Former Florida AD Jeremy Foley inspired Urban Meyer to go for it on fourth down vs. Michigan
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Facing fourth-and-1 in the second overtime of Saturday’s matchup between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, a two-time national champion with Florida, didn’t hesitate.
He sent his offense quickly up to the line of scrimmage, prompting Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines to call timeout.
Instead of settling for the field goal, which would have forced a third overtime, the Buckeyes went for it, converted and eventually scored the game-winning touchdown.
Meyer recalled some advice former Florida AD Jeremy Foley gave him, which inspired him to make the quick decision to go for it on fourth down, according to OnlyGators.com:
“We used to talk about that all the time, and I agree with [Foley],” Meyer said of the idea of going for it on fourth-and-1 in such situations. “So that actually crossed my mind. If you can’t get that we’re not a championship team anyway.”
Because of the win over Michigan, the Buckeyes are likely still in the mix for a championship. At No. 2 in the latest polls, Ohio State will probably be one of the four teams to qualify for the College Football Playoff.
We’ll have to see if Meyer keeps up his aggressive fourth-down strategy moving forward with a title on the line.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
