzana became a fixture after reaching the majors in April. Daniel Espino’s return to a meaningful September game added another encouraging chapter, and young contributors such as Petey Halpin have supplied timely power during the push for the division lead.

Jo Adell will also get his first chance to play in October. Acquired at the trade deadline to add power to a struggling offense, Adell has helped lengthen the lineup alongside fellow addition Nathaniel Lowe. After spending his earlier major league seasons outside the postseason, Adell now enters unfamiliar territory with a team that has made October experience part of its identity. That mix of rookies experiencing the moment for the first time, a newcomer finally reaching the playoffs and veterans who understand the pressure gives Cleveland a compelling foundation for what comes next.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Apparently a 56-point victory wasn’t enough to keep Ohio State from sliding in the polls.

Despite dismantling Kent State 59-3 Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium, the Buckeyes dropped one spot from No. 6 to No. 7 in the latest Associated Press Top 25. Ohio State’s drop had more to do with movement around the Buckeyes than their performance against the Golden Flashes, as Ole Miss jumped from No. 8 to No. 4 following a 32-24 victory over LSU.

For Ryan Day’s team, rankings are secondary right now. The more important task is continuing to improve as Ohio State enters Big Ten play Saturday against Illinois at Ohio Stadium.

Ohio State responded exactly the way it needed to following its heartbreaking 24-23 loss at Texas. The Buckeyes jumped on Kent State early, scored on their first four possessions and cruised to a 59-3 victory. Ohio State improved to 2-1 and extended its home winning streak to 10 games.

Now the competition gets tougher. Illinois enters Columbus with the same 2-1 record after defeating Southern Illinois 48-10 last weekend. Saturday’s matchup will kick off at noon on FOX and will serve as the Big Ten opener for both programs.

The Buckeyes have put up some impressive offensive numbers through three games, averaging 523.3 yards and 46 points per contest. Julian Sayin has completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 839 yards, six touchdowns and only one interception.

Jeremiah Smith continues to be Sayin’s biggest weapon. The superstar receiver has 21 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns through three games. Against Kent State, Smith added another milestone to an already remarkable Ohio State career by becoming the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards.

But there is still one area that should concern the Buckeyes heading into conference play: the running game. Ohio State is averaging 158.7 rushing yards per game, and its struggles in short-yardage situations remain something to watch. The Buckeyes averaged only 3.8 yards per rushing attempt against Kent State after Texas held them to 3.0 yards per carry the previous week.

Bo Jackson leads Ohio State with 230 rushing yards on 39 carries, but the Buckeyes need more consistency from their offensive line. Establishing the line of scrimmage against Illinois would go a long way toward taking pressure off Sayin and opening up an already dangerous passing attack.

For the Illini, it starts with containing Jeremiah Smith. Illinois cannot afford to consistently leave Smith in one-on-one coverage. His combination of size, speed and ability after the catch makes him a threat from anywhere on the field.

Julian Sayin is another player the Illini defense will have to make uncomfortable. Sayin has shown tremendous accuracy through the first three games, and when given time in the pocket, he has enough weapons around him to pick apart a secondary.

Then there is Bo Jackson. Although Ohio State’s running game has been inconsistent, Jackson has shown the ability to break tackles and create explosive plays. If the Buckeyes can get him going early, Illinois could have a difficult time keeping Ohio State’s offense one-dimensional.

Ohio State’s defense will have its own challenge against Illinois quarterback Katin Houser. Houser has been efficient through his first three games with the Fighting Illini, completing 74.1 percent of his passes for 758 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions. Against Southern Illinois, he completed 23 of 29 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns.

Houser also isn’t completely unfamiliar with the Buckeyes. The former Michigan State quarterback has previous experience playing against Ohio State, which gives him at least some familiarity with the atmosphere and talent level he will encounter Saturday.

Perhaps the biggest Illinois playmaker Ohio State must locate on every snap is wide receiver Collin Dixon.

Dixon has been Houser’s favorite target, catching 25 passes for 367 yards and an impressive seven touchdowns through three games. He exploded against Southern Illinois for eight receptions, 131 yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State’s secondary has played well this season, allowing just 126 passing yards per game, but Dixon represents its most important assignment this weekend.

Running back Ca’Lil Valentine is another name to watch. He leads Illinois with 177 rushing yards on 38 carries. The Illini also received a spark last week from Aidan Laughery, who rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown on only four carries.

