BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Urban Meyer was asked about it at his press conference on National Signing Day.

Vonn Bell, the five-star cherry on top of Meyer’s recruiting class, mentioned it himself at his press conference after telling the world he was headed to play for Meyer at Ohio State.

Their mission: Win the BCS National Championship.

Their target: Alabama.

Someone actually asked Meyer, “Are you declaring war on Alabama?”

Bell, the safety from Georgia who chose Ohio State over Alabama and Tennessee, had helped provide the premise for the question earlier in the day.

“Urban Meyer’s on a mission right now to win a national championship,” Bell said. “We’re gonna try to beat Bama and everything so we’re gonna meet them at the national championship.”

Strong words - and be careful what you wish for - but don’t be surprised. Matter of fact, it’s as safe a bet as you can make before anyone takes a snap at spring practice.

Come Jan. 6, 2014, Brent Musberger likely will be looking live at Katherine Webb once again as Alabama goes for a three-peat and 4 out of 5 in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State.

Signing Day was one more sign that Meyer is on a collision course with Nick Saban once again.

Rivals.com said Alabama had the No.1 recruiting class in the country and Ohio State was No. 2. Scout.com put Ohio State at the top of its rankings and Alabama not far behind at No. 3.

When was the last time Saban and Meyer put together two of the top three recruiting classes in college football at the same time? On National Signing Day 2008.

Ten months later, they played a national semifinal in the SEC Championship Game. A year later, they did it again.

They split those games. Pasadena can be the rubber match.

Look at what a re-energized Meyer has accomplished in short order at Ohio State. His first team went undefeated, and his first full-year recruiting class finished No. 1 according to Scout.com.

Meyer based his class in talent-rich Ohio with 10 in-state signees, but like Saban, he cast his net far and wide. Ohio State’s 24 signees came from 11 states, which is not far behind the 13 states that provided Alabama’s 25 signees.

Meyer landed the No. 1 player, according to Rivals.com, from four different states: Ohio, Texas, Missouri and South Carolina. What do those last three states have in common? They’re in the SEC footprint.

Overall, 10 of Ohio State’s 24 signees came from SEC states. Meyer knows how and where to go after players that can win national titles.

Recruiting success may be a mirage for some head coaches, a false promise that stars on paper will become stars on the field. Gene Chizik is the ultimate example. He followed three straight top-10 recruiting classes at Auburn with a losing season and a pink slip.

Saban and Meyer have proven that, as well as or better than any coaches in the game, they know what to do with all those stars. They know how to scale down large egos and build up raw skills, to turn signing classes into teams and teams into programs.

If that