Will Howard threw two touchdown passes to freshman Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State routed Tennessee 42-17 on Saturday night in a first-round College Football Playoff game, setting up a New Year’s Day rematch with No. 1 Oregon at the Rose Bowl.

It was flag day in college football.

A fight broke out at midfield after Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday when Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag on the OSU logo and were confronted by the Buckeyes.

Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15.

The NCAA football rules committee has issued guidance to close a loophole that allowed second-ranked Oregon to exploit an illegal substitution penalty late in its victory over Ohio State to take time off the clock.

There's nothing but Big Ten games ahead for No. 3 Ohio State.

Will Howard has won Ohio State’s quarterback battle against Devin Brown and will be the starter when the No. 2 Buckeyes open against Akron on Aug. 31.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day sounds confident and comfortable discussing this year’s football team.

UCLA coach Chip Kelly stepped down after six seasons leading the Bruins to become offensive coordinator for Ohio State.

With many players NFL eligible and others following unhappy starting quarterback Kyle McCord into the transfer portal, Ohio State football looked to be in for an unhappy winter.

Ohio State is hiring former Houston Texans and Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator, a person with direct knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

The possibility of college teams using NFL-style communication technology has been viewed with a little more urgency in the aftermath of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal.

Ohio State’s Kyle McCord, Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel and Oregon State's Aidan Chiles led a parade of quarterbacks into the transfer portal on the first day of a 30-day window football players can put their names out in search of another opportunity.

Ryan Day’s decisions in The Game may haunt him.

With Jim Harbaugh nowhere in sight and a scandal hanging over their heads, J.

It’s finally time for Michigan and Ohio State to meet.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day says he expected to have running back TreVeyon Henderson back in the lineup for Saturday's game at Purdue.

Miyan Williams rushed for two touchdowns and No. 3 Ohio State beat Indiana 23-3 for its 23rd consecutive season-opening victory.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day says Kyle McCord will be the starting quarterback when the No. 3 Buckeyes open the season Saturday at Indiana.

With two-year starter C.

Matt Rhule's eight-year contract as Nebraska's football coach is valued at $74 million.

Ohio State quarterback C.

Dallan Hayden scored three touchdowns in the second half of No. 2 Ohio State's 43-30 victory over Maryland to set up a monumental matchup of unbeatens next weekend between the Buckeyes and rival Michigan.

J.

C.

C.

Clemson has taken steps to keep football coach Dabo Swinney around for a while longer.

Coach Ryan Day offered no apologies for No. 2 Ohio State’s low-scoring, “clunky” win over No. 5 Notre Dame.

C.

Alabama coach Nick Saban is getting a new eight-year contract worth at least $93.6 million, eclipsing the recent megadeal of Southeastern Conference rival Kirby Smart.

The Big Ten's next television contracts will not include a deal with ESPN.

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren had a chance to take a victory lap this week at Big Ten media day.

Ohio State plans to hike Ryan Day’s annual salary to $9.5 million as part of a two-year contract extension that will put him among the nation’s highest-paid college football coaches.

College football coaches are pushing for changes to NCAA rules to help stabilize rosters depleted by transfers.

Former teammates and coaches paid tribute to former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins during an emotional memorial service a little less than two weeks after the 24-year-old was killed on a South Florida highway.

C.

Hassan Haskins scored five touchdowns and Aidan Hutchinson had three sacks, helping No. 6 Michigan finally beat No. 2 Ohio State 42-27 to give Jim Harbaugh his first win as a coach against the rivals.

Jim Harbaugh shook up his coaching staff after his contract at Michigan was reworked last winter.

C.

Ohio State has righted itself after an early loss to Oregon by winning four straight games in mostly blowout fashion.

C.

The ground-oriented, weather-proof offense has long been preferred by Big Ten teams.

Alabama looked beatable.

C.

C.

New quarterbacks are leading last year's College Football Playoff teams.

Nine of the 14 Big Ten football teams appear set at quarterback heading into the fall.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day says the quarterback competition featuring three candidates will carry over into fall camp.

