Urban Meyer picked a strange week to school everyone on the word "rivalry."
The Ohio State coach is heading into the Big Ten's marquee regular-season game, Saturday night at Michigan State, with a chance to avenge a devastating loss in last year's conference title game.
The stakes couldn't be much higher. The Big Ten East title is on the line. The loser can kiss its College Football Playoff hopes goodbye. And these two teams have been waging some major recruiting battles behind the scenes.
But at the first mention of the word rivalry, Meyer paid homage to … Ohio State-Michigan?
"We have one rival here," Meyer said. "… And our guys know that. So to say this is a rivalry game [against Michigan State] — that would diminish the rivalry that's been here for 100 years. This is a great game because it's two teams battling for first place."
Perhaps this was Meyer's way of lessening the immense pressure Michigan State will bring for an Ohio State team loaded with key underclassmen, including redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett.
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio agreed with Meyer, saying the Spartans' two main rivalries are with Michigan and Notre Dame. But privately, the Spartans are probably citing Meyer's words as more proof people haven't taken the program's dramatic rise seriously.
Michigan State is a 3½-point favorite at home. Looking at the stats, it's understandable why it would be that close. Both teams are 7-1, 4-0 in the Big Ten. Points scored: Ohio State leads 365-364. Points allowed: Ohio State has a slight edge 159-162.
But I predict this will be another coming-out party for the Spartans. They are such a complete team, and they are loaded with battle-tested talent, including junior quarterback Connor Cook, the MVP of last season's Big Ten title game and Rose Bowl.
The one blemish on Michigan State's résumé is the 19-point loss at Oregon on Sept. 6. The Spartans led that game 27-18 in the third quarter before Marcus Mariota and the Ducks started shredding their vaunted defense.
Ohio State's loss looks worse. Virginia Tech capitalized on three Barrett interceptions in a 14-point win that same Saturday in Columbus. The Hokies have since stumbled to a 4-5 record.
The College Football Playoff selection committee — which currently has Michigan State ranked No. 8 and Ohio State No. 14 — has said it will take key injuries into account. On Sept. 6, Ohio State was still reeling from Braxton Miller's season-ending shoulder injury. Since then, Barrett quickly has come of age. He ranks fourth in the nation in pass efficiency (170.0).
"Barrett works better [than Miller] in this offense," Michigan State linebacker Taiwan Jones said. "I feel like he has a better arm. He's a way better quarterback than Braxton."
Miller didn't seem too amused, tweeting of Jones, "Never heard of the kid #34 … 4 yrs unnoticed."
Miller was the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year the past two seasons, but a case can be made that the Buckeyes are better off with Barrett.
"I think Braxton is a little bit more tailback," Dantonio said. "He can take a bad play and make it a good play. I think J.T. plays a little bit more controlled like a quarterback. He's throwing the ball very effectively — minimum amount of interceptions, high percentage, and I think that's probably where the difference is."
Barrett showed his mettle in the way he rallied Ohio State in the team's two-overtime victory at Penn State two weeks ago. But he's never been tested in a game quite like this. It should be fascinating to watch, and when it ends, most will probably agree this has become another great rivalry.
