Starting quarterback remains mystery for Buckeyes

The first week of the college football season goes all the way to Monday, with defending national champion and top-ranked Ohio State traveling to Virginia Tech.

That's the same Hokies team that handed the Buckeyes their only defeat last season. It was a loss that would have derailed Ohio State's national title hopes had Texas Christian not coughed up a 21-point lead at Baylor about a month later.

But all worked out well in the end for the Buckeyes.

Will it work out so well this time?

Depends on two factors.

The players can't become complacent and think the road to repeating won't be full of challenges. As the new promo on ESPN makes clear, plenty of other teams are out to unseat the Buckeyes.

Also, coach Urban Meyer can't screw up the quarterback situation.

Meyer couldn't have handled that position any better in 2014, finding a way to overcome injuries to his top two quarterbacks and still win the title.

Now Meyer is choosing between J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones. Braxton Miller is out of the quarterback race, having moved to wide receiver.

Meyer isn't saying much, keeping the starter a secret until the game at Virginia Tech gets under way and either Barrett or Jones trots onto the field with the starting offense.

But Meyer did mention he's likely to play Barrett and Jones.

"I've had a couple conversations with them already," Meyer said. "I think it's going to be matter of fact. If you're not going to play early, get ready, because I'd like to see both guys involved."

That's a dangerous game, but from Meyer's tone at Monday's news conference, he sounded genuinely torn, so he indeed might not have figured out who the starter is or how the quarterbacks will be used.

He also didn't sound like a coach who would make playing two quarterbacks his first choice.

"I'm not very experienced in this," Meyer said. "If you look, check the annals of college football history, I'm not sure that's happened. So I think I have to do what's best for the team at that moment. That is you have two very good players that are very invested. What is the best chance of moving this team down the field and putting them in the end zone? That is kind of the mindset I've had right now."

Meyer figured it out last season, and he has three national championship rings from two different schools, so he's earned the benefit of the doubt.

That doesn't mean he will figure it out this time.

* AROUND THE MOUNTAIN WEST — UNLV released its depth chart for Saturday's 4:30 p.m. PDT season opener at Northern Illinois. Junior college transfers Will Kreitler at center and Mark Finau at defensive end are slated to start. Another newcomer, freshman Darius Mouton, will start at nickelback if the Rebels open in a 4-2-5 defense. But UNLV's base set remains a 4-3. ... The game of the week in the conference is No. 23 Boise State hosting Washington on Friday on ESPN. This marks coach Chris Petersen's first appearance at Albertsons Stadium since leaving Boise State for the Huskies two years ago. ... With few exceptions, Mountain West schools aren't challenging themselves in Week 1. Nine of the 12 teams play lower-level opponents, and only UNLV is on the road.

* HEISMAN ODDS — Handicapper Bruce Marshall (goldsheet.com) will provide Heisman Trophy odds each week. Here is a look heading into the season:

Trevone Boykin, TCU, 6-1

Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State, 7-1

Nick Chubb, Georgia, 8-1

Dak Prescott, Mississippi State, 10-1

Leonard Fournette, Louisiana State, 12-1

Ohio State starting quarterback, 14-1

Cody Kessler, Southern California, 15-1

Derrick Henry, Alabama, 18-1

Connor Cook, Michigan State, 20-1

Samaje Perine, Oklahoma, 22-1

Paul Perkins, UCLA, 25-1

Deshaun Watson, Clemson, 25-1

Everett Golson, Florida State, 30-1

Keenan Reynolds, Navy, 30-1

Justin Thomas, Georgia Tech, 35-1

Jacoby Brissett, North Carolina State, 40-1

James Connor, Pittsburgh, 40-1

Vernon Adams, Oregon, 50-1

Marquise Williams, North Carolina, 50-1

Seth Russell, Baylor, 50-1

Kevin Hogan, Stanford, 60-1

Jared Goff, California, 75-1

Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State, 75-1

Scooby Wright, Arizona, 75-1

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65. He is first vice president of the Football Writers Association of America.