If championships are truly won in November, Ohio State is in for a stiff challenge this fall.
The Buckeyes, fresh off their improbable tear through the 2014 postseason, are gearing up for another championship run in 2015, but a treacherous November slate that features Minnesota, Michigan State and Michigan could prove to be a significant speed bump along the way.
And if Meyer wants to propel his team into the College Football Playoff for the second consecutive year, he’ll likely have to navigate that November stretch unscathed.
Of course, three of the four teams that participated in the first playoff (Ohio State, Oregon and Alabama) brought a lone blemish into the postseason, but all of those defeats were suffered before the first week of October rolled around.
Other contenders such as Mississippi State, Michigan State and even Ole Miss weren’t as fortunate, losing pivotal November games that crushed their chances of making it into the coveted final four.
The Buckeyes are hoping to avoid a similar fate this year. The challenge will start on November 7 with Minnesota.
These two met last October under frigid Minneapolis conditions, with the temperature dipping to a chilling 15 degrees at kickoff. The Buckeyes scored the first 14 points in each half, but the Gophers battled back before eventually falling 31-24.
“I challenge any team in the country that wants to go ahead and schedule this one in November,” Meyer said, according to Dave Campbell of…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: Will Backloaded Schedule Spoil Buckeyes’ 2015 Playoff Run?
