Cardale Jones announced Thursday afternoon that he will remain a student-athlete at Ohio State for the 2015 football season. The redshirt sophomore, having been three years removed from high school, was eligible to enter April’s NFL Draft in Chicago, and many analysts were talking about his draft stock being extremely high. However, Jones will be back with the Buckeyes for at least one more year.

This has been a six-month whirlwind for the Cleveland native. At the start of the Buckeyes’ preseason camp, Jones was the third-string quarterback, behind Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett. When Miller was injured before the season opener against Navy, Jones moved into the second-string role, and came on to see Ohio State past Michigan after Barrett suffered an injury. Through three games as a starter, he has led the Buckeyes to a Big Ten championship, a national championship, and overcame struggles in his last two games to lead his team to victory. On Thursday, he became the focus of the nation’s sports media, announcing his intentions in a manner somewhat similar to LeBron James in 2010.

Tyvis Powell, Jones’ roommate and the defensive MVP from Monday’s national championship game, took to Twitter to express his feelings about the decision:

With Jones staying in Columbus, the main question about Ohio State will be who the starting quarterback is come September. Jones never said during Thursday’s conference that he was the guaranteed the starting role by head coach Urban Meyer. This offseason will be one to watch as the Buckeyes compete for a second straight title.

Ohio State opens the 2015 season on September 7 (Labor Day) at Virginia Tech.

Ohio State made history Monday night, when they beat Oregon 42-20 to become the very first Division I FBS champion in the playoff era. Here are three points I saw as the evening unfolded:

1. Buckeyes take advantage of opportunities

It’s a motto that’s become synonymous with March Madness: All teams want is a chance. Ohio State had an early-season hiccup against Virginia Tech, but instead of adopting an attitude of “Maybe next year,” they rebounded and put up at least 31 points every game for the rest of the season. The Buckeyes developed a trait that’s also usually linked to March Madness: they got hot at the right time, and it showed in the last three games. Even when Ohio State stumbled early against Alabama, and in the second half against Oregon, the Buckeyes didn’t panic like previous teams did in big games under Jim Tressel. All they wanted was a chance to get into the playoff, the committee gave them a spot, and Urban Meyer & company took advantage of that chance.

2. What’s next for Ohio State?

Most fans may not have realized this before recently, but Cardale Jones is a redshirt sophomore, meaning he is eligible to declare for the NFL Draft this spring. Neither he nor Oregon’s Marcus Mariota have announced their future plans yet, but they only have until Thursday to make a decision. Jones only has three career college starts, but as Columbus radio host Mike Ricordati pointed out, all three games were on a national stage, and were followed by confetti celebrations, and the Cleveland excelled in all of them. Also, what about Braxton Miller? The two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year has said multiple times he plans to stay in Columbus for the 2015 season, but is eligible to transfer to another school and not sit out the year (like Russell Wilson did in 2011). The Buckeyes will bring back multiple stars on both sides of the ball, including Ezekiel Elliott, J.T. Barrett, Joey Bosa, Darron Lee, and Tyvis Powell. Expect the Buckeyes to be tabbed as favorites next season.

3. ESPN Megacast Works for Big Events

“The Worldwide Leader in Sports” received mostly positive reviews for their approach to broadcasting the 2014 BCS Championship, and brought back the Megacast for Monday’s game. Viewers had multiple options when it came to viewing the events at AT&T Stadium, from the traditional broadcast, to hearing only the natural sounds from Arlington, to seeing the game solely from the Spider-cam. I watched a little bit of Film Room on ESPN2, where Chris Spielman joined several coaches in dissecting every play as it happened live. What I enjoyed was not just the analysis, but also who appeared on the program: new Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi coached against both the Buckeyes and Ducks this season (he was Michigan State’s longtime defensive coordinator); also, Mike Riley, who was at Oregon State but is now the head coach at Nebraska, offered great insight while watching a longtime rival play a potential future rival. As long as they save it for big occasions like a college football championship, ESPN has a winner with the Megacast.

What did you notice that was unique about Monday night? Leave a comment below!

In 1939, Ohio State and Oregon played each other for the first NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball national championship, with the latter winning 46-33. Those two schools will be part of history again on Monday night, when the Buckeyes and Ducks meet in the first FBS playoff championship game in Arlington, Texas.

With 2014 being the first year of this new playoff, it has been a win for college football, and a win for both schools. If the BCS was still around, many analysts argue, Alabama & Florida State would’ve likely played each other for the title, with OSU & Oregon watching. After the semifinal results on New Year’s Day, it’s the other way around, and all eyes will be on AT&T Stadium for the first chapter in a new era of the sport.

