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/mitchstacy Zapatillas Salomon Baratas España . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. Salomon Baratas Chinas . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. http://www.baratassalomon.es/ . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Salomon Baratas España . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games. Zapatillas Salomon España . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. NORMAN, Okla. -- Lakota Beatty scored 20 points, Maria Martianez had 18 points with 13 rebounds and Oral Roberts used an 18-0 run in the fourth quarter to shock No. 12 Oklahoma 74-67 on Sunday.A 3-pointer by Peyton Little with 6:35 to play had the Sooners up 65-54 but they wouldnt score again until Maddie Mannings layup with 13 seconds remaining cut the Oral Roberts lead to 72-67. Oklahoma missed 10 shots and three turnovers in that stretch.Kaylan Mayberry scored the first four points of the run, Martianez scored six straight and Faith Ihim contributed five points. The Golden Eagles made all six oof their free throws in the final minute, four by Beatty.ddddddddddddMayberry finished with 12 points and Ihim had 9 points and 10 rebounds as ORU (4-4) outrebounded Oklahoma 45-38.Oklahoma (5-2), which lost its second straight, had won 18 straight over the Golden Eagles but this was their first meeting in 11 years. Little scored 12 points but Vionise Pierre-Louis, the second leading scorer (12.0) and leading rebounder (10.8), only played four minutes and did not score. ' ' '