Urban Meyer took Ohio State's recruiting to another level when he commandeered the program in the fall of 2011, signing the Big Ten's best class in each of the last six recruiting cycles. But like every team in the country, the Buckeyes have missed on a number of their top targets over the years.
And if it isn't ready, some of those recruiting misses could spoil Ohio State's playoff run when it faces Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Eve.
The Buckeyes certainly have an edge from a pure numbers perspective, with classes that ranked Nos. 2, 8, 5, 1 and 3 over the last five seasons. Clemson pulled in the Nos. 16, 15, 28, 12 and 17 classes during that same span.
But that hasn't slowed DaboSwinney and the Tigers, who are in the midst of a historic run. Since beating Ohio State in the Orange Bowl to cap an 11-win 2013 season, Clemson has won 36 games, including a 14-0 start last year before losing a shootout to Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
A lot of the success during that three-year run is directly tied to Deshaun Watson, who won the starting quarterback position for Clemson three weeks into his true freshman season. At that point, he was less than a year removed from signing with the Tigers over an offer from Ohio State.
The Buckeyes were fighting an uphill battle for Watson's commitment back then, but they had a glimmer of hope thanks to Meyer's well-known pedigree with quarterbacks. As a high-rated 4-star prospect and the No. 3-rated quarterback in his call, Watson admired Meyer's work, according to Kipp Adams of ESPN.com.
I always wanted to meet Urban Meyer. I was a big Gators fan when he was at Florida. With what he has done with quarterbacks in the spread and taking Ohio State to an undefeated season. I told them I plan to come spend a couple days up there this summer. Seeing Braxton Miller this year, Tim Tebow before and knowing that under Meyer I have a chance to compete for a Heisman means a lot.
Watson offered an early commitment to Clemson, though, and never wavered from that point.
The Buckeyes, meanwhile, felt good about the quarterback it had just signed in their 2013 recruiting class—J.T. Barrett.
Both quarterbacks have gone on to have fantastic careers. Watson—with a 30-4 record as a three-year starter—has finished in the top three of the Heisman Trophy voting in each of the last two seasons, both of which ended with a playoff bid. Barrett has been equally as impressive, going 26-3 as a starter while setting the Big Ten record for total touchdowns in a season during 2014, in addition to winning the Big Ten Player of the Year award twice.
But Watson is, without question, the best quarterback Ohio State has faced this season. The standout junior has thrown for 3,914 yards, run for 529 more and amassed an incredible 43 total touchdowns in 13 games this year, and he'll challenge Ohio State's fourth-ranked defense.
Barrett, meanwhile, had an up-and-down season and slumped down the stretch, averaging 105 passing yards while completing just 46.3 percent of his passes in his final two outings against Michigan State and Michigan.
Can Barrett somehow shrug off his sluggish finish and outduel Watson in the Fiesta Bowl?
To do so, he'll need to survive the pressure applied by Dexter Lawrence, a one-time top target who also spurned the Buckeyes in favor of the Tigers.
The former 5-star defensive tackle has been absolutely dominant for the Clemson defense, ranking fourth on the team in total tackles and third in tackles for loss, despite playing as a true freshman. He made USA Today's freshman All-America team, and he could be a huge problem for an Ohio State offensive line that has struggled at times this season.
On the road against Penn State and in the regular-season finale against Michigan, the Buckeyes' offensive front surrendered a staggering 15 combined sacks. That doesn't bode well against the Tigers, who rank second nationally in total sacks this season, thanks in large part to the interior pressure Lawrence creates.
The game won't be decided exclusively by the play of Watson and Lawrence, of course. Or at least, that's what the Buckeyes are hoping as they prepare for their return to college football's biggest stage.
But as soon as the Fiesta Bowl matchup was announced, Meyer had Watson and the other recruiting battles he lost to Clemson on his mind.
"I know a lot about Clemson because we recruit against them, we run a similar type of program and I have a lot of respect for Dabo," Meyer said on ESPN's Playoff Selection Show broadcast. "I know their quarterback, we tried to recruit him as well, and they have a very talented group."
Meyer is hoping that talented group—loaded with some superstar players he wanted to coach—doesn't cost him a shot at a national title.
All recruiting and rankings information via Scout. All stats via cfbstats.com.
David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.
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