Even with the semifinal spots meaning four teams have a championship shot instead of two, the Buckeyes were still on the outside looking in until the first weekend of December. In his first career start, Cardale Jones led the Buckeyes to a 59-0 rout over Wisconsin to win the Big Ten Championship. Jones followed that performance by overcoming several first-half mistakes to help Ohio State beat Alabama 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl. In the regular season, J.T. Barrett proved his ability to overcome adversity himself after struggling in a Week 2 loss to Virginia Tech, leading the Buckeyes to another solid season before his injury against Michigan.

Oregon also had a “make-or-break the season” moment during their run to North Texas. After opening the year 4-0, the Ducks hit a road block in Arizona, losing 31-24 at home to the Wildcats. After righting the ship with a road win at UCLA, Oregon largely cruised to a Pac-12 title, crushing the Wildcats in the conference championship game. After a tense first half in the Rose Bowl against Florida State, the Ducks went to a higher gear in the second half both offensively and defensively. Oregon didn’t have any quarterback controversies throughout the season, with Heisman winner Marcus Mariota providing a steady presence in his third year as the signal-caller.

There are several big stories to follow in the build-up to Monday’s game. Mark Helfrich is in his second season as Oregon head coach; Ohio State knows the “second-year success” superstition well. It worked for Paul Brown in 1942, for Jim Tressel in 2002, and it worked for Urban Meyer with Florida in 2006, at the Buckeyes’ expense. The Ducks will be fired up to win a championship after coming close in 2010, only to lose a defensive battle with Auburn.

Ohio State, meanwhile, will want to continue erasing the negative perception of not just their program, but of the Big Ten in general. They are in their first championship game since the nightmares against Florida and LSU, and were the only Big Ten team to make the title game in the BCS years. The Buckeyes’ key goal will be to compete with the Ducks for all four quarters; the game will likely be decided by what happens when Oregon has the ball.

More superstitions that might work in Oregon’s favor: Ohio State will wear their home scarlet jerseys Monday night. The Buckeyes have lost three of their last four postseason games when donning scarlet, while some of their biggest moments this century have come when wearing white jerseys. Also, Mariota is keen to continue the trend of Heisman winners being victorious in their ensuing postseason games.

On the other hand, Ohio State is undefeated all-time against the Ducks, including two Rose Bowls (1958 & 2010), and are feeling confident after beating the SEC champions. The Buckeyes were contenders for the title in both 1998 and 2013 – the first and last years of the BCS era – before losing late in the season. In the first year of the playoff, an early-season loss was disappointing, but didn’t derail their hopes.

College football will win on Monday, no matter the outcome. This game looks like it will be a classic, as all championships should be.

North Texas will be paradise this weekend for college football fans. With anticipation building to Ohio State-Oregon in Arlington on Monday night, those interested in college football on Saturday will be intrigued by the FCS National Championship in Frisco. That’s where North Dakota State will play Illinois State, with the Bison going for a fourth straight title.

Since NCAA Division I football was split into two tiers in 1978, other teams have enjoyed success in consecutive seasons at the FCS/I-AA level. Georgia Southern won back-to-back championships three different times; Youngstown State, led by Jim Tressel, won in 1993 & 1994 – part of the four titles claimed by the Penguins that decade. Appalachian State took three straight from 2005-2007, the crown jewels of Jerry Moore’s legacy with the Mountaineers.

For the Bison, the 2014 season has been about rebuilding and maintaining success at the same time. NDSU had to cope with the offseason losses of star quarterback Brock Jensen (graduation) and head coach Craig Bohl (hired by Wyoming), but began the fall with a 34-14 win over Iowa State. Their 34-game win streak came to an end in November at Northern Iowa, but have scored at least 27 points in each of their contests since. Carson Wentz has accounted for 29 total touchdowns, while John Crockett is likely to reach 2,000 rushing yards on Saturday. Their recent record has prompted College GameDay to visit Fargo, North Dakota, each of the last two seasons. The Bison began the FCS playoffs as the #2 seed, earning a first-round bye, and have defeated South Dakota State, Coastal Carolina, and Sam Houston State on the road to Frisco.

Illinois State’s journey this fall has been about winning regardless of the location, as illustrated by their quarterfinal and semifinal games. After an offensive shootout at Eastern Washington, the Redbirds traveled east to top seed New Hampshire, where 15 unanswered fourth-quarter carried them past the Wildcats. Now comes a trip to the South for an inaugural championship game appearance. Indiana transfer Tre Roberson has excelled during his first year in Normal, Illinois, throwing for over 3,000 yards while contributing 10 rushing touchdowns. The Redbirds’ running game on Saturday will rely on Marshaun Coprich, who has over 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground. Illinois State has also overcome a road loss at Northern Iowa (the Panthers beat ISU and NDSU in consecutive weeks); they were given the #5 seed in the playoffs before beating UNI in a second-round contest in Normal, followed by their road wins at Eastern Washington and New Hampshire.

