By Anthony Chmielewski

Bowl season has arrived in college football and that means throughout late December there will be a full slate of games to watch. Ohio State, who is ranked 7th, will face off against one of the most prestigious football programs, Notre Dame, on Jan. 1 in the Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl.

While Ohio State certainly had its sights set on the crashing the college football playoff two years in a row, playing in the Fiesta Bowl is not too much of a letdown. Although the Buckeyes wanted to make the playoff, they only have themselves to blame as they lost their biggest game of the year against Michigan State with a lackluster performance.

“We did this to ourselves type of deal. We beat Michigan State, then the Team Up North, we’re not even having this conversation, you know what I’m saying?” Quarterback J.T. Barrett said according to Cleveland.com.

Ohio State has a tough task trying to defeat Notre Dame who currently sits one spot behind the Buckeyes in the rankings. Head coach Urban Meyer seems to always prepare his teams for the big games as he did last year in the playoff when the underdog Buckeyes knocked off both Alabama and Oregon.

One of the toughest things for the Buckeyes to do is stay focused while preparing for the game as it seems half the team is ready to go to the NFL. The players already have a national championship on their resume, and may have their focus on preparing for the draft rather than the Fiesta Bowl.

Ohio State will have a very good chance of winning if they fall back on what they do best which is running the ball with one of the best NFL prospects, Ezekiel Elliott. The one game the Buckeyes lost was in large due to the fact Elliott only had twelve carries which is unacceptable for someone so talented. Elliott and his teammates believed he was snubbed from the Heisman trophy won by Alabama running back Derrick Henry. One should expect a big game from Elliott as he tries to prove the doubters wrong in what will be his last game in a Buckeye uniform.

The Buckeyes’ defense will also have to step it up a notch against the very good offensive line from Notre Dame. Ohio State defensive lineman Adolphus Washington has been suspended for the bowl game meaning players like star defensive back Joey Bosa will need to have a big game.

Overall, one can expect an enjoyable, hard fought game as both teams will try to prove the playoff committee made a mistake not picking them. It will likely be an emotional game for some players from both teams will be headed to the draft or graduating after their last game with their respective teams.

On New Year’s day and throughout late December and early January, there will be many fun and enjoyable matchups to watch this year as bowl season is finally here.

By Declan Ange

On Nov. 30, the Cleveland Browns host the Baltimore Ravens in a divisional battle and have hopes to defeat the Ravens for the second time this year.

The Browns are having an absolutely terrible season this year sitting at a 2-8 season record and a 1-2 divisional record. The only two teams the Browns have defeated this year are two of few teams worse than them, the Ravens and the Tennessee Titans.

The Browns have had two different quarterbacks this year. The first being Josh McCown, and the second starter, who was previously named starter for the rest of the season, Johnny Manziel. When McCown started, the Browns had only won one game and lost six. Under Manziel, the Browns have won one and lost three.

The Browns are not the only team struggling this year. The Ravens are having a rough seasons as well. Baltimore has a record of 2-7, putting them ahead of the Browns in the divisional ranking, due to the Ravens already having their bye week.

These two teams happen to have a prime time game scheduled which should be a fun one to watch. The Browns have already defeated the struggling Ravens this year; therefore putting the odds in the Browns’ favor.

The first game was a close one as it went into overtime. The Browns won on a game winning field goal and the final score was 33-30. Both teams seemed to play well, putting up at least 30 points each.

The game on Monday night will not be a very popular game for people to watch, but it could be a key game for the Browns. If the Browns win a primetime game televised for all to watch, it may create a spark. The Browns need to come back and be a team with an 8-8 record.

Cleveland sports fans are used to being let down. Until the return of LeBron James, Clevelanders have been getting one mediocre season after another.

After a 7-9 season from the Browns, football aficionados saw many positives from the team. At Week 10, the team was 6-3 and leading the AFC North conference. The last leg of the year the Browns lost six of their last seven games.

When the regular season ended, the management announced the release of a new logo. Most Browns fans throughout Ohio thought it would be either the infamous Brownie the Elf or the bulldog.

The Browns did not have a definite logo. They had the helmet, the bulldog and Brownie. Finally after all the confusion the Browns would have one for sure logo. One new, fresh logo. That was not the case.

For anyone who does not know the look of the 2014 Browns season logo, it was a basic football helmet with a pale orange crown with brown and white stripes from front to back and a very light grey facemask. The 2014 Dog Pound logo is a mean-looking, orange bulldog with a brown shadow on the bottom of its face.

Browns fans were ready for something new, and on Tues, Nov. 24 they were going to get it. A new logo for the team they are so fanatic about.

The new logo for the 2015 Browns is the same basic helmet, a slightly brighter orange crown, same brown and white stripe with a brown face mask.

The excitement does not stop there. The new Dog Pound logo is a very feminine looking bulldog, with no definitive head outline with the words “DAWG POUND” under it.

As a Browns fan, this really angers me. It is not as much the new logo. I am fine with the fine tune. The fact that they said it was a new logo, and even worse than that is that they tried to play it off like its some new great thing is what angered me.

According to nfl.com, “The orange is brighter and richer and matches the passion of our fans and city, the brown is unchanged.”

If that was not enough, they have a new font. They said, “The contemporary redesigned wordmark is simplistic and utilizes a stronger, bolder font,”

The great and new Browns logo is a brighter orange, brown facemask and a bolder font. Yet another let down from Cleveland Browns football.