For Ohio State, Saturday’s game should begin in the trenches. The Buckeyes need to continue developing their offensive line and prove they can consistently pick up the tough yards on second-and-short and third-and-short. Those situations become increasingly important as the schedule moves deeper into Big Ten play.

Defensively, pressure on Houser will be critical. Allowing him to sit comfortably in the pocket and find Dixon downfield could give Illinois an opportunity to create explosive plays. Ohio State has allowed only 211.7 total yards and 10 points per game, and maintaining that defensive standard would put the Buckeyes in a strong position.

Ohio State also needs to avoid looking at Illinois as simply another tune-up game. This is the beginning of conference play, and every week from here forward carries additional importance.

The Buckeyes have dominated this series in recent years. Ohio State holds a 69-30-4 all-time advantage over Illinois and has won nine consecutive meetings. The Buckeyes defeated the Fighting Illini 34-16 last season and will look to retain the Illibuck Trophy once again Saturday.

The AP voters may have dropped Ohio State one spot following its blowout of Kent State, but rankings in September will ultimately take care of themselves.

For the Buckeyes, the objective is much simpler: keep improving, establish a more consistent running game, protect Sayin and continue playing dominant defense.

Do those things, and Ohio State can begin Big Ten play on the right foot Saturday afternoon in the Horseshoe.

The post Ohio State Drops in AP Poll Despite Blowout Win, Turn Attention to Illinois In Big Ten Opener appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

COLUMBUS, Ohio 

 There was no Texas hangover inside Ohio Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

One week after suffering a difficult loss on the road against Texas, No. 6 Ohio State returned home and responded exactly how Ryan Day’s team needed to, overwhelming Kent State 59-3 to improve to 2-1 on the season.

The Buckeyes scored touchdowns on each of their first four possessions, built a 35-0 halftime lead and never gave the Golden Flashes an opportunity to make things interesting. Ohio State finished with 527 yards of total offense while holding Kent State to just 134. While the victory provided Ohio State with a much-needed bounce-back performance, the afternoon belonged in large part to Jeremiah Smith.

It didn’t take long for Smith to add another accomplishment to what has already been a remarkable Ohio State career. Smith entered Saturday needing 26 yards to pass former Buckeye Michael Jenkins, who accumulated 2,898 receiving yards from 2000-03. On Ohio State’s second possession, Smith caught a 23-yard pass from Julian Sayin and officially became the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards.

Smith finished the afternoon with five receptions for 85 yards, pushing his career total to 2,958 receiving yards. Even more impressive is how quickly he reached the milestone, accomplishing it in just his third season in Columbus. The record is another reminder of just how special Smith’s career has been. Ohio State has produced an extraordinary collection of receivers over the years — from Cris Carter and David Boston to Jenkins, Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka — and Smith now sits atop all of them in career receiving yards. And he isn’t finished.

Julian Sayin also responded nicely following last week’s disappointment in Austin. The Ohio State quarterback completed 18 of 22 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.

One of the afternoon’s biggest highlights came on the final play of the first half. With three seconds remaining, Sayin launched a pass toward the end zone and Brandon Inniss came down with it for a 49-yard Hail Mary touchdown, sending Ohio State into halftime with a commanding 35-0 advantage. Inniss finished with four catches for 78 yards, while freshman Chris Henry Jr. provided another glimpse of his enormous potential when he turned a Luke Fahey pass into a 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Ohio State finished with 382 passing yards and showed once again that its collection of receivers can create explosive plays from virtually anywhere on the field.

As impressive as a 56-point victory looks on the scoreboard, Ohio State still has areas that need improvement — particularly along the offensive line. The tackle positions remain a concern as the Buckeyes prepare to move into the more difficult portion of their schedule. Against Kent State, Ohio State was able to overcome those inconsistencies because of the massive talent advantage it possessed at the skill positions. Against Big Ten opponents and potential College Football Playoff-caliber defenses, those issues could become much more significant.

The short-yardage running game remains another area to watch. Ohio State finished with 145 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, with Bo Jackson leading the Buckeyes with 73 yards on 11 carries. Ja’Kobi Jackson added 47 yards and two touchdowns on eight attempts.

Those overall numbers were respectable, but Ohio State still had moments where picking up one or two yards proved more difficult than it should have been. The Buckeyes were stopped twice on fourth down, including once after Riley Pettijohn’s interception gave the offense possession at the Kent State 13-yard line.

