Nothing stings more than realizing your own legends might have doubts around your abilities. That’s the vibe for one Ohio State superstar, as former head coach Urban Meyer didn’t pick a winner of the Ohio vs. Michigan game. Meyer’s 7-0 history with the Wolverines screams dominance, but Ryan Day’s four-game losing streak shatters any definitive expectation of victory. And here we are watching Meyer’s clear hesitation while betting on the No. 1 team in college football.

“The winner of the game it’s America, I don’t have to pick the winner yet, so the winner make the playoffs,” Urban Meyer said on The Big Noon Kickoff.

Urban Meyer is back with his old stance that the winner of “The Game” will win the national championship. That came true in 2023 when Michigan won both. Even this year, Meyer is staying tight-lipped, avoiding Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy’s demands to make a casual, friendly bet too. His hesitance “tells a lot about Ohio State’s mental state,” Portnoy pointed out.

But Urban Meyer’s “safe bet” reflects the reality of Ohio State’s current skid against Michigan.The Wolverines don’t just lead their all-time series with a 62-51-6 record but also their last four games against Ohio State, which makes picking the Bucks a risky play right now. Despite winning four straight games against the Bucks, Michigan has entered 3 of them as underdogs. Even this year, they are 11.5-point underdogs as per FanDuel. This shows how well they can handle them against odds.

The foundation of Michigan’s confidence is its physical run game. While Ohio State’s defense has just allowed 2.6 yards per carry, which is the third best in the country, Michigan’s power run style might test them. Texas already showed it running for 166 yards on 37 attempts with 4.5 yards per carry against them. Now, if Michigan follows the same with running back Jordan Marshall leading the way, things might turn in their favor.

Then comes in the biggest reason behind Urban Meyer’s lack of confidence, and that’s wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate’s injury status. Both of their combined 1,613 yards and 17 touchdowns make them a reliable option for quarterback Julian Sayin, but if either one of them is out or limited during the game, things might turn south fast.

Now, Michigan’s ability to stop the run adds another layer to the concern. Ohio State average 4.7 yards per carry, ranking 34th, whereas Michigan has allowed three yards per carry, ranking 10th nationally in stopping the run. But with Meyer’s diplomatic pick, there’s another big dilemma emerging.

Making history or beating Michigan?

Heading into the Michigan week, among some Ohio State fans, a certain scenario was being played out. Now, would they rather snap a four-game losing streak against Michigan or win back-to-back national championships? During the Buckeye Talk podcast, Cleveland.com’s reporter Stephen Means captures the entire pressure perfectly.

“What is more important for Ohio State in 2025 if you can only have one of these two? Winning back-to-back national titles or beating Michigan and ending a four-game losing streak,” Stephen Means asked fans during the podcast.

To which Stefan Krajisnik leaned towards national dominance, which will come after Ohio State’s back-to-back title win, which they have never done so far in the league. And just seven programs since 1940 have pulled something of that sort. Even fans agreed with him, with 54% supporting the stance.

“Yeah, I think the answer is winning back-to-back national titles because that’s something Ohio State has never done. And accomplishing that would be, I mean, just a feat that hasn’t happened at Ohio State before. And it puts you in this conversation, with you start talking dynasty man,” Krajisnik replied.

But the other 46% leaned towards ending the Michigan streak, as it still matters just as much. Ohio State hasn’t lost five straight games to Michigan since the 1920s, and this loss can break it. Plus, fans’ emotions are pretty much at stake, wanting to see the Bucks dominate them, and their outrageous burst against Ryan Day last season proves it.

And that lack of dominance shows why Urban Meyer isn’t taking Ohio State’s name with confidence. Now, let’s wait and see if Ryan Day’s team ends up making history or faltering in the process.