Expectations sky high for Ohio State, but can the Buckeyes meet them?

— -- COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer has scrubbed the word "repeat" from the Ohio State vocabulary. He does not want his players talking about "defending" anything. His national championship ring will remain stored away except when recruits drop by his office.

Meyer demands his 2015 Buckeyes look at what's ahead, not peer behind at their incredible run through the first College Football Playoff. He said this week that he's had "zero conversations" with his players about handling the enormous expectations resting on their shoulder pads.

Well, not exactly zero. Meyer did pause a moment this summer to offer one crucial bit of advice.

"We created a monster," Meyer told them. "You've got to feed it."

But, as Meyer knows firsthand, the monster requires constant feeding. If the Buckeyes aren't careful this year, they could get devoured by their own creation.

Which way is it going to go?

Right on schedule

We should probably be talking about Ohio State making its first bid for a national title under Meyer right now. Last season's team was simply too young to do what it did.