For a team with championship aspirations, being able to consistently convert second-, third- and fourth-and-short situations will be critical. The Buckeyes have plenty of explosiveness. The question is whether the offensive line can develop into a unit capable of imposing its will when everyone in the stadium knows a run is coming.

Ohio State’s defense had very few problems.

Kent State managed only 134 total yards and averaged just 2.4 yards per play. The Golden Flashes were held scoreless until connecting on a 30-yard field goal with two minutes remaining in the game. Freshman defensive tackle Jamir Perez supplied one of the afternoon’s most memorable moments when he scooped up a Kent State fumble and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

The Buckeyes forced three turnovers and made sure Kent State never developed any sustained offensive rhythm.

Perhaps the most important takeaway wasn’t the final score. Ohio State was heavily favored and expected to dominate Kent State. What mattered was the response. Last week’s loss at Texas could have lingered. Instead, Ohio State came out aggressively, scored 21 points in the opening quarter and had the game essentially decided before halftime.

Saturday didn’t erase what happened in Austin, nor did it answer every question surrounding this Ohio State team. The offensive line remains a work in progress, the tackle positions deserve continued attention and the Buckeyes need to become more reliable when they only need a yard or two on the ground. But there was no Texas hangover.

Ohio State took care of business, Jeremiah Smith made history, the defense dominated and the Buckeyes walked out of Ohio Stadium with a convincing 59-3 victory. Now the challenge is taking the positives from Saturday while correcting the lingering weaknesses as the Buckeyes move forward into Big Ten play.

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Deshaun Watson played awful last week as the Cleveland Browns quarterback in their embarrassing loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-10. After the loss last week all he’ds done is deflect his crappy performance and try to put blame on things like the local sports media. At one point in a weekly press conference he suggested that the media expected him to throw for 400 yards and 5 touchdowns.

His take is outrageous and dumb. He’s taken no responsibility for his terrible play so far this season and frankly for that matter for his poor play for the past four years.

Many in the local media are now reporting that this could be Watson’s last stand as he could be benched in favor of Shedeur Sanders starting in Week 3 when the team has their home opener. 

2nd and Goal: For context on Watson’s latest comments

When Watson spoke about the media’s expectations of him and the 400 yards and 5 touchdowns thrown I wondered why he would make such a specific comment and it got me wondering about Watson’s career numbers. 

When you dig a bit deeper into his career you find quickly that he only accomplished that 400 yards and 5 touchdowns in a game once in his career dating back to 2019. The game was between the Houston Texans (when Watson was their quarterback) and the Atlanta Falcons. Watson threw for 426 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 52-32 win. 

The only other game he threw for 400 yards was in his rookie 2017 season when he threw for 402 yards and 4 touchdowns in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. 

Also for clarification as he’s been a member of the Browns since 2022, he’s never thrown the ball for over 300 yards. And only 6 times for over 200 yards.

I think Watson was dreaming with his outrageous expectations comment. 

3rd and Goal: The Browns need a run game

One of the biggest reasons the Browns aren’t winning is because they haven’t been able to establish the run game. Second year player Quinshon Judkins only ran the ball for 33 yards on 12 carries in the loss to the Jags. Cleveland’s other backs didn’t do much more. Dylan Sampson got hurt and Raheim Sanders didn’t get enough touches.

I’d like to see Sanders take more carries in this game against the Buccaneers. He ran a kickoff return back 74 yards in last week’s Jags game. He reminds me more of the Browns previous running back Nick Chubb because he’s no nonsense and likes to grind the ball forward. Judkins needs to stop dancing in the backfield before finding the hole. He’s close to breaking a run or two but will that ever happen? 

4th and Goal: The Final Week 2 Prediction

This is Tampa Bay’s quarterback Baker Mayfield’s revenge game against his former team. We all cheered Mayfield for four seasons in hopes he’d be the guy to lead the Browns to a Super Bowl.

Now he gets his shot against the player that Cleveland thought was better than him.

Good luck with that Cleveland. 

Final score

Buccaneers 34

Browns 16

And it won’t even feel that close

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Ohio State enters the matchup 1-1 after suffering a stunning 24-23 loss at No. 4 Texas last Saturday night in Austin. The Buckeyes appeared to have complete control of the game for three quarters, carrying a 23-3 advantage into the fourth before the Longhorns erupted for 21 unanswered points to steal the victory.

