Urban Meyer, the former Ohio State Buckeyes mastermind, just dropped a truth bomb that should make every college football fan and coach stop and think. He believes the expanded playoff system, the one we’ve got now, could have actually made coaching less of a soul-crushing grind and maybe, just maybe, kept him on the sidelines for longer. That’s a huge “what-if” from a guy who’s won it all.
The BCS Grind Was Real
Meyer wasn’t mincing words on The Triple Option, stating plainly, “I love the playoffs. I wish they were there when I was coaching because that keeps your good players playing.” Think about that. For a coach who poured three decades into the game, his perspective on the old Bowl Championship Series era is brutal honesty. Back then, it was a two-team show. You slip up once, even early, and your national title dreams were toast. Number three? Done. No second chances. No back door. Meyer saw firsthand how that cutthroat system impacted locker rooms, especially for elite programs. Players, eyeing that NFL payday, had less reason to stick around for “meaningless” bowl games once their championship hopes were dashed. “Back in our era, the BCS era, you’re out of it,” he explained. “A lot of good players didn’t go to bowl games. A lot of good players, all they’re thinking about after the junior year…they’re gonna go…to the NFL and make money.” You can’t blame them, right? Who wants to eat peanut butter sandwiches when millions are on the table?
A New Playoff, A Different Game
The expanded playoff has changed the whole dang landscape. Now, more teams have legitimate stakes deep into the season. Games actually matter, week after week. This new format, Meyer argues, gives those future NFL stars a genuine reason to stay with their squad until the final whistle, instead of bailing early to prep for the draft. He isn’t guessing here. This is a man who resurrected programs at Bowling Green and Utah, who snagged two national championships at Florida, and who built Ohio State into an absolute powerhouse, going 83-9 under his watch. He even won the very first College Football Playoff national title in 2014, showing he could absolutely dominate the new four-team format. His comments now echo what we’ve heard before about why he ultimately walked away. After the 2018 season, he left Ohio State, citing the relentless physical and mental toll of recruiting battles, roster management, and that never-ending pressure to win.
So, while Meyer didn’t explicitly say a bigger playoff *would have* kept him coaching, that “I wish” feels heavy. It’s a look into the mind of a legendary coach, offering a rare glimpse at how fundamental structural changes can impact even the most driven competitors. What does it mean for college football now? It means the grind is still real, but maybe, just maybe, the expanded playoff is giving those coaches a fighting chance against burnout, keeping more of them on the sidelines for the long haul.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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