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Step Two: You’re the defending national champion. Act the part.

The rhetoric is going to be so obvious. Meyer is going to grouse about how this year’s team is missing this, or how it’s being overrated because of that, and the No. 1 ranking is ridiculous because of a variety of pretend issues, but he has to say that. He can’t come out and tell the world that his 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes are absolutely loaded and should obliterate everyone and everything in their path.

But he should.

Of course the players know they’re good, and of course the coaches know this team is great, and of course everyone around the program thinks a playoff berth is a must, but there’s a difference between overconfidence and swagger. Unlike the end of last year, though, Ohio State could actually use the Nobody Believes In Us mantra, because it was true.

Last year’s team came into the Big Ten championship against Wisconsin as the underdog – one 59-0 win later, and it was off to the playoff.

The Buckeyes couldn’t handle an SEC champion like Alabama in the Sugar Bowl – until they got nasty and physical. They couldn’t stop the high-powered, Heisman-led Oregon attack in the national championship – until they did. But the key to the three massive wins to close out the season wasn’t due to any sort of smoke-screen motivation. Ohio State won the national championship because of brutally efficient and effective execution, and it could and should do that again.

This is the best team in college football. It’s okay to know that and play accordingly.

Path To The Playoff: Ohio State
– Step One: Accept that the quarterback situation is going to be a distraction and just live with it
– Step Three: Dominate, just in case
– Step Four: Depth, depth, depth. Use it
– Step Five: Don’t keep the other team in the game with giveaways
– Step Six: Stay interested until Thanksgiving
– Step Seven: For the love of Urban, HAVE FUN
– Is It Going To Happen?