For head coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, Saturday isn’t just about getting another win. It’s an opportunity to clean up mistakes, rebuild confidence and put together a complete four-quarter performance before Big Ten play begins.

Quarterback Julian Sayin will be one of the biggest players to watch.

Sayin started well against Texas, completing 12 of his first 16 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns in the opening half. But the offense struggled to maintain that rhythm after halftime. Sayin finished 17-of-32 for 278 yards with an interception as Ohio State was held scoreless in the fourth quarter.

Through two games, Sayin has thrown for 598 yards and four touchdowns. Saturday gives the junior quarterback an opportunity to settle back into the efficient passing game he displayed in Ohio State’s season-opening 56-3 victory over Ball State. Of course, having Jeremiah Smith on the outside makes any quarterback’s job easier.

Smith was once again Ohio State’s most dangerous offensive weapon in Austin, hauling in eight passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Texas struggled to contain him during the first half before limiting his opportunities later in the game.

Against Kent State, expect Ohio State to continue feeding Smith while also attempting to develop more weapons around him.

Brandon Inniss and Devin McCuin are two receivers who could benefit from additional opportunities. Both had just one reception against Texas, and developing dependable options outside of Smith will be important as the Buckeyes prepare for the heart of their schedule.

Bo Jackson Could Help Set the Tone

Another player capable of helping Ohio State turn the page is running back Bo Jackson.

Jackson rushed for a team-high 74 yards against Texas and has 157 rushing yards through Ohio State’s first two games. Establishing Jackson and the running game early could take pressure off Sayin and allow Ohio State’s offense to dictate the tempo rather than relying too heavily on Smith and the passing attack.

Saturday should also provide opportunities for some of the Buckeyes’ younger offensive players to earn meaningful snaps if Ohio State can establish control early.

Ohio State’s defense played outstanding football for most of the night against Texas before everything changed in the fourth quarter.

After holding the Longhorns to three points through three quarters, the Buckeyes surrendered three lengthy touchdown drives in the final period. Texas marched 91, 72 and 73 yards on those possessions as Ohio State struggled to get off the field when it mattered most.

There were still encouraging individual performances. Young defenders such as Jay Timmons and Riley Pettijohn showed flashes against one of the nation’s most talented teams. Timmons recorded six tackles and forced a fumble, while Pettijohn continued to demonstrate why he could become an important piece of Ohio State’s defense as the season progresses.

Kent State quarterback Dru DeShields will give that defense something different to prepare for

DeShields is capable of making plays both through the air and with his legs. In Kent State’s victory over Wofford, he passed for 248 yards and a touchdown while adding a career-high 74 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. Through two games, he leads the Golden Flashes with 316 passing yards and 101 rushing yards. Containing DeShields and preventing explosive plays will be one of Ohio State’s primary defensive assignments.

Kent State enters Saturday at 1-1. The Golden Flashes suffered a 57-0 loss at South Carolina before responding with a 36-15 victory over Wofford. History heavily favors the Buckeyes in this in-state matchup. Ohio State is 3-0 all-time against Kent State and has outscored the Golden Flashes 165-20 in those meetings. Their most recent matchup came during Ohio State’s 2014 national championship season, when the Buckeyes rolled to a 66-0 victory at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State is also 40-1 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference.

But Saturday’s game is less about history and more about how the Buckeyes respond to their first adversity of the 2026 season.

Ohio State showed against Texas that it has the talent to control one of the nation’s best teams. The challenge now is learning how to finish.

Sayin has an opportunity to regain his confidence. Jackson can help establish the running game. Smith remains one of college football’s most dangerous offensive weapons, while players such as Inniss and McCuin have an opportunity to establish themselves as additional threats.

Defensively, the Buckeyes have a chance to put last week’s fourth-quarter collapse behind them and allow their talented young defenders to continue developing. The loss in Austin hurt, but Ohio State’s season is far from over. Saturday afternoon against Kent State represents the Buckeyes’ first chance to prove it.

The post Ohio State Buckeyes looks to bounce back against Kent State appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

For the second consecutive year, the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase awarded multiple scholarships to participants through the Mary E. Case Scholarship Award. To be considered, student-athletes must receive an opportunity from a college coach connected to the showcase and submit an essay explaining why they should be selected for the scholarship.

The scholarship was created in honor of the late Mary “Mimi” Case, a woman whose life was dedicated to education, encouragement, and helping young people reach their full potential.

