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Former Florida coach Urban Meyer has one game left, a non-playoff Fiesta Bowl matchup with Notre Dame, in his fourth season at Ohio State. Meyer gave Gator Nation a memorable first four seasons, and has done similarly well with the Buckeyes – with one noticeable difference when it comes to championships.
OVERALL RECORD
- Florida (2005-2008): 44-9
- Ohio State (2012-2015): 49-4
Meyer’s first four years at Florida included two 13-1 seasons connected to BCS championships. Even in 2005 and 2007, with a combined record of 18-7, Meyer still managed a 5-1 record against UF’s three biggest rivals (Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State).
A mere four losses in four seasons at Ohio State is nothing short of phenomenal. Some credit, however, must go to former OSU coach Jim Tressel. Meyer inherited a perennial contender built by Tressel, who was forced to resign due to an off-the-field scandal, not because of on-the-field performance. Tressel went 94-22 in 10 seasons with the Buckeyes, and Meyer has already trimmed that average of roughly two losses per year down to one.
DIVISION AND CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- SEC East division winner: 2006, 2008
- SEC Championship Game winner: 2006, 2008
- Big Ten Leaders/East division winner: 2012*, 2013, 2014
- Big Ten Championship Game winner: 2014
UF’s clean sweeps of the SEC East in 2006 and 2008 guaranteed appearances in the SEC Championship Game even after regular-season losses to Auburn (2006) and Ole Miss (2008). Meyer was 2-0 in his first two conference title games at Florida.
The 2012 Buckeyes were unable to represent the Leaders division in the Big Ten Championship Game due to a postseason ban as part of the punishment for the scandal under Tressel. All four Meyer-coached OSU teams have looked like the best team in the Big Ten at times, but Meyer only has the one conference title to show for it.
BCS & NEW YEAR’S SIX BOWLS
- Florida: 2006, 2008
- Ohio State: 2012*, 2013, 2014, 2015
The difference between “off years” at Florida and Ohio State makes Meyer’s OSU tenure that much more impressive.
The 2012 Buckeyes, which went 12-0 in Meyer’s debut season at OSU, did not actually play in a bowl game due to the postseason ban. For all intents and purposes, however, Meyer did a coaching job worthy of a BCS bowl game. Even in seasons the Buckeyes have not win the Big Ten title, Meyer’s teams have been one of the best available at-large options.
When the Gators stumbled under Meyer, they fell to the Outback Bowl (2005) and Citrus Bowl (2007) – New Year’s Day bowls, but outside of the top tier.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Florida: 2006, 2008
- Ohio State: 2014
When it’s all said and done, this is the category that matters most. OSU’s bowl resume is more impressive, and the overall record is better, but college football is played to win it all, and Meyer did that more with Florida than he has at Ohio State in the first four years at each school. The Buckeyes are in the position to add more championships under Meyer, but for now, the trophy case favors the Gators.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
