Ohio State-Miami is a critical College Football Playoff matchup that could be a blueprint for how the inevitable national title game stacks up. Should the Buckeyes make their second straight appearance, beating a talented ACC opponent could be the return to the Buckeyes' winning ways.
To do so, however, former Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer offered a simple game plan for his former team to leave Arlington victorious New Year's Eve: clean, complementary football with control in all three phases.
More specifically, the offensive side of the ball as they expect wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to be a key vocal point for quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist, Julian Sayin, to throw to. As often as possible.
Meyer spoke about the matchup on a recent edition of "The Triple Option" podcast, characterizing it as a mismatch for the Hurricanes despite their defense. They pulled through against the Texas A&M Aggies, 10-3, this past Saturday.
"I think Ohio State covers," Meyer said if he were to bet the game. "I just don’t know how Miami is going to score points against the top defense in the land. And, they’re going to watch that film, and you’re going to see an excited group of Buckeyes getting ready to play that offense."
The "excited group" may still be licking their wounds after seeing their undefeated run come to a halt against the Indiana Hoosiers Dec. 6.
But now, it's a clean slate and Meyer trusts his guys will be ready to redeem themselves.
"If Ohio State comes out and plays—they just didn’t play well on offense against Indiana," Meyer said. "This could be a low scoring game, but I just don’t see Miami scoring. If Ohio State scores two touchdowns, they win.”
In a few days, we'll find out if Meyer is onto something or if the Hurricanes' "legit" defense will end Ohio State's season.