Mimi Case taught physical education at Bell High School in Los Angeles before later becoming a school counselor after earning her Master’s Degree in Secondary Education Administration. Throughout her career, she earned the respect of students, colleagues, and members of the community because of her energy, compassion, and passion for helping young people.

She took a particular interest in students who were neglected, underserved, or simply needed someone to believe in them. For decades, she became a favorite teacher, counselor, mentor, and positive influence to countless students.

Mimi, who was related to a former participant in the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase, strongly believed in helping others. Donations made in her honor have allowed her legacy to continue by investing in the youth of today and helping create a better tomorrow.

This year, two student-athletes were selected to receive the Mary E. Case Scholarship Award: Dominic Bell and Vincent Mauro. Each will receive a total scholarship award of $1,750.

Dominic Bell: Continuing to Chase the Dream

Dominic Bell was a standout basketball player at Lawrence School in Sagamore Hills, Ohio, where he scored more than 900 points during his high school career.

Following high school, Bell continued his basketball journey at RTS Academy in Pennsylvania. After completing his first year at RTS, he was still searching for an opportunity to continue playing the game he loves at the college level.

That search led him to apply for the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase in June.

Bell made the most of his opportunity.

He was selected as one of the showcase’s Top 10 participants and caught the attention of Lorain County Community College men’s basketball coach Isaiah Cavaco.

Cavaco entered his first season leading the Commodores after accumulating more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, including a 17-year tenure at nearby Oberlin College and a stint at Earlham College.

After receiving an opportunity from Lorain County Community College, Bell submitted his scholarship essay and was selected to receive the $1,750 Mary E. Case Scholarship Award.

Bell now enters the upcoming season excited about what lies ahead. His goal is to help the Commodores compete successfully at the NJCAA Region 12 Division III level while continuing to develop his game and earn future opportunities at the NAIA, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, or USCAA levels.

His story represents exactly what the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase was created to provide: an opportunity for an overlooked student-athlete to be seen.

Vincent Mauro: Proving Himself Again

The second Mary E. Case Scholarship Award recipient is Vincent Mauro.

Mauro arrived at the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase after completing his first year at Miami University Hamilton, a USCAA D2 program. The Harriers were coming off a tremendous season in which they finished as national championship runner-up.

Following the departure of Mike Piatt, former volunteer assistant Chris Jones was promoted to lead the men’s basketball program.

Jones encouraged Mauro to submit his nomination for the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase so he could test himself against talented competition and continue working toward earning his place with Miami Hamilton for the 2026-27 season.

Nothing had been guaranteed.

With Jones continuing to bring talented student-athletes into the program, Mauro understood that he would have to compete for his opportunity.

That was nothing new for him.

Mauro did not even make the varsity basketball team during his high school career at Pickerington High School Central. Instead of allowing that disappointment to define him, he continued working, continued believing, and continued searching for another opportunity.

At the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase, Mauro once again proved that persistence matters.

After earning his opportunity with Miami Hamilton, Mauro submitted an essay explaining why he should be considered for the Mary E. Case Scholarship Award. His story, perseverance, and essay made an impression, and he was selected to receive the $1,750 scholarship.

His journey is another reminder that a player’s story does not have to end because one coach, one team, or one moment says no.

Sometimes, a student-athlete simply needs another opportunity.

Bigger Than a One-Day Showcase

Providing scholarship money is only part of what the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase hopes to accomplish.

“We aren’t just a one-day event,” said showcase founder Ian Cunningham. “Everyone involved is available to help these young men, as well as our other past participants. We want to continue being available to give advice, offer support, and be an ear whenever one of our student-athletes needs a little help.”

That philosophy has helped shape the identity of the showcase.

The basketball games may last one day, but the relationships do not have to end when the final buzzer sounds.

Whether it means connecting a player with a college coach, providing encouragement, giving advice, highlighting former participants, helping with scholarship opportunities, or simply checking in, the goal is to build relationships that continue after the event.

It is why the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase continues to live by the belief that what happens through the event is bigger than sports.

A New Format Coming in 2027

The I.C. Change Basketball Showcase will also take another major step forward in 2027.

After previously operating primarily as a boy’s showcase, next year’s event will bring together 32 young women and 32 young men on the same day.

The change is designed not only to create opportunities for more student-athletes, but also to make attending the event more beneficial and affordable for college programs.

By having talented male and female prospects competing at the same location on the same day, participating schools with both men’s and women’s basketball programs can evaluate multiple recruits while reducing recruiting and travel expenses.

