Ohio State returns home for the first time in two weeks Saturday to host Minnesota under the Ohio Stadium lights.
Following a road win at Rutgers and a bye week, Urban Meyer's club was slotted at No. 3 in the inaugural College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday.
Notes:
- Meyer hasn't thought about whether or not Cardale Jones will be more relaxed Saturday since J.T. Barrett is unavailable: "We're just trying to get him ready in practice and he's been practicing well."
- "How do you not look over your shoulder playing quarterback at Ohio State? It's like playing shortstop for the Yankees."
- On the turnovers, Ohio State's gotten better in recent weeks, but it's still something that's discussed often. The defense is performing well in the pass game and getting to the quarterback.
- J.T. Barrett is working with Braxton Miller often in practice this week, and Joe Burrow is getting "quality reps."
- Miller has "a lot going on" this week. Miller works with quarterback coach Tim Beck then heads back to H-back to get his work there, seeing as how he's backup quarterback for Saturday.
- It doesn't change Meyer's team's approach facing an interim coach.
- On Darron Lee, he's played "excellent."
- Minnesota has "two NFL corners" on its defense.
- On Ohio State being ranked No. 3 in the CFP rankings, Meyer said he doesn't really have a reaction: "Those people have a tough job ... I didn't even address it with the team. We have so much to do to get ready."
- "This team's been through so much, it's just time to go," Meyer said when asked about how the team's responded to Barrett's suspension: "I haven't really felt it at all."
- A big part of this game is going to be how Ohio State can run the ball. Meyer anticipates that being a place of importance Saturday for Minnesota, because of how it played against Michigan last week.
- Meyer thinks Miller can play 40 plays now: "I'm extremely comfortable with him."
- On Damon Webb: He wasn't suspended by the football team, but the athletic department. Webb is back in the picture at nickel back, but is still working through a high ankle sprain. He also said he could not comment on why Webb was held out for six games.
- As he was walking away from the podium, a reporter asked, "Bengals or Browns?" Meyer's response: "Yes."
