CHRIS OLAVE

In an NFL draft focused early on stoppers, it was the goers — wide receivers — who stole the spotlight Thursday night.

Kayvon Thibodeaux doesn’t lack any confidence, already proclaiming himself the best player in the NFL draft.

This year’s NFL draft has the chance to be unlike any other in recent years with a possible long wait before any of the players who throw, catch or run with the ball coming off the board.

One player has been off-limits for Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel when preparing for the NFL draft with general manager Jon Robinson: Tyler Vrabel.

The emergence of former LSU teammates Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase casts doubt on the conventional wisdom that NFL teams can’t count on rookie wide receivers.

Quarterbacks Malik Willis and Matt Corral are among 21 prospects who will attend the NFL Draft in Las Vegas later this month.

A deep, talented group of receivers came to this week's NFL scouting combine with a simple goal.

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Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and Alabama teammates Will Anderson Jr. and Jameson Williams have been selected All-Americans by The Associated Press.

The Associated Press will increase the number of players honored on its annual All-America teams to include a third wide receiver and fifth defensive back.

Ohio State is No. 2 in The Associated Press college football poll, jumping three spots past No. 3 Alabama and No. 4 Cincinnati in a close vote.

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TreVeyon Henderson ran for 152 yards and a touchdown and No. 5 Ohio State made enough long plays and short field goals to hold off No. 20 Penn State 33-24.

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The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten and Pac-12 are forming an alliance to work together on the future of college athletics and scheduling.

Notre Dame and Iowa State each has three players on The Associated Press preseason All-America team.

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. 11, where Clemson coach Dabo Swinney placed Ohio State on his ballot in the final regular-season coaches' poll. Ohio State beat the Crimson Tide in the semifinals on the way to the 2014 national championship. “This performance by this team I hope will go down in Ohio State history as a landmark victory,” Day said. Ohio State did not give details about their absences, but all four had played in the Big Ten championship two weeks ago.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields runs past Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis during the first half of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)NEW ORLEANS – Clemson starting middle linebacker James Skalski has been ejected from the Sugar Bowl for a tackle that knocked Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields out of the game for one play. Officials concluded that Skalski committed targeting by leading with the crown of his helmet when he hit Fields in the ribs. After that touchdown, Fields was 12 of 13 for 173 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He entered the Sugar Bowl with 39 tackles, including 3 1/2 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery in eight games.

Ohio State running back Master Teague III, left, runs with the ball past Northwestern linebacker Chris Bergin (28) during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)Ohio State will be without starting guard Harry Miller, second-leading rusher Master Teague and defensive ends Zach Harrison and Tyler Friday in the Sugar Bowl against Clemson. Ohio State released a list of 16 players who are unavailable for the College Football Playoff semifinal. The Buckeyes had 22 unavailable players that day. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

3 Ohio State (6-0, No. ... Clemson beat Ohio State 29-23 in a Fiesta Bowl CFP semifinal last season. ... All of Clemson's victories over Ohio State have come in bowl games, including the Orange Bowl at the end of the 2013 season and the 1978 Peach Bowl. ... Clemson is making its third Sugar Bowl appearance and is seeking its first Sugar Bowl win. ... Ohio State is making its sixth Sugar Bowl appearance and has won its last three, including a 42-35 triumph over Alabama in the first CFP semifinal on Jan. 1, 2015.

Fields led Ohio State to a 6-0 record and the No. 7 Indiana (6-1) to its highest ranking since 1967, knocking off three ranked teams along the way. Its only loss was 42-35 at Ohio State in a game that went down to the final play. u-QB — Justin Fields, Ohio State, 6-3, 228, Jr., Kennesaw, Georgia. C — Josh Myers, Ohio State, 6-5, 312, Jr., Miamisburg, Ohio.

(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 Sweeney 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.

3 Ohio State rally for a 22-10 victory over Northwestern for a fourth consecutive Big Ten championship. It's the first time Ohio State has won four consecutive outright conference crowns. Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields was 12 of 27 with 114 yards and ran 12 times for 35 yards. Ohio State: Whatever happens in the polls this week, the Buckeyes really only care about one thing — making the playoff. Ohio State: Will wait to see if it has earned one of the precious four playoff spots.

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 Rutgers during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. Fields threw two touchdown passes to Chris Olave, with Jameson Williams, Garrett Wilson and Jeremy Ruckert also recipients of scoring passes. Wilson caught six passes for 104 yards for Ohio State, and Fields completed passes to nine receivers. They battled Ohio State but couldn't climb out of the hole they dug early. Ohio State: The Buckeyes were sloppy and got stuck in the mud at times, but Fields can make things happen.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields (1) looks for a receiver during the first quarter against Penn State in an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. The Ohio State quarterback is just fine shredding defenses in front of a more intimate gathering. Ohio State (2-0) didn’t take long to break the game open and hand Penn State (0-2) its first 0-2 start since 2013. Penn State got on the board when Jake Pinegar capped an 11-play, 61-yard drive with a 31-yard field goal. The Nittany Lions got a break when Ohio State turned the ball over on downs with a second left before halftime.

5 Ohio State shook off the rust in the first half and then buried Nebraska the rest of the way. Then came Fields' nifty touchdown run and a 55-yard scoop and score by Buckeyes cornerback Sevyn Banks, and Ohio State had it under control. “That's one heck of a run right there," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. It is believed to be the smallest crowd to watch an Ohio State game since sometime before 1910. Ohio State: Faces No.