It is another way the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase hopes to live up to its identity as:

“The Big Showcase for the Small Schools.”

The one-day event will feature talented student-athletes looking for opportunities at the NCAA Division III, NAIA, USCAA, NCCAA, JUCO, and other collegiate levels.

The showcase will also once again feature former NBA point guard Smush Parker, who has become an important part of the event and its mission of teaching, encouraging, and motivating the next generation.

Until then, the I.C. Change Basketball Showcase will continue searching for talented student-athletes to invite for 2027 while also spotlighting the young men and women who participated in this year’s boys’ and girls’ events.

For Dominic Bell and Vincent Mauro, the next chapter is already beginning.

And through the Mary E. Case Scholarship Award, the legacy of a woman who spent her life believing in young people will continue through the next generation of student-athletes.

I.C. Change Basketball Showcase
The Big Showcase for the Small Schools
Instagram: @icchangeshowcase
X: @iancle1

The post I.C. Change Basketball Showcase Continues Its Mission Beyond the Court With Mary E. Case Scholarship Awards appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.

There is no sugar coating what is happening right now for Browns fans. The support for the organization is at a real crossroads for many who have loved this team for years. As for the young fans, they haven’t seen anything positive and the negativity on a daily basis could continue to separate them from cheering for them over time.

Losing grows old and the Browns have done more of that over the past 25 years than any other sports franchise in the world. It really is a sad state of affairs. To add insult to injury we have the faces of the franchise from the owners Dee and Jimmy Haslem, the General Manager Andrew Berry and the coach Todd Monken trying to sell lies about their team. When they say that winning is the No. 1 goal of the team week in and week out while they are making poor decision after poor decision, the trust between the fan and the organization continues to die.

While the losing does grow old, it’s not as if the strong and steady Browns fan hasn’t been able to handle it. We are the most compassionate and loyal fan base around the world. But this time the dysfunction and lies are becoming too much. Even the strong have their breaking point and that is where I believe this fan base is at.

The Browns played their first game of the 2026 season on Sunday, and it was a very humiliating loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. At one point the team was down 31-0. It’s not very often you see an NFL team go down by so many points.

The other significant part of this current sad state of affairs in Cleveland is that the Browns made a decision to go back on their word over a year ago about their quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said that the team took a swing and miss on Watson a year ago. This was stated after the Browns had originally signed Watson to a crazy $230 million contract in 2022. After Watson last played for the team in 2024 and had a dismal 1-6 record Haslam publicly came out in 2025 to tell the fan base that the team was moving on from Watson.

Obviously that didn’t happen and here we sit. Watson’s play on Sunday was awful. We’ve seen this type of play before, and we will see it again if the team continues to run Watson out there.

The definition of the word “insanity” in Merriam-Webster Dictionary reads as this: extreme folly or unreasonableness and something utterly foolish or unreasonable.

In the modern age insanity is often referred to as “ doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

At the end of the Browns training camp, the team’s coach Todd Monken announced that Deshaun Watson would be the Browns starting quarterback instead of other quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The announcement came hours after Watson ripped the Browns fan base for booing him at the last preseason game.

The Browns fan base knows football and while the fans will usually support their teams but when a player or coach for that matter takes shots at them then the honeymoon is over. The honeymoon was really never on with Watson, but most fans did support him nevertheless when he came to the team in 2022.

Many fans struggled, however, with the side show he brought with him off the field.

His play on the field in the meantime progressively got worse and here we are.

Coach Monken said on Monday that he was sticking with Watson at quarterback despite the quarterback’s dreadful play.

It’s simply insanity in its most basic definition. The entire Browns organization is at fault for this. Time will tell how all of this chaos turns out as the fans sit at this crossroads.

With the Browns organization spinning its wheels and my own Browns fandom, I often think about that last scene of the classic Tom Hanks movie Castaway when Hanks stands outside his car at a crossroads in the Texas Panhandle. What way will he turn?

You and I have a choice every day to cheer or not cheer for our favorite team. I’ve seen many Browns fans leave their fandom in the dust. While I’ve seen others stick to their fandom like no other despite these turbulent times.

But the dust isn’t settling anytime soon and that should genuinely concern the Browns organization.

Hopefully they get the memo and start paying attention to the most important part of the team which are us the fans.

The post A Browns Fan Dilemma: Dawg Pound or Dog House appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.