any of you guys bandwagon, OK, but this is the first time you guys have mentioned the Cowboys in like four years, Rivers said.LOSING THE LUSTERThe boos were still there for Jordan, who spurned the

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- After blowing away opponents in the first four games, Ohio States plummet has included offensive woes, an upset by unranked Penn State and a narrow escape against three-touchdown underdog Northwestern at home last week.Coach Urban Meyer has taken to calling the team a project and a work in progress, as if to reset expectations that soared in the first month of the season, when quarterback J.T. Barrett was breaking school passing records and new ball-hawking stars were emerging on defense.The No. 6 Buckeyes (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) will need to improve to get through the rest of their schedule unscathed -- especially Saturday night against No. 9 Nebraska (7-1, 4-1) and the annual season-ending tussle with No. 2 Michigan.The offensive line has struggled to protect Barrett at times, and receivers arent consistently getting open downfield. Game-changing deep balls are few and far between. The defense is allowing big gains.But Meyer and team leaders insist the Buckeyes havent gotten off track, that the stumbles are natural growing pains for a squad that returned just six starters from last year.I guess Im not normally like this, but I see a lot of positives from our team because I know what were playing and I know these young guys, and they are getting better because I see it from maybe a different angle (and) viewpoint than a lot of other people, Meyer said Monday.I like the fact that you get in a street fight and you win it, he said, referring to the Northwestern game, which was in doubt until the Buckeyes mounted a clock-eating drive to finish it off, 24-20. And thats a good sign the futures very bright here. Youve got a bunch of young cats going and swinging hard and practicing hard.Barrett has contended all along that theres nothing wrong with his unit.I dont think (weve) regressed by any means, said Barrett, who threw for 223 yards against Northwestern but didnt complete a pass over 19 yards until the fourth quarter.We like scoring fast and things like that, but theres not a problem with a 10-play drive, either, that ends on a touchdown, Barrett said. So as long as were scoring I really dont have a problem. ... We always want to progress and get better, but I think its at a good spot.Middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan offered some perspective: He noted how difficult it is for a team of mostly inexperienced players to go on the road and win in night games, as the Buckeyes did at Oklahoma and Wisconsin this year. The loss to Penn State at Happy Valley also was a raucous night game that ended in overtime.Wed love to be 3-0 in those situations, but to come out 2-1 is impressive for such a young team, McMillan said.Meyer is urging his players to enjoy the wins, no matter how they come and against whom.I know Im not doing that to myself. Ive tried to express that to the team as well, Barrett said. We work all year for 12 guaranteed games, and when you win a ballgame you dont want to overlook that.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.orgFollow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacyCustom New York Islanders Jerseys . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal — Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division — but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. Custom Netherland Soccer Jerseys . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. https://www.cheapcustomjerseysonline.com/custom-florida-panthers-jerseys/ .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. Custom Atletico Madrid Jerseys . Roman Josi had a goal and an assist to lead the Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night. Custom Miami Marlins Jerseys . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.DALLAS -- Chris Paul had to be reminded that the Los Angeles Clippers are up to an NBA-leading 14 wins.They wont get much easier than this one over the injury-plagued Dallas Mavericks.Paul scored 18 points, DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and eight rebounds and the Clippers cruised past the Mavericks 124-104 on Wednesday night in a matchup of the teams with the best and worst records in the NBA.I honestly didnt know we had 14 wins, said Paul, who added four assists and four steals. I know we have two losses. But for us, when youve been in this league for a while, its not necessarily about the wins. Its about how youre playing and about the spirit.Dirk Nowitzki scored 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting in 20 minutes in his return for Dallas after the 13-time All-Star missed eight games with a strained left Achilles tendon.Austin Rivers added 22 points -- half of them in a meaningless fourth quarter -- for the Clippers. They had a 30-6 run in the second and third quarters on the way to their fourth straight win and 11th in 12 games.Harrison Barnes had 22 to lead the Mavericks (2-12). They lost their seventh straight game to match their longest skid since February 1999, during Nowitzkis rookie season.Dallas, missing its top three point guards and facing a trip to defending champion Cleveland, is off to its worst start since going 1-23 in 1993-94. The Mavericks started the week with a valiant effort in a loss at San Antonio.This is obviously as tough a week as you can get in the NBA, Nowitzki said. So hopefully well fight through this and grind out a win here and there. And when the schedule turns in our favor hopefully get more healthy and run off some wins. Thats the only way to do it.Blake Griffin had 12 points, seven assists and six rebounds, all in the first three quarters along with the rest of the starters. The Clippers led by 31 in the third.Rivers scored 11 points in the first half, including 3-pointers just four seconds apart after he hit one, stole the inbound pass and made another. He was 6 of 7 from long range.TIP-INSClippers: LA shot 61 percent in the first half and made 9 of 14 from 3-point range. ... Marrreese Speights scored 16 and Jamal Crawford added 15 as the Clippers had a 65-43 advantage in bench scoring.dddddddddddd ... Speights had his first double-double with a season-high 12 rebounds. The 16 points matched his season high. ... JJ Redick had 10 points.Mavericks: PG Deron Williams sat for the eighth time in nine games with a left calf strain. He said hes hopeful to play next week. ... C Andrew Bogut was called for a flagrant foul on a hip-check of Paul as the Clippers point guard drove to the basket. Paul jumped up and went at Bogut, and the pair kept jawing as the referees prepared to review the play. ... Bogut had 12 rebounds and six assists after missing a game with a sore right calf.COWBOY UPThe Clippers will stay in the Dallas area to attend the Washington Redskins-Dallas Cowboys game on Thanksgiving before continuing a six-game trip Friday at Detroit. Paul is a well-documented fan of the Cowboys, who have the NFLs best record at 9-1. He wore the jersey of rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, the NFLs rushing leader, on the flight from Los Angeles. Paul has attended Cowboys training camp in the LA area.While acknowledging that his team has a bevy of Dallas fans, Clippers coach and Chicago Bears fan Doc Rivers had a parting shot for reporters. Im not going to call you any of you guys bandwagon, OK, but this is the first time you guys have mentioned the Cowboys in like four years, Rivers said.LOSING THE LUSTERThe boos were still there for Jordan, who spurned the Mavericks in free agency in the summer of 2015 after agreeing to join them. But they werent quite as loud or persistent as the 6-foot-11 centers two visits last season.UP NEXTClippers: The visit to the Pistons on the seasons longest trip is the first of four straight against Eastern Conference teams. Defending champion Cleveland is the last of those four opponents.Mavericks: A quick trip to face LeBron James, another Cowboys fan, and the Cavaliers on Friday before home games against New Orleans and San Antonio. ' ' '