From start to finish, the specter of COVID-19 loomed large over the 2020 college football season and the national championship game was no exception. Along with masks for almost everyone except the players, there were lots of empty seats — around 50,000 — for the College Football Playoff showdown. Fittingly, the championship game took place at a COVID-19 vaccination and testing site. It was a made-for-TV season that ends with an asterisk, and college football now looks toward the 2021 season, which question marks of its own. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Now the question is will he be able to play in the title game Monday night against Ohio State? “I think you absolutely have to prepare as if he's going to play,” Ohio State defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs said. Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson posted photos on Twitter showing her visiting with coach Ryan Day and the team in the school's indoor practice facility. WEST COAST EXPORTSThe West Coast will be well represented in the national championship game among the players, if not the football programs themselves. Alabama All-America tailback Najee Harris, Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave and Buckeyes All-America guard Wyatt Davis are all from California.

Ohio State won 49-28. AL.com reported that Ohio State has been in contact with CFP officials about possible player availability problems that could force the game to be delayed. For Ohio State, though, it has been an especially bumpy road. The Big Ten initially canceled the fall football season in August, only to reverse course in September. Ohio State played its final regular-season game and the Big Ten championship game missing more than 20 players for each.

Ohio State won 49-28. “This team, this program, we persevered through so much,” Ohio State running back Trey Sermon said Monday. In addition to Sarkisian's imminent departure, Alabama has to take care of some Heisman Trophy business while preparing for the matchup with Ohio State. Ohio State (7-0) won that meeting en route to the national title. OHIO STATEOverview: Like many teams, Ohio State faced major obstacles during the pandemic.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day hugs quarterback Justin Fields after their win against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in New Orleans. Ohio State won 49-28. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Ohio State coach Ryan Day says he expects Justin Fields to play in the College Football Playoff national championship game against Alabama after the quarterback was banged up during the semifinals. Fields missed only one play and finished with six touchdown passes in Ohio State’s 49-28 victory. Buckeyes running back Trey Sermon took Fields' place on the call.

Ohio State won 49-28. 11, where Clemson coach Dabo Swinney placed Ohio State on his ballot in the final regular-season coaches' poll. 3 Ohio State buried the second-ranked Tigers 49-28 in the Sugar Bowl semifinal Friday night. Ohio State beat the Crimson Tide in the semifinals on the way to the 2014 national championship. Ohio State did not give details about their absences, but all four had played in the Big Ten championship two weeks ago.

FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2020, file photo, Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell waits to lead his team onto the field for an NCAA football game against Georgia State in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis, File)Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell is The Associated Press college football coach of the year after leading the Chanticleers to a surprising, near-perfect season. UCF’s Scott Frost was AP coach of the year in 2017 and Gary Patterson won the first of his two AP awards with TCU in 2009 when the Horned Frogs were competing in the Mountain West. Chadwell came to Coastal Carolina in 2017 as offensive coordinator for former coach Joe Moglia after four successful season at FCS Charleston Southern. ___VotingJamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina - 88 points (16 first-place votes).

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)COLUMBUS, Ohio – Shortened schedule and all, Ohio State is headed back to the College Football Playoff and a familiar foe will be waiting. Barta, the Iowa athletic director, said “there was no dissension in the room” over putting Ohio State in. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he wasn't surprised Ohio State got in with fewer games “because that’s what the committee has demonstrated over the past few weeks. We all know Ohio State is an incredibly talented team.”The loss to Clemson in the playoff last year landed hard and lingered for the Buckeyes, Ohio State coach Ryan Day said on ESPN. It'll be different this time with less than two weeks between the conference championship game and the semifinal.

Notre Dame was picked Sunday over Texas A&M for the final spot, ending what little drama there had been. Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State have also held the first four spots in the AP Top 25 since Oct. 25. The Atlantic Coast Conference is the second league to have two teams in the playoff, joining the SEC in 2017. After sitting second in the CFP rankings for a month, Notre Dame was blown out 34-10 by Clemson in the ACC championship. Barta said the disparate number of games played by contenders — along with far fewer cross-conference games than usual —- was a challenge for the committee all season.

The IIHF also said two members of Sweden’s team staff tested positive. The team said those who tested positive have been isolated and others in the program have been placed in quarantine. The network did not say if Michaels had tested positive or had been in contact with someone who had tested positive. The Huskies said in a statement that no one from their program was in close contact with the individual who tested positive at Seton Hall. Ferentz is the 23rd FBS coach to reveal publicly that he tested positive for the virus.

