The Denver Post

No. 6 Ohio St. ignores sideshows as title game vs. Northweste­rn looms

- By Michael Marot

INDI A N A POLIS» Urban Meyer arrived in Indianapol­is on Friday with one goal — heading home with another Big Ten championsh­ip trophy.

He treated everything else as a sideshow.

Meyer ignored speculatio­n about his coaching future and deflected talk about what No. 6 Ohio State would need to earn a spot in the college football playoff. Instead, Meyer stuck to the same message he’s relayed to his team all week: Just focus on football.

“We wanted to be hard on them, be fresh and be mentally prepared and I think we’re there,” Meyer said. “I like where we’re at.”

Being back in Indy for another shot at the title and yet another possible playoff berth should be a relief in itself.

Seven weeks ago, the Buckeyes’ championsh­ip hopes nearly vanished with an embarrassi­ng 49-20 loss at Purdue. But Ohio State rebounded by hanging on against Nebraska, walloping No. 18 Michigan State and outlasting Maryland in overtime before moving back into playoff contention with an impressive 62-39 Big Ten Eastclinch­ing victory over No. 4 Michigan

Since then, Meyer has dealt with all sorts of chatter and speculatio­n, ranging from potential playoff scenarios to reports about his future at Ohio State (11-1, 8-1, No. 6 CFP),

“Uh, no comment on that,” Meyer said when asked Friday about a report that next season would be his last in Columbus, Ohio.

Northweste­rn, meanwhile, continues to embrace playing the underdog.

Few expected the Wildcats (8-4, 8-1, No. 19) to dethrone Wisconsin in the Big Ten West, especially after losses to Duke, Akron and Michigan in successive weeks in September. But their only other stumble came against Notre Dame, another playoff hopeful, and now it appears Northweste­rn is one win away from reaching its first Rose Bowl since coach Pat Fitzgerald was a Wildcats’ player in 1995.

It’s Northweste­rn’s first appearance in Indianapol­is and one Fitzgerald believes is overdue.

“We’ve been building this program now for 13 years and a lot of thoughts, a lot of emotions when we pulled in here,” Fitzgerald said, recalling what former coaches Gary Barnett and Randy Walker did for the program and his career. “This was the next hurdle for our program to get over. The next goal is to win it.”

Again, the doubters give the Wildcats no chance against the suddenly resurgent Buckeyes.

Ohio State was installed at a two-touchdown favorite Saturday, one week after they hung 62 points on one of America’s stingiest defenses. They’re led by Big Ten offensive player of the year Dwayne Haskins, who set conference single-season records for yards passing (4,081) and touchdown passes (42).

And while Northweste­rn relies on an old-school style, Fitzgerald knows just how well the Wildcats must play to give themselves a chance against a team that seemingly needs a huge win to impress the selection committee.

“I only deal with it when you ask me, so it’s not uncomforta­ble,” Meyer said about what the Buckeyes must do. “We don’t deal with it.”

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