Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has not lost in the rivalry with Michigan.
With a 6-0 record against Michigan at Ohio State, Meyer has the Wolverines number, but heading into this year’s game, the tables seemed to have started to turn. Michigan comes in as the higher ranked team and playing better in recent weeks.
In Ohio State’s last game, the Buckeyes were gashed by Maryland, giving up 535 yards and 51 points. Meyer was concerned with how his team played ahead of the matchup with Michigan.
“Bunch of things happened,” Meyer said. “Obviously it was very alarming to see -- I thought that we started to crack the rock the last few weeks as far as playing good defense, elimination of big plays. And obviously it was not good.
“So we're not blaming people, whether it be missed tackle, alignment, scheme, whatever it is. It's a matter of getting ready for this one. We watched it with the defense and it was not good.”
While Ohio State is an underdog against Michigan, the Buckeyes are 10-1 in their last 11 games in the rivalry.
“We don't talk about those things,” Meyer said. “We talk about how to -- it's really about game -- we have a saying around here: The most prepared team will win the game. It's not who's favored and who is not. I didn't know that. And I don't imagine our team really does, I guess. If they are, then they're looking at the wrong stuff. They ought to be working on how to win an individual battle against a good team.”
Michigan and Ohio are rivals, but Meyer said he has a high level of respect for the Wolverines.
“I can only speak for myself, and I think the words are critical,” Meyer said. “I've been that way for several years. Absolutely incredible respect. And how do you respect someone and something, so that someone's your rival, some things are the rivalry game? How do you respect -- you work so freakin' hard at it to do your very best.
“That's our sign. That's not talking about it, not publicly going after -- because we don't, I don't do that. And that's -- how do you show respect for them and the game? You work, which we are. We're working so damn hard for this.”
Meyer knows there’s a certain level of pressure that comes with this game.
“I'll say this, especially the time and the effort and the players and the coaching staff -- and if you're asking me, the head coach -- the amount of time and effort that you put into these games -- and certainly there's no bigger than this -- you know, the word pressure absolutely is there,” Meyer said. “For someone to say there's no pressure that's not true.”
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