Are the Buckeyes ready for the Sooners?
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Urban Meyer has liked what he has seen out of his team during this week leading up to play Oklahoma but it is a good thing that the game is not Wednesday.
"I am glad we have another two days to get ready. But I love our effort, it was outstanding," Meyer said. "They are a really good team that we are playing and they are not just good players but they are well-coached and good concepts. We are not quite ready as far as that concerned."
Ohio State (2-0) and Oklahoma (1-1) will be one of the major games on a weekend docket filled with top games. The top three teams in the Associated Press poll will all play ranked foes on the road with Alabama and Florida State also having tough tests coming up.
The Buckeyes are approximately a one-point favorite according to the sports books on Wednesday evening which means this game really could be a close one with two top teams separated by a razor thin margin.
"This is going to be one of those prize fights, this is going to be a tough one." Meyer said.
Ohio State may be without linebacker Dante Booker who was listed as probable earlier in the week but it sounds like he has not progressed the way that the coaches had been hoping for.
"(Dante), I would say he is more questionable now, he did not do much today," Meyer said. "We will find out more tomorrow. Jerome Baker actually played pretty good in there last week. What does Dante give us? Just a really good player when he is healthy."
The Buckeyes know that Baker Mayfield will pose a threat not only as a passer but a runner as well. Meyer has spent the last two days watching clips of the Oklahoma quarterback in action and he was every bit as good as advertised.
"The biggest thing is he is a creator of plays," Meyer said. "He (doesn't only) make the plays that are there but he had a couple outstanding plays where nothing is there. It's hard to bring him down."
Offensively the Buckeyes will look toward week one tape of Oklahoma against Houston, with head coach Tom Herman. The Buckeyes have a lot of similarities to the Cougars and to the Clemson Tigers in terms of offensive identity. It does not hurt that Oklahoma lost both of those games and the Buckeyes hope that the trend continues.
But the tape also shows some things that Oklahoma does well. And the Buckeyes may have a hard time
"The thing this just proves is how hard it is to run the ball against them. Houston did not run the ball very good," Meyer said. "They had some great back shoulder throws and some great throws and big plays when they needed it. That does help you when you see a little bit of a similar offense just how they are going to line up."