Urban Meyer Doesn't Have Ohio State Winning The National Championship
12/12/2024 05:06 PM
The Ohio State Buckeyes are getting set for their first-round matchup in the College Football Playoff, and they'll be facing Tennessee in one of the opening games.
The Buckeyes could begin the long road toward a national championship with a deep Playoff run, but one former Ohio State coach isn't picking them to lift the trophy when the Playoff is over.
Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer gave a clear endorsement to another Big Ten team when he was asked about his favorite to win the national title.
"I think they're the fastest team in the country... but when they're firing on all cylinders, they're the best team in the country," Meyer said on "The Triple Option" podcast, which also features his FOX colleagues Mark Ingram and Robert Stone.
"I think they're the most balanced offense and defensively... that's my favorite. I have Oregon."
Meyer appears to have changed his prediction on this season's national champion after Ohio State's loss to Michigan. The Buckeyes were on track to potentially win the Big Ten title and a bye in the Playoff, but they'll have to play an extra game against a very good team from the SEC in the first round after losing to Michigan.
Oregon won the Big Ten title by defeating Penn State, and they're the top seed in the Playoff after entering with an undefeated record.
The Ducks could face Ohio State in the quarterfinals if they're able to take down Tennessee, setting up a rematch many fans expected to see in the Big Ten championship game.
The 12-team Playoff bracket features four teams from the Big Ten, which shows how competitive the conference was this season. Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State and Indiana have all been great this year, and they've been rewarded with an opportunity to win the national championship.
Meyer mentioned Ohio State and Texas as "underdogs" who could win the Playoff, but each team will need to win the extra first-round game in order to get there. Ohio State will open their Playoff journey against Tennessee, while Texas will face Clemson in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
We'll see how things play out, and we'll find out which team emerges as the top program in the country following the first 12-team College Football Playoff later this month.
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