Stormin in Norman
Fansided

OU Football: Urban Meyer Concerned About Playing Sooners in Norman

By Chip Rouse

Jul 26, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer addresses the media during the Big Ten football media day at the Hyatt Regency. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 26, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer addresses the media during the Big Ten football media day at the Hyatt Regency. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer knows a thing or to about the toughness and tradition that is part of the DNA of OU football.

Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer looks on during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer looks on during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

That helps explain the degree of caution you could read into his comments at Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday about having to go to Norman in the third game of the 2016 season and go to battle with the Sooners in what is likely to be the season’s first showdown of top-five teams.

In fact, the Sept. 17 matchup at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium could easily be between the No. 1 and No. 3 teams in the nation, depending on what happens in the two weekends before.

Meyer told reporters at Big Ten Media Days that he is glad the Buckeyes will get a couple of games under the belt before having to go on the road to face the Sooners.

With just six starters returning on offense and defense for Ohio State in 2016 and 44 players on the roster that haven’t played one down of college football in an actual game, it is easy to see why the Buckeye head coach has some reservations about having to go play at Oklahoma.

Asked by reporters at Big Ten Media Days about the game at Oklahoma and cited in CampusInsiders.com. a college sports website, and a number of news and social media outlets on Wednesday, Meyer said:

"“I’m not sure I really like that. It’s there (at Oklahoma). We know it’s coming. I’m glad we have two games to get a little bit underneath our belt.“It would be hard to take a completely green team into a game like that,” he said."

For this game to live up to all the preseason hype and expectations being attached to it, however, the Sooners will have to take care of business in a formidable road assignment of their own to kickoff the 2016 season. Houston, which finished eighth in the final Associated Press poll last season, awaits OU in Week 1, followed by the 2016 home opener against Louisiana-Monroe.

Ohio State doesn’t have a walk in the park in its first couple of games, either. The Buckeyes open up against Bowling Green and then hosts Tulsa the second weekend of the new season.

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