Urban Meyer calls Penn State game a “Super Bowl” for Ohio State

Urban Meyer knows what he would do if he were still coaching Ohio State at Penn State on Saturday.

“I would just dumb this thing down for this offensive line and get the ball to your best players,” Meyer, a three-time national championship head coach, said on “The Tim May Show” this week. “The skill level at Ohio State is still probably the best it’s ever been.

“And I would run the quarterback. I would let him run often. I made a comment saying I would run it 15-20 times in this game. He is the great balancer. The running quarterback equalizes numbers for you in an instant and it actually forces the team to stop doing a lot of that nonsense – when you start seeing all the chaotic defense, run your quarterback because you're going to gain a blocker.”

Meyer added: “I understand the concern about not wanting to hurt the guys, but that's it for now. “This is the Super Bowl. Of course that’s the result at the end of the season, but that’s the game.”

“The end-of-season date” Meyer alluded to is, of course, an annual date with Michigan on Thanksgiving weekend. This matchup will be in the spotlight as always, but especially because current Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has lost three straight games to the Wolverines.

However, it will not be a top three duel like in the last two seasons.

However, Ohio State will play its second top-four matchup in its last three games on Saturday at Penn State. Beaver Stadium hosts the No. 4 Buckeyes (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) and the No. 3 Nittany Lions (7-0, 4-0).

It's a homecoming for Ohio State's quarterback Will Howardwho grew up just hours from State College in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and wanted to play for Penn State. Now he gets a chance to show the Nittany Lions what they've been missing – for Meyer, Howard's legs could be the X-factor for the Buckeyes.

After all, Howard, who scored 19 touchdowns in four years at Kansas State, has already found the end zone on the ground five times this season, recording 91 rushing yards. He will serve as quarterback behind Ohio State University's third offensive line combination in as many games.

There's a lot at stake not only for Howard and Day, but also for the Buckeyes team, which needs a win to stay alive in the Big Ten title race. Ohio State hasn't won the Big Ten since 2020. Considering top-ranked Oregon is still undefeated along with No. 13 Indiana and Penn State, a loss to the Nittany Lions would effectively eliminate the Buckeyes from contention for the conference championship.

It would also complicate Ohio State's path to the College Football Playoff.

Lettermen Row's Tim May asked Meyer if he was looking forward to coaching in high-stakes games like Saturday's head-to-head game between Ohio State and Penn State.

“When I was a younger gunslinger, wild trainer and stuff, I did that,” Meyer said. “But when I talk to (longtime Oklahoma head coach) Bob Stoops and other friends of mine, as I get older, it's almost like it's torture. Because at Ohio State, it's one of the three, four or five programs – and that's what I said on Big Noon – there's actually a rule, it doesn't exist, but you can't lose. And victory becomes a relief.

“I'll never forget it, we had a few close calls. The one in Maryland (a 52-51 overtime win in 2018). I mean, it's like the game is over and you're desperate because if that kid catches the ball, we lose. And Shelly said it to me once: 'I knew our lives would be very different if we had lost that game.' That's why everyone is so emotional about it.”

Meyer continued, referencing Ohio State's narrow 21-17 win over Nebraska last week: “And so you can say, 'Nebraska this, Nebraska that,' you won, so move on.” You won . It would be a very different day if Nebraska had scored. Of course you look forward to it, but the reality is, as you get a little older, it gets to you a little.”

There is no doubt that Day, Meyer's successor, is under pressure this week. For him and Penn State head coach James Franklin, it's a prove-it game.

Meyer believes Day can't hold back shots, especially in the quarterback run game. He sees Saturday as the Buckeyes' Super Bowl.