Orange Bowl 2014: Has Urban Meyer Lost Big-Game Edge?

Everything was going Urban Meyer’s way to start his career at Ohio State. He was 24-0, and it appeared that no one could beat his Buckeyes from the Big Ten.

Two games later and two Top 15 teams have now come out victorious over his Buckeyes, as Clemson beat OSU, 40-35, in the Orange Bowl on Friday night.

Meyer is now on a two-game losing streak after seemingly doing no wrong during the Buckeyes’ 24-game win streak.

How the last two losses have happened—questionable play-calling on offense and a lack of taking advantage of opportunities—have some questioning if the magic of Meyer in big games is gone.

For as much as the past two games matter, it’s not just those losses that give us clues that Meyer’s big-game edge may have slipped.

If you go in the way-back machine and enter 2010, you see the big-game edge crumbling in his final season at the University of Florida. That team went 8-5 on the year and just 4-4 in SEC play.

More importantly, Meyer’s Gators went 0-4 against Top 25 teams that season, and a negative trend was being set.

Perhaps that was the beginning of the end for the legend of Meyer as nearly invincible, especially coming off a loss in the 2009 SEC Championship Game.

Yet, there was no questioning Meyer’s Buckeyes during the 24-game win streak, as they went 5-0 against Top 25 teams.

However, those were just regular-season games, and when championships and BCS games were on the line for the first time,…

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