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Ohio State blows out Indiana, 38-15. Now, it's time to do the same to That Team Up North.
Not many punching bags have been batted the past 15 years quite like the BCS. Even those who’ve benefitted from the system throw barbs at it. On Monday, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, owner of two BCS national titles, didn’t appear torn up about 2013 being the final year of style points and computer ratings. But he cautioned that controversy will always be part of college football.
“I think it’s a flawed system,” he said. “When you logically think about it, what the BCS people have done, which obviously we’re all part of it, I think it was great for a while. I think it took an imperfect system and did the best you can without a playoff. There’s going to be controversy in playoffs, too. There’s not a 64 team playoff. You’re going to have four guys. What is that fifth team going to feel like?”
That question won’t be answered until next year. For now, the third-ranked Buckeyes face the realistic possibility of being undefeated and winners of 25 consecutive games and being left out of the championship game.
BCS conversations have taken place at every interview session for a month. After Saturday’s 60-35 win at Illinois, Meyer said he thought maybe the team put too much emphasis on the national discussion. He was back to his one-game-at-a-time mantra Monday. The team's focus during Indiana week is on the Hoosiers, sending 18 seniors off in appropriate fashion and improvement in the team’s health.
Meyer rattled off nine names — Christian Bryant, Jamie Wood, Adam Griffin, Donovan Munger, Blake Thomas, Jayme Thompson, James Clark, Michael Hill and Antonio Underwood — that have been lost for the season at some point this year as well as injuries to Jack Mewhort, Curtis Grant, Joshua Perry and Joey Bosa in the last week.
“Our effort this week is we’re beat up a little bit,” Meyer said. “Right now, we’re just going through it. It’s showing up in our coverage units a little bit.”
For the first time Meyer can remember, he has five offensive players contributing on special teams. He isn’t complaining about the production but lamented the lack of good health.
“We’re going to really have to do a good job this week about teaching Warren Ball how to tackle, Ezekiel Elliott how to tackle,” Meyer said. “We might have another chat about 8 p.m. Saturday night if we play well. Up until that point, we’re all business. We have some issues we have to take care of. Every team is dealing with those issues right now, injuries. Making it right, that’s our job.”
It wasn’t all doom and gloom. Meyer said Bosa (neck) should play Saturday and deemed Perry (head) probable and Grant (ankle) 50/50.
According to Meyer, injuries aren’t the only thing holding Ohio State back. He admitted to coaching a “C” game and offensive coordinator Tom Herman said he could have called a better game. Meyer said the coaching has to get better. Indiana’s high-powered offense was completely shut down against Wisconsin last week, leading many to believe Senior Day in the Horseshoe could be a cakewalk. Vegas tabbed Ohio State a 31.5-point favorite. A victory would be the Buckeyes’ 23rd in a row, establish a new school record.
“We talked about it,” Meyer said. “Emphasis, no.”
