Pasadena, Calif.
When he was a 20-something wide receivers coach for Colorado State back in the 1990s, Meyer interrupted a recruiting trip to the Los Angeles area to visit the iconic college football stadium. He tried to sneak inside to get a look at the turf, but was asked to leave by a security guard.
“Guy was really rude, too,” Meyer said with a chuckle.
Meyer never got to see that famous field until this week, when he returned to Pasadena for what he says is the final game of a remarkable coaching journey.
The three-time national champion will lead Ohio State (12-1) into the Rose Bowl today to face Washington (10-3), and then he will retire from coaching at just 54 years old.
Meyer is stubbornly resisting the temptations of career reminiscence or legacy evaluation this week, saying it isn’t fair to the Big Ten champion Buckeyes while they attempt to cap their remarkable season with a win over the Pac-12 champion Huskies.
Before Meyer ends his seven-year tenure by turning over the Ohio State program to Ryan Day, the Buckeyes must contend with a program in its prime.
Chris Petersen is just three months younger than Meyer, and he has built a powerhouse in his half-decade in Seattle, highlighted by a College Football Playoff semifinal two years ago and this trip to the Huskies’ first Rose Bowl in 18 years.
Meyer and Petersen have the two best winning percentages among active FBS coaches. While Meyer is walking away with his wins and trophies, Petersen is seeking another defining victory for a school that had stumbled through the 21st century until he transformed the Huskies into Rose Bowl contenders again.
“I’ve had an opportunity to go to a lot of different bowl games, and I’ve never been to this one,” Petersen said. “But this is the one I did watch as a kid growing up. This is the one. And we’ve been close a couple of times in my career. Really close, and we have not got here. It means a lot because of how hard it is to get here.”
Oklahoma State 38, No. 24 Missouri 33
Memphis, Tenn.
Missouri (8-5) faced fourth-and-1 when quarterback Drew Lock attempted a keeper around the right end. Peel made an ankle tackle that stopped Lock short of the first-down marker. That allowed Oklahoma State (7-6) to hang on to win a game it had led 35-19 heading into the fourth quarter. The Cowboys snapped Missouri’s four-game winning streak.
Stanford 14, Pittsburgh 13
El Paso, Texas
The Cardinal (9-4) finished on a four-game winning streak, much the same way they did two years ago when Stanford won the Sun Bowl for a season-ending six-game streak.
The Panthers (7-7) lost their fourth straight bowl game and sixth in the past seven after falling to playoff championship finalist Clemson in the ACC title game.
Pitt, which had a 10-7 halftime lead and was up 13-7 early in the fourth quarter, was led by tailback Darrin Hall, who had 16 carries for 123 yards and a score.
Oregon 7, Michigan State 6
Santa Clara, Calif.
Herbert passed for 166 yards and extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 28 on a day when the Ducks’ offense mostly sputtered.
Oregon (9-4) crossed midfield only three times and couldn’t get into the end zone until Herbert found Mitchell in the right front of the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown. The Ducks’ defense held up from there but got some help from Michigan State’s special teams.
Cincinnati 35, Virginia Tech 31
Annapolis, Md.
A tight game that featured more than 900 yards in offense and seven lead changes wasn’t decided until Warren busted up the middle for his second touchdown to cap a 64-yard drive directed by backup quarterback Hayden Moore.
Moore, a senior who made 12 starts last year, took over for injured starter Desmond Ridder in the first quarter and completed 11 of 25 passes for 120 yards. He had previously thrown only 26 passes in 2018.
The victory gave Cincinnati (11-2) its third 11-win season in the 131-year history of the program.