Ohio State's Urban Meyer, facing bowl ban, to place more emphasis on Michigan game

Meyer was hired as the Buckeyes' coach during Michigan week last year, replacing interim coach Luke Fickell. The Wolverines won that game, 40-34, snapping their seven-game skid in the series.

Ohio State lost its final four games of the season to finish 6-7, its first losing season since 1988.

Meyer brings hope to Columbus, though, after his work at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida. He won two national championships with the Gators, and turned several quarterbacks into Heisman Trophy contenders.

His star pupil, Tim Tebow at Florida, became the first sophomore in the history of college football to win the award.

Meyer, as it happens, inherits a dynamic mobile quarterback at Ohio State in Braxton Miller. The sophomore is expected to prosper in the new spread offensive scheme.

But without a postseason state, will Ohio State be resigned to treating Michigan like a bowl game?

"I haven't made that decision yet on how we'll attack that game," Meyer said. "It will be our biggest game of the year, and we'll be ready for it. If we have to come up with some kind of gimmick or something to go play that game, that means we're not very good.

I've had to do that before. Coaches kind of circle the wagons and give out wristbands and do all kinds of crazy T-shirts and all that. (But) I'm hoping we're really, really good, tackle well and move the ball well and play a great game against a very good team."