Farewell Urban Meyer, Buckeyes Send Legendary Coach Off With a 28-23 Rose Bowl Victory

Was it ever going to end a different way? When Urban Meyer announced that his serious health issues were forcing him to retire after the bowl game, the Buckeye coaches, players, and fans decided to send him off the way he deserved. With a beautiful Pasadena sunset and an easy Rose Bowl victory.

187-32 overall. 3 National Championships. 12-3 in Bowl Games. 83-9 at Ohio State. 2-0 in retirement games. And 7-0 against Michigan. Job well done, Coach. What a ride you took us all on.

My heart is full. It’s a shame we’ll never see him coach again, but I’m glad we got to send him off on a high note. In fact, it was the highest of notes. A Rose Bowl Champion. The Granddaddy of Them All.

Look, I could write for days about how the committee got it wrong. That the Buckeyes were the clear #3 best team in the country. That Oklahoma’s defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed and that Notre Dame couldn’t win the MAC. But I won’t. Today is about Urban Meyer. I know he doesn’t want it that way. But now that it’s all said and done, I’d say he’s earned his time in the spotlight tonight.

So where do the Buckeyes go from here? Again, I could write dissertation about how the Buckeyes should secede from the Big 10. What good does it do us? Last year the conference went 7-1 in bowl play, and that got us 0 respect this year when we were the 12-1 Big 10 Champion. However, the committee will use this years conference bowl performance to justify a similar decision next year. On the other hand, Notre Dame is allowed to lose by a million points in every big bowl game they play in, but their past performance doesn’t factor in. Neither does their conference strength. Or their conference championships. Because they don’t have any. But if they go undefeated, they’ll be in again, and again, and again. I could talk about it all day if I really wanted to, but I don’t want to do that today. Today is about the end of an era.

The end of two eras, really. Two of the greatest to ever do it. Farewell Mr. Haskins. You and your 50 touchdowns deserved a Hesiman and a playoff berth this year, but the media refuses to ever do anything but tear down Ohio State. I don’t know how we’ll replace you, but this isn’t a flash in the pan type of school. This is The Ohio State University. We don’t rebuild. We reload. So buckle up everybody. It’s a New Day in Columbus.