Although both the Bison and Redbirds play in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the two schools didn’t face each other in the regular season; they were co-champions with 7-1 records. It’s only fitting that these teams would meet each other at this stage, where the winner takes all the spoils as the FCS national champion. Will the Bison make it four straight titles, or will the Redbirds be one of the two teams celebrating in Texas? College football fans are eager to find out.

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America elected four players to the Hall of Fame Tuesday, choosing three pitchers and one all-around player to be honored in Cooperstown, New York.

Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, and John Smoltz were all inducted in their first year of eligibility. Craig Biggio was first eligible in 2013, and the former Houston Astro was close to earning a spot in Cooperstown last year.

To be inducted, a player must receive 75 percent of votes cast by BBWAA members. Players need to have spent a minimum of 10 seasons in Major League Baseball, and then be retired for at least five full seasons before they are eligible.

Winning a World Series is not mandatory for selection, but it didn’t hurt the cases for the three pitchers, who not only won a championship, but were instrumental in helping their teams do so. Smoltz won with the Atlanta Braves in 1995; Johnson shared co-MVP honors with Curt Schilling when the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees in 2001; Martinez helped the Boston Red Sox end a title drought of 86 years in 2004.

Biggio never won a championship with the Astros, but excelled as a second baseman, catcher, and outfielder in 20 seasons. He is the only player of the Class of 2015 to have spent his entire career with the same team.

Among the players missing out on induction this year include Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell, and Tim Raines. Schilling was eligible for the third time in 2015, and will be on the ballot next year; players need at least 5 percent of votes to stay on the following year for up to 10 times. One ESPN writer called 2015 a “make-or-break” year for Bagwell, who has been eligible since 2011. The first baseman, who also spent his entire career with the Astros, received 55 percent of the votes this year, an increase from 2014. Of the players who remained on the ballot, only Jeff Kent, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa received fewer votes than last year; all three will be eligible in 2016.

With four players being elected this year, is this the start of a trend where multiple names join the Hall of Fame every year? Three players (Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas) were inducted last year, but nobody joined the Hall in 2013 – the first time since 1996 that no player achieved the minimum 75 percent. From 2000-2012, only one or two players earned induction each year, for a total of 21 players in that 13-year span; is seven in two years a coincidence, or a sign of things to come?

Also, what about the new set of first-year players? Three made it this year; all three inductees last year were first-time candidates; and there are several strong choices to make it into Cooperstown on their first attempt in 2016. Ken Griffey, Jr. and Trevor Hoffman could be regarded as favorites, while Piazza & Bagwell are among the others most likely to get to 75 percent.

The four inductees for 2015 will be formally honored in Cooperstown on July 26.

The first year of the new College Football Playoff was always going to be historic, and the Sugar Bowl provided many positive memories for Ohio State, who beat Alabama 42-35 on Thursday night. Some of the storylines from New Orleans: it was the Buckeyes’ first official bowl win over an SEC team; the game was yet another classic between Urban Meyer & Nick Saban; the Big Ten in general had a great New Year’s Day, with Michigan State and Wisconsin also winning high-profile games. Associated Press writer Ralph D. Russo offered this perspective…

The game also provided another opportunity for Cardale Jones to shine on the national stage. Before the Big Ten Championship Game in December, the redshirt sophomore from Cleveland was best known for a controversial tweet in 2012 about how “classes are pointless.” After leading Ohio State to a 59-0 win over Wisconsin, Jones’ second career start had a shaky beginning, with two first-half turnovers resulting in two Alabama touchdowns.

Had the Buckeyes not responded with 14 unanswered points before halftime, how many OSU fans would’ve been thinking “Here we go again…” with the second half still to come? But the main theme for this year’s team has been responding to adversity; they did so when Braxton Miller was ruled out for the season; they did so when J.T. Barrett broke his ankle against Michigan; and they responded a third time when trailing 21-6 to the Crimson Tide.

