The 2025 slate for the Ohio State Buckeyes was expected to rank among the country’s most demanding, highlighted by high-profile home clashes with Texas and Penn State plus a road showdown against archrival Michigan.
Both Texas and Penn State opened the year inside the AP Top 25’s top five alongside the Buckeyes, but each has stumbled badly—Texas now sits at No. 20 while Penn State has tumbled completely out of the poll.
Ohio State revealed a special pregame tradition on Tuesday for this weekend’s matchup: retired head coach Urban Meyer, now a Fox Sports analyst and frequent presence at Buckeyes games, will handle a cherished ritual.
The program’s official X account confirmed that Meyer will ring the victory bell before kickoff against the Nittany Lions.
“THE Bell Ringer vs. Penn State will be none other than National Championship winning Hall of Fame Head Coach Urban Meyer,” the post read.
A University of Cincinnati alumnus who played defensive back for the Bearcats and later worked under iconic mentor Earl Bruce, Meyer posted an 83-9 mark during his tenure in Columbus—his best winning percentage anywhere except for a 22-2 stint at Utah.
Oddsmakers have installed Ohio State as more than three-touchdown favorites for Saturday’s noon ET contest at Ohio Stadium, with most supporters anticipating a lopsided result against a historic conference opponent.
Penn State’s campaign has unraveled spectacularly, capped by the dismissal of longtime coach James Franklin and a four-game skid against Oregon, UCLA, Northwestern, and Iowa that knocked the program from the rankings.
Now sitting at 3-4, the Nittany Lions head to Columbus desperate to salvage bowl eligibility against a Buckeyes squad that has long dominated the series.