“I could be here all day talking about how different this is,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said on the Big Ten Network. As of late Wednesday afternoon, Alabama had signed five of them and was expected to land at least one more. Even with the coach's future still to be determined, day signing was OK for the Wolverines. On the positive side for the Wolverines on signing day: In-state running back Donovan Edwards, a four-star, signed with Michigan. Smith had indicated his final decision would come down to a choice between LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Miami.

3 Ohio State to play in the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 19 against No. 3 Ohio State to take on No. Ohio State finished the regular season with only five games after Michigan had to pull out of Saturday's showdown because of COVID-19 issues. Ohio State — No. Though Ohio State is already in the top four of the CFP rankings, a win against Northwestern could be important in seeding.

Michigan canceled its annual rivalry game at Ohio State on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, because of the COVID-19 outbreak within the Wolverines football program. “Our players, they want to play,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “If you’re just looking at college football, how can you have a successful football season without Ohio State-Michigan. Ohio State entered the day No. Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis said the team works all year with the goal of beating Michigan.

3 Ohio State banked some style points during its rout of Michigan State, but the next step toward any kind of championship for the Buckeyes this season could be out of their control. Ohio State has had its own problems with the coronavirus. Among those taken out of action was coach Ryan Day, who had to stay home and watch the Michigan State game on TV. So would another loss to the Buckeyes, who have won the rivalry game in each of Harbaugh's first five years at Michigan. Day said he was proud of how the Buckeyes moved past the rough, uncertain week to dominate Michigan State.

3 Ohio State to a 52-12 win over Michigan State on Saturday. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson coached Ohio State in Day's absence. Michigan State (2-4, 2-4) was coming off a win over another undefeated team — Northwestern — but the Spartans were overmatched Saturday. They punted on fourth-and-1 in the first quarter — and again on fourth down in Ohio State territory early in the third. Michigan State wraps up the regular season at Penn State.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields throws a pass against Indiana during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. 3 Ohio State is playing as much as who will be play playing for the Buckeyes this weekend. Ohio State seems to be on track to play at Michigan State on Saturday after a spike in COVID-19 cases in the program forced a cancellation of last week's road trip to Illinois. If Ohio State has one more game canceled it would be unable to meet the Big Ten's minimum game played to be eligible for the conference title game. UNDER THE RADARNebraska at PurdueNeither team is in the Big West race, but the interesting thing is the Boilermakers (2-3) have won two straight against the Cornhuskers (1-4).

Among the three SEC games still on for this Saturday, Arkansas will visit No. Orgeron said he expects most of his players in quarantine due to contact tracing back next week. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said his team only had two positive cases as of Wednesday afternoon, but contact tracing had taken a toll. “Candidly, the numbers around contact tracing have emerged as one of our biggest challenges to playing. “The contact tracing has the potential to magnify even one positive test,” Sankey said.

What happens if an outbreak hits a team’s quarterback room? “Obviously this year there’s some things that will be unique,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said Monday without specifically discussing his players’ test results. “I think there certainly were those questions after the decision was made,” Ohio State team physician Jim Borchers said last week. And that’s all we really paid attention to.”Big Ten protocols say that athletes who test positive through point-of-contact daily testing must take a polymerase chain reaction test to confirm the first result. While Wisconsin awaits answers, Big Ten teams continue reminding quarterbacks about the potential risks inherent in this unusual season.

Ohio State was a close No. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State coach Ryan Day is pushing the Big Ten for answers about when the conference plans to play a football season. Ohio State was No. That’s the hard part.”The Big Ten announced on Aug. 11 it was postponing its fall football season. Ohio State and other schools already are suffering financially because of the decision.

Big Ten coaches, athletic directors and medical personnel are working on multiple plans for staging a football season including one that would have the league kicking off as soon as Thanksgiving weekend. The person spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because the Big Ten was not making public its efforts to have a football season that starts in either late fall or winter. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported the Big Ten was considering a possible Thanksgiving start to the season. The Big Ten announced on Aug. 11 it was postponing its fall football season because of concerns about playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. If they are met, thats when theyll get back, the person told AP.