Fresh off a rise in the College Football Playoff rankings, Ohio State is a few days away from its final road game of the regular season. The Buckeyes travel to Michigan State on Saturday.
Urban Meyer and the No. 2 Buckeyes are 9-1 and Mark Dantonio's Spartans are 3-7, but the latter won the last meeting between the two programs—a 17-14 outcome in Columbus that ended Ohio State's chances at the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff.
Similar circumstances are present on Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon from Spartan Stadium.
Meyer met with the media briefly after practice on Wednesday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
NOTES:
- Meyer, on Playoff rankings: "Obviously people respect our work.
- On past players coming back to the program, like Joey Bosa and Joshua Perry did on Wednesday: "That's really good stuff. That's always my hope, that that happens."
- On Tyler Durbin's 45-yard field goal last weekend: "I just wish that sonuvagun had more years (of eligibility)." Said he would consider using Durbin for a 50-plus-yard field goal but it depends on the wind and other elements.
- Meyer has not talked with his team yet about its stance in the Big Ten or College Football Playoff: "I don't avoid it but just beat Michigan State."
- Meyer called Michigan State "extremely dangerous." Said he thinks they're as well-coached as any team in the country.
- Meyer called his secondary "pretty good" when asked how it ranks to the rest of teams in his career: "First, second ... sixth. I don't know. But they're pretty good." He gave Kerry Coombs and Greg Schiano the credit for establishing that group as one of the nation's best. Added that he considers his four defensive coaches four defensive coordinators.
- Meyer said he was "very concerned" heading into the season about interior defensive line depth but Larry Johnson has helped turn that into a strength. When did he realize Ohio State would be in OK in that area? "Not yet."
- Asked about the potential for a storm on Saturday and how to prepare for it: "I haven't figured out how to create a weather front yet ... but it does affect game planning."
- "We know how rugged these next two games are."
