Urban Meyer Says Saquon Barkley, Jabrill Peppers Were Most Difficult To Game Plan For

The Ohio State Buckeyes didn't have too many players get the best of them during Urban Meyer's tenure, but that doesn't mean there weren't difficult players they faced.

During Urban Meyer's tenure in Columbus, there were very few players that were dominant against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Whether the Buckeyes had more talent or if they game-planned well enough, it's unknown. Either way, with some of the dominant players to come through the Big Ten, Meyer revealed the 10 toughest players he had to game plan for. 

On offense, the five hardest players to prepare for were Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon, Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson and Wolverines wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. 

On defense, Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers, Wolverines defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard and Iowa linebacker Josey Jewell were the toughest to game plan against.

In Barkley's career against the Buckeyes, the two-time Big Ten Player of the Year ran for 337 yards on 59 carries and a touchdown, catching four passes for 23 yards and housing a 97-yard kickoff return for a score to begin the 2017 matchup.

The Buckeyes did a little better job holding Gordon at bay. The Badgers' ball-carrier only rushed for 149 yards on 42 carries, not making much of an impact in any of the three games he garnered a rushing attempt.

Robinson had one of the better games of his career against Ohio State in 2011. In that game, Robinson completed 82.4 percent of his passes — his second-highest single-game clip in matchups with at least 15 throws — for 167 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, Robinson rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns, tying his career record for touchdowns accounted for in a game.

Peppers was a Swiss Army knife for the Wolverines, playing in all three phases. He recorded 12 tackles and intercepted a pass on defense, rushed for 33 yards, caught two passes for 25 yards and attempted a pass on offense and had two returns for 49 total yards.