Urban Meyer claims key injury cost Ohio State, had edge over 2018 Clemson champions

The 2018 Clemson shot squad routed Alabama successful that season’s College Football Playoff National Championship, cementing its spot successful the sport’s lore.

The undefeated season, punctuated by a 44-16 rout of Alabama successful the rubric game, pushed the Tigers into the all-time large debate. Former Ohio State manager Urban Meyer argued different squad was superior to Clemson that year, pointing to Nick Bosa’s 2018 wounded arsenic the cardinal crushed the Buckeyes fell abbreviated of a title.

"Nick Bosa is 1 of the champion shot players I've ever been around. I'd enactment Percy Harvin No. 1... possibly Nick Bosa No. 2. If Nick Bosa is playing for Ohio State (in) 2018, I deliberation Ohio State wins it all. That's however bully a subordinate helium was," Meyer said during a caller variation of "The Triple Option" podcast which helium co-hosts with erstwhile Alabama standout Mark Ingram II and Rob Stone.

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Urban Meyer stands connected the sidelines earlier the 2025 Peach Bowl semifinal crippled betwixt the Oregon Ducks and Indiana Hoosiers astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta, Ga., connected Jan. 9, 2026. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)

Meyer acknowledged the logic down preparing Nick Bosa for the NFL Draft but admitted the prime inactive stung arsenic the Buckeyes chased a title.

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"He got wounded (in) crippled 3. When helium was getting adjacent to possibly beryllium capable to travel back, they decided to get him acceptable for the NFL Draft... which that broke my heart. But I get it."

Ohio State went 13-1 successful 2018, with its lone nonaccomplishment coming successful Big Ten play against Purdue. The Buckeyes were near retired of the playoff but rebounded with a Rose Bowl triumph implicit Washington successful January 2019. Three months later, the San Francisco 49ers took Bosa No. 2 overall.

Clemson and Alabama built a pseudo title-game rivalry successful the mid-2010s. After dominating Ohio State successful the 2016 Fiesta Bowl semifinal, the Tigers edged Alabama for the championship, redeeming a 45-40 nonaccomplishment to the Crimson Tide to adjacent the 2015 season.

Ohio State antiaircraft extremity Nick Bosa sacks TCU backmost Shawn Robinson during the Advocare Showdown astatine AT&T Stadium successful Arlington, Texas, connected Sept. 15, 2018. (Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire)

Meyer besides highlighted the extent of Ohio State’s 2018 antiaircraft line, noting the beingness of some Bosa and Chase Young.

"We had Chase Young and Nick Bosa (at defensive) end," Meyer continued. "Our defence truly struggled that twelvemonth due to the fact that Chase Young was wounded astir of the year, and past Nick Bosa... helium played 3 games and that was it. The discourtesy was 1 of the apical 2 (or) 3 offenses successful the country."

Ohio State Buckeyes antiaircraft extremity Chase Young looks connected during the 2019 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl assemblage shot playoff semifinal crippled against the Clemson Tigers astatine State Farm Stadium successful Glendale, Arizona, connected Dec. 28, 2019. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)

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Meyer concluded by declaring that year's Ohio State squad "was a nationalist rubric team." Meyer won 3 nationalist championships arsenic a coach, winning doubly astatine Florida and erstwhile astatine Ohio State.

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