Urban Meyer isn’t pretending to be calm about Ohio State’s meeting with Oregon.
The former Buckeyes head coach said he is “panicked” about Saturday’s matchup, even with his Ohio State ties. Meyer has been around the program enough in his post-coaching life to have a strong read on what’s happening, and he was recently right when he said the Buckeyes should turn to Tavien St. Clair at quarterback after Julian Sayin’s injury.
That kind of call has only strengthened the sense that Meyer still sees plenty inside the walls of the program. He has become, in the source’s words, the Buckeye Godfather, hovering around the team and acting like Ryan Day’s shadow.
The concern this week is Oregon, and not just because the Ducks are coming off a win. No matter what their record says, they still look like a loaded roster, and last Saturday’s performance against Northwestern suggested they may finally be putting it together. Oregon scored more than 30 points for the first time since Dante Moore was no longer its starting quarterback, and the defense tightened up when it needed to against a tough Northwestern offense.
That came right after Ohio State’s rough night in Los Angeles, where the Buckeyes were beaten badly by USC in every phase of the game. It was one of the most disappointing showings of Ryan Day’s time as head coach, and it left Ohio State in a dangerous spot.
The margin for error is gone now. The Buckeyes cannot afford another loss this season, and they are already outside the College Football Playoff picture. Another defeat would knock them out completely, while running the table would put them firmly back in the mix.
So Saturday carries all the weight. Ohio State is a 9.5-point favorite, and on paper the Buckeyes should win most of the time.
But the game won’t be played on paper. It will be played on grass, and what Ohio State showed last week was not nearly good enough.
If the Buckeyes don’t bring their best, they can get beat. And if they do get beat, their postseason hopes are finished, with another elite roster wasted.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Explains Tense Ohio State Exchange After USC Statement Win
USCs 30-18 win over Ohio State ended with more than just a statement on the scoreboard, as Lincoln Riley and Buckeyes athletic director Ross Bjork were involved in a brief verbal exchange on the field afterward. It was the kind of postgame moment that can linger a little longer than the game itself, especially after a result that carried real weight for both programs.
Riley brushed it off in his press conference, calling it a non-issue and saying the emotions of the moment spilled over before the two sides moved on quickly. He did not get into what set it off, leaving the scene as one of those tense little footnotes that follows a big win and invites a little more curiosity than the coach was willing to satisfy. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Oregon Upset Hopes Suddenly Rest On An Unplanned Change
A late change at quarterback has turned Ohio States trip to Oregon into a very different kind of test. Freshman Luke Fahey will get the start in place of the injured Julian Sayin, and the Buckeyes now have to lean on a new face in a game that could shape how the rest of their season is viewed. At 6-2, Ohio State still has plenty to play for, but the margin for error gets thinner when the offense is adjusting on the fly.
For the Buckeyes to keep pace with Oregon, the formula looks straightforward even if the execution is not. Fahey has to be protected, Jeremiah Smith needs to be part of the offense early and often, and the defense has to make life uncomfortable for Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola. Oregon enters at 5-3, and with both teams trying to steady themselves, this matchup suddenly feels like it could hinge on how well Ohio State handles an unplanned pivot. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A Brutal CFP Wake-Up Call
The first 12-team College Football Playoff rankings delivered an early jolt to the race, and Ohio State came out on the wrong side of it. The Buckeyes landed at No. 12, just outside the current field, after a recent loss and a quarterback injury helped push them down in the eyes of the selection committee.
Notre Dame checked in one spot ahead of Ohio State at No. 11, leaving both programs with work to do if they want to climb back into position. For the Buckeyes, the path forward is about more than style points now - they need to steady the season and make the committee reconsider before the bracket starts to harden. [Read more 🡒]