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Is Urban Meyer a Wolverine 'deep down inside?' Michigan great Charles Woodson says yes

Joe Harrington, The Columbus Dispatch
·4 min read
19

Urban Meyer returned to Ann Arbor on Saturday as a host of the "Fox Big Noon Kickoff" show as the network prepared to show the Michigan-Maryland game.

Meyer was booed and then was accused of being a Michigan fan by 1997 Heisman Trophy Winner Charles Woodson. Starting his segment by reminding the Wolverine fans that he was 3-0 against the Buckeyes, Woodson continued to needle Ohio State fans watching on TV when he talked to Meyer, one of the most successful coaches in OSU program history.

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Meyer offered Woodson a congratulatory gift for Michigan's 2021 win over the Buckeyes.

"I always pay my debt," Meyer said as he handed Woodson a bottle of wine. "Last (year) the Wolverines, obviously, got us right, so here’s a nice bottle of wine for you."

The bottle was a commemorative wine bottle celebrating 100 years of Ohio Stadium. Woodson jokingly tried to dump the unopened bottle out and was reminded that he "can't fertilize the artificial turf" by co-host Rob Stone.

Then Woodson said the coach who never said the word "Michigan" when he led the Buckeyes was a Wolverine supporter in 2022.

"Secretly, coach really likes that maize and blue," Woodson said with a grin as he talked about Meyer's praise for the Wolverines' 2022 season so far. "… I know deep down inside, he really wanted to be a Wolverine ... He’s a Wolverine at heart."

Meyer stayed quiet for a second before praising the rivalry with Michigan before putting any loyalty questions to rest.

"I grew up in the seven years war, Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler," Meyer said. "I get hired at Bowling Green. I get a phone call, secretary walks in “Bo Schembechler on the phone… I dropped everything and spent three hours with the legendary Bo Schembechler.

“It’ s great rivalry… but O-H, baby, that’s all I've got to say about that."

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"What did coach Harbaugh do to turn around? He beat Ohio State," Meyer said.

Urban Meyer was dominant against Michigan with Ohio State

Meyer made history as an Ohio State football coach against Michigan.

In seven wins against Brady Hoke and Jim Harbaugh, the Buckeyes outscored Michigan 237-189, including three wins at Michigan Stadium.

Meyer's 2018 team beat Michigan 62-39 to close out the regular season and his career against Michigan. He is the only coach since 1924 in the series to go undefeated in "The Game."

Michigan coaches George Little (1924) and Gustave Ferbert (1897) were 1-0 against Ohio State.

Joining the program in 2012 with two national titles at Florida, the Toledo native led the Buckeyes to a national title in 2014 and another College Football Playoff appearance in 2016 before retiring two seasons later.

In Ohio State's history, Meyer has the fourth-most wins, sitting behind Woody Hayes (1951-78, 205 wins), John Cooper (1988-2000, 111 wins) and Jim Tressel (2001-10, 94 wins), before he left the program in 2018, leading the Buckeyes to a Rose Bowl win against Washington.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Urban Meyer a Michigan football fan? Charles Woodson says yes