For fans who believe in superstitions, the 2014 season follows the recent cycle of Ohio State being involved in serious contention every four years…

2014 – OSU makes four-team playoff, beats Alabama to make championship game
2010 – Buckeyes get to #1 ranking, eventually win share of Big Ten, win over Arkansas in Sugar Bowl (season was later vacated)
2006 – Wire-to-wire #1 ranking through regular season, loss to Florida in national championship game
2002 – 14-0 record, Buckeyes beat Miami to win Fiesta Bowl and national title
1998 – OSU begins season #1, loses to Michigan State, but wins share of Big Ten, beats Texas A&M in Sugar Bowl

Now the Buckeyes will prepare themselves for Oregon in the national title game in Arlington, Texas. The two schools played each other for the very first NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship in 1939, so perhaps it’s fitting that they’d meet in the final of this inaugural playoff. Early betting odds have the Ducks as favorites, just like the 2010 Rose Bowl, which Ohio State won. But this will be a much different matchup than the meeting five years ago in Pasadena.

Ohio State will be playing its third straight game against a team with a 2014 Heisman Trophy finalist. It’ll be the first time they’ve played a Heisman winner (Marcus Mariota), in the season he actually won, since 1999 (Ron Dayne, Wisconsin). Sam Bradford was the last Heisman winner to lose in a postseason game, and Mariota will be keen on making sure the streak of good fortune doesn’t change. The Ducks’ 59-20 dismantling of Florida State in the Rose Bowl had Meyer shocked not necessarily by the outcome, but by the final margin…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rrixObhf_w

Many pundits have mentioned that if the BCS was still around, Alabama and Florida State would’ve played each other for the title, while Oregon and Ohio State would’ve missed out. But with the playoff, two exciting results have led to one final battle between the Buckeyes and Ducks, which is likely to showcase everything that is great about college football. Expect a wild and entertaining game in Arlington on January 12.

Columbus plays its final game of 2014 Wednesday night, when they welcome Minnesota to Nationwide Arena. December has been very good to the Blue Jackets, as the team began the month with seven straight victories; this included four straight wins in overtime or a shootout. With this form the Jackets have put together recently (19 out of a possible 22 points from 11 games), one would think they’re right in the thick of the playoff race. However, with two long losing streaks earlier this season, Columbus are sixth in the Metropolitan Division, but have plenty of time to make up ground.

This year will be remembered by many Blue Jackets fans for generations to come. Buoyed by eight straight wins in early January, Columbus qualified for its second-ever playoff appearance in franchise history. Unlike their series against Detroit in 2009, the Jackets competed tough with Pittsburgh all six games; five of them finished with 4-3 final scores. With most of the roster from that run returning in 2014-15, including head coach Todd Richards, preseason expectations were high that the team could go deep in the postseason.

After early season struggles, Columbus is returning to the form that’s expected of any playoff contender. Brandon Dubinsky has been a welcome return since recovering from injury, while Nick Foligno has contributed vastly, leading the team in goals and points. Kevin Connauton, an in-season acquisition from Dallas, has been a pleasant surprise on both offense and defense, while Sergei Bobrovsky has maintained his status as the team’s top goaltender.

Wednesday’s game is the last of a five-game homestand for the Blue Jackets, which has provided confidence, as the team certainly benefitted from following a regular routine. They’ll begin 2015 with four games on the road, meaning a win over the Wild is critical to the players’ psyche. Getting results over Arizona & Colorado this weekend won’t hurt, either.

Will the Blue Jackets make the playoffs for a second straight year? 2015 should provide more memories for hockey fans in Central Ohio.

It’s halftime for the English Premier League season, with all 20 clubs having played 19 of 38 matches. Some have established themselves as favorites for the title; others will be hoping to put together a winning streak and avoid relegation to the Championship. Here’s a look at the teams through the first five months of the 2014/15 campaign. Clubs are mentioned in order of the Premier League standings.

Top 10: Title & European Contenders

Chelsea have maintained impressive form with only one loss in the first half of the season, and remain favorites to win a first league title since 2010. Defending champions Manchester City remain only three points behind, boasting leading scorer Sergio Agüero. Manchester United had a rocky EPL start to life under Louis van Gaal, particularly in coping with a lack of Champions League action, but the Red Devils have come to life with a nine-match unbeaten run. Southampton have been one of the major surprises, sitting fourth after four of their best players from 2013/14 left the club over the summer. Arsenal, West Ham United, and Tottenham are all just outside the Champions League spots, but certainly maintain goals of reaching Europe’s top club competition in 2015. Liverpool have endured a rough few months in both the Premier and Champions Leagues; the Reds came very close to winning the title last season, and have likely been dealing with mental doubts on whether they’ll contend again. Swansea and Newcastle complete the top half of the table.

Bottom 10: Relegation Battle

Stoke sit 11th, but have won their last two matches, and welcome Manchester United to the Britannia Stadium on Thursday. Everton and Aston Villa have the exact same record (five wins, six draws, eight losses), but both have time to climb back into the top half. Sunderland had a dramatic escape at the end of last season, and control their destiny right now at 14th. QPR have the league’s third-leading scorer in Charlie Austin, but will need him to maintain form if Rangers are to stay up. West Bromwich Albion have struggled, and will start the second part of the season with their third manager since May. Because Hull were FA Cup finalists last season, they’ve been competing in both the EPL and Europa League, and their domestic record has been disastrous: only one win since early October. Crystal Palace currently sit in the relegation zone, but with reports that Alan Pardew could be taking over as manager, will he bring good fortune to Selhurst Park? Burnley & Leicester finished second and first, respectively, in last’s year Championship; they are now second-bottom and bottom of the top tier. Both clubs got huge results on Sunday (Burnley getting a draw at City, Leicester winning for the first time since September), and will want to build momentum going forward.

Matchday 20 sees all 20 clubs in action on New Year’s Day. With eight matches all beginning at 10 AM Eastern time, NBCSN will present Premier League Breakaway, cutting in between the games in that time slot to show important action.

Who will take home the title in 2015? The Premier League’s second half should provide a lot of drama and excitement.

For those interested in the Championship standings, Bournemouth and Ipswich are currently the top two, and control their destinies for  automatic promotion. Derby, Middlesbrough, Watford, & Brentford are third-sixth, respectively, each in line for the promotion play-offs.

With 2014 coming to a close, many soccer sites and fans are posting montages of the best goals from the calendar year. While there were some beautiful strikes in many high-profile competitions, there are several goals that may not have caught worldwide attention, but are worth looking at again. This year, I saw two goals stick out in particular that didn’t receive a lot of attention, but they were not only spectacular, they also contributed to those teams’ fortunes in a deeper meaning.

Alex Revell

In the League One Play-off Final at Wembley last May, Rotherham United found themselves trailing Leyton Orient 2-0 at halftime. A 55th-minute goal from the 30-year-old Revell gave the Millers hope of a comeback, and it only took five minutes afterward for the former Orient striker to tie the game with an amazing half-volley…

Rotherham eventually edged Leyton Orient on penalties to earn promotion to the League Championship, the second tier of the English league system.

Drew DeLozier

In November, Maranatha Baptist University trailed Ohio Christian University by a goal at halftime of the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) Men’s Division II Soccer Championship Game. But DeLozier, a senior from Watertown, Wisconsin, had this effort from the middle third, very reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal at Porto in 2009…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAexh5LzLjQ

Maranatha Baptist would get a winning goal minutes later from Wira Wama to win the championship 2-1.

Which goal do you think is better? Share your favorite below!

Last Thursday, Ohio men’s basketball was held scoreless in overtime of a road loss to Evansville. On Monday, they were limited to 15 second-half points against George Washington. Tuesday provided better fortunes, however, as the Bobcats defeated DePaul 99-78 in a consolation game at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.

Javarez “Bean” Willis led all scorers with 31 points, while Ohio managed to shoot nearly 60 percent on field goals and only committed 10 turnovers. Antonio Campbell and Maurice Ndour both contributed double-doubles, while Treg Setty and Ryan Taylor each scored 17 points. The Bobcats scored exactly 99 points for the first time since consecutive wins over Buffalo & Northern Illinois (99-77, 99-84) in 2010; they scored over 100 most recently in a four-overtime loss at St. Bonaventure the following season.

Is this the spark that could lead to big things for Ohio in year one under Saul Phillips? The Bobcats are 4-5, having picked up their first win away from the Convocation Center, and will have a chance to go 2-1 in Hawaii on Thursday. Beating a Big East team will also provide a huge boost of confidence, although DePaul has struggled recently; the Blue Demons are now on a five-game losing streak. Both of Ohio’s last two games tipped off at 9:30 AM local time, so the team will now have the rest of Tuesday and all day Wednesday to rest and prepare for their Christmas Day opponent.

Ohio will face the winner of the second consolation game between Nebraska and Loyola-Marymount. Many Bobcat fans are hoping the Cornhuskers win that matchup, for multiple reasons: the sake of playing a Big Ten team; the fact that Nebraska head coach Tim Miles would face a former assistant in Phillips (the two were together at North Dakota State from 2004-2007); also, Ohio football head coach Frank Solich was a former star player and head coach in Lincoln. The players would definitely relish a chance to beat two teams from two historically elite conferences in back-to-back contests.

With the Bobcats putting Monday’s struggles behind them for this win over the Blue Demons, fans can’t wait to see if the team gets on a winning streak to take into conference play.