Before every Tuesday practice, Urban Meyer gathers his team on the field at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to share with them a message for the week. He speaks to his players as a group often, but this week's lecture carried different weight.
"On Tuesday, he gave us a great speech, just talking about how we need to be prepared, this is a big one," wide receiver Parris Campbell said Wednesday after practice.
Meyer takes his young Ohio State roster southwest later this week for a showdown at No. 14 Oklahoma, a tradition-rich program led by Bob Stoops. The Sooners figure to be a desperate bunch, entering with a 1-1 record on the heels of a victory against Lousiana-Monroe last week and a loss to Tom Herman's Houston Cougars Sept. 3. Oklahoma cannot take another loss if it's plan is to return to the College Football Playoff.
"We know it's going to be a tough game. It's going to be a rugged one," H-back Curtis Samuel said. "We just gotta prepare ourselves and give it our all. The most prepared team will win the game."
“Toughness and where we're at. This is going to be one of those prize fights that's going to be a tough one.”– Urban Meyer
That last sentence serves as the team's slogan during practice this week, and Meyer has it plastered all over the walls and doors of the facility as constant reminders. Led by Heisman Trophy candidate Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma poses a new challenge from a scheme and athletic standpoint the Buckeyes did not see in their first two wins against Bowling Green and Tulsa. A long trip and night game is also a new hurdle for a team that returned just six starters from a year ago.
We're going to learn a ton about the Buckeyes on Saturday.
"Toughness and where we're at," Meyer said. "This is going to be one of those prize fights that's going to be a tough one."
He added that he is glad Ohio State has two more days of practice to continue installing its game plan against for the Sooners. His team needs it.
"Our effort was outstanding. They're a really good team we're playing. Not just players, but they're well-coached, good concepts," Meyer said. "We're not quite ready as far as that is concerned."
A national television audience is nothing new for Meyer and the Buckeyes but playing against a college football titan like Oklahoma and doing so under the lights is something half the roster is yet to experience. Ohio State's talent seeped through the cracks during its first two victories, but inconsistencies resulted in issues offensively in the first half against Tulsa.
Ohio State's defense has seven interceptions to its name but Mayfield teams up with Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon to form arguably the most talented and experienced backfield in the country. The group presents a new challenge, as does Oklahoma's secondary and athletic front seven.
"I just like to see my guys to get to play on that stage," Zach Smith said. "It's a big stage, it's why they came to Ohio State, they worked really hard to get there and it's very rewarding to watch your guys go out and reap the rewards of that work."
The reward is playing a team that went to the College Football Playoff a year ago is needs a signature win after dropping its season opener. Ohio State took care of business as it should in the first two weeks of the season but this one is unconventional. This one requires a more intense speech from the head coach.
This one proves if Ohio State can run with the nation's elite in 2016.
"To the world, I think we might be the biggest mystery there is but to the guys around here who we compete against every single day, everyone knows what we're capable of," Campbell said. "It's just a matter of showing it."
