Urban Meyer will look across the field Saturday in Ohio Stadium to the other sideline and probably flash back 15 years to the place that launched his head coaching career.Bowling Green gave Meyer his first opportunity to be in charge of a program and he took the ball and ran with it. Now, as the 2016 season kicks off in the Horseshoe, Meyer will lead sixth-ranked Ohio State against BG in the opener for both teams (Noon ET, Big Ten Network).I love that school, said Meyer, who begins his fifth season as Ohio States head coach. When I think about Bowling Green, its one of the most tradition-rich programs in the MAC.The new season will be one of change for the Buckeyes, who return only six starters from a team that finished 12-1 and beat Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl in January. Gone is a dazzling array of talent that made its mark in the NFL Draft this spring.But while the turnover in personnel is significant, one thing that never changes about Ohio State football is expectations. Theres plenty of talent, thanks to Meyer and his staffs tenacious recruiting, to plug newcomers into the holes that were left by the outgoing class.Meyer sees similarities to the 2014 season when a relatively untested team stumbled early in the season and then finished with a College Football Playoff national championship. Thats not to say hes predicting another national title, but he really likes the young personnel on the roster.Im very excited to watch them play, Meyer said. This is a talented team. We have good guys. This has been a good camp. Good people to work with.Each side of the ball has one anchor to provide leadership. On offense, quarterback J.T. Barrett is everyones pick as the preseason All-Big Ten quarterback and a potential Heisman Trophy candidate. On defense, linebacker Raekwon McMillan begins his third season as a starter and will be counted upon heavily as a rock in the middle of a young defense that at hit hard by departures.As for Ohio States opponent, Bowling Green is certainly no slouch. The Falcons finished 10-3 a year ago and played in the GoDaddy Bowl.Mike Jinks is in his first year as Bowling Greens head coach after serving as Texas Tech associate head coach in 2015. He took over for Dino Babers, who left after last season for Syracuse.The Falcons are the defending Mid-American Conference champions and have won three straight MAC East Division titles. Theyre favored again to win the division in 2016.Facing a first-year head coach, particularly one who has never been a head coach at a previous college stop, presents some challenges in preparation for the Buckeyes. Meyer again recalled the 2014 season when Virginia Tech threw a foreign defensive scheme at Ohio State and pulled off an upset in Ohio Stadium.You have to expect the unexpected. ... On offense, theyre going to do what he knows and thats Texas Tech, Meyer said.Ohio State will be a heavy favorite to win, but Bowling Green wont be intimidated by the surroundings. Last year, the Falcons almost knocked off Tennessee on the road and beat Big Ten teams Maryland and Purdue.Well be ready, Jinks said.Ohio State leads the all-time series 4-0. The two Ohio teams last met in 2006, a 35-7 victory for the top-ranked Buckeyes. Ohio State is 32-1 against Mid-American Conference opponents and has won 40 consecutive games over in-state opponents.Jason Williams Jersey . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. 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The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play.Its very obvious Stephen Thompson is the No. 1 welterweight contender in the UFC. But is that enough to actually get him a title shot?Heading into last weeks championship fight between Robbie Lawler and Tyron Woodley in Atlanta, Thompson (13-1) was certain hed get the winner. Thompson has won seven in a row, including victories against Johny Hendricks and Rory MacDonald this year.Woodley (16-3), however, had other ideas. After knocking out Lawler in the first round to become the new 170-pound champion, Woodley called for a money fight against former champion Georges St-Pierre or Nick Diaz. St-Pierre is retired, but has hinted at a comeback. Diaz came off an 18-month suspension on Aug. 1.Thompson, who fights out of Simpsonville, South Carolina, recently spoke to ESPN.com about the fluid welterweight title picture.Whats the latest? Have you directly been in contact with the UFC at all?Right now, Im kind of in the dark. My management company is trying to get the kinks worked out. Im just doing what Im supposed to be doing, posting stuff on social media, trying to get Tyron to take this fight. I was fairly disappointed last weekend. I had him on a live television interview and said, Hey man, lets make this happen. He goes, Nope, Im looking for money fights. In the back of my head Im thinking, Wait, youve had that belt around your waist for literally 30 seconds and youre asking for a money fight? Come on. The champion is supposed to fight the No. 1 contender. You have to defend that thing a few times before you start calling your shots.With what youve done this year, wins over Hendricks and MacDonald, did you ever think youd still have to sort of hype your way into a title shot?Not at all, man. Basically, youre getting guys who want to call their shot and it becomes: Is the UFC going to let this keep happening? Thats the question. The UFC knows whats right. Tyron knows whats right -- to give me the shot. Ive earned it. Ive cleaned out the division for him.A big key in this seems to be whether or not St-Pierre comes out of retirement. Youve trained with him in the past. Do you believe hes coming back?You know, I do. At first it was just rumors, but I do think hes coming back. I still think its fairly far away. I know theyve got negotiations to go through, and the UFC has the Reebok deal now, and hes sponsored by Under Armour. I dont know how theyre going to work all that out, but I do believe he wants to come back -- maybe for a super fight. Ive seen a lot of retired guys in the past itching to come back because nothing else out there comes close to the feeling of stepping into the Octagon and going to battle with somebody. Guys who retire want that glory again, and I think he will get out there aand do it again.ddddddddddddSince you know St-Pierre, you ever consider, even for a minute, calling him up and basically saying, Dude, this is my fight.The last time I talked to him, I actually tried to get him down to South Carolina before I fought Johny Hendricks. He was busy helping some of his guys and couldnt make it. I do have his number, but you know what ... I shouldnt have to do that. You know what I mean? Im anxious to see how it all goes, but I just dont feel like I want to be that guy who goes out and says, Hey man, dont take my shot away from me. It just feels -- it feels weird having to tell somebody that.If youre able to remove yourself from the situation and look at it objectively, can you see why Woodley would ask for these money fights?You know, I got into this game because I love to fight and I love to fight the best. If it was me in his shoes, I just wouldnt feel right asking for a money fight yet. Id feel like I didnt deserve it when I just got the title. After defending it a few times, maybe, yeah. I was actually kind of surprised Robbie never asked for a money fight. But Ive got guys in my gym, one of them being my dad, who would smack me around if I ever did something like that. Defend the title a few times. Make it yours. Prove to everyone you didnt win that fight with a lucky punch. Im not saying Tyron landed a lucky punch, but Im saying thats probably what some people are thinking right now.I know you dont even want to think this way, but if Woodley fights someone like St-Pierre, what does that mean for you? Do you wait and hope for the winner of that fight?I wouldnt be disappointed in Georges if thats what happens. Id be disappointed in the UFC, for not doing the right thing. Demian Maia and Carlos Condit are fighting on Aug. 27. Who do I fight? Do I fight No. 5 or No. 6? It just doesnt make sense for me at this point. If they skip over me, then dang -- give me a money fight, you know?Youve said you dont think Woodley is afraid of you, but why do you believe youre a bad matchup for him? Its just the movement. A lot of the guys hes fought, he lands that big right hand because guys stand in front of him. You saw what Rory MacDonald did to him (unanimous decision win in 2014) -- he ate him apart with the jab. With a guy like me, I know hes going to look to take me down and thats something Ive been preparing for since I got in this game. I know hes very athletic and explosive, but its a bad matchup because Im not going to stand in front of him. Im going to hit and move, frustrate him, tire him out. If Rory can do it, I can definitely do it. ' ' '
