Urban Meyer found out Ohio State was playoff-bound by watching television
That Gene Smith is quite the prankster...
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Urban Meyer learned the Ohio State Buckeyes had received the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff in the same way Buckeye fans found out: By watching television. According to an article by Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel, Meyer had no idea whether his Buckeyes had edged out TCU and Baylor for the final playoff spot until it was revealed on ESPN.
That didn’t stop Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith from having some fun at his expense, though:
About 20 minutes before the big reveal, athletic director Gene Smith bounded into the living room beaming and said, “We’re in!” The entire room responded in unison: “Really?” He smiled and replied, “I have no idea.”
Thamel also reports even Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany was left out in the cold by the Selection Committee, a far cry from the selection system employed by the Bowl Championship Series. Previously, bowl committee members and administrators were privy to selection information. This year, the Committee kept all information secret until the television reveal from everyone, even the coaches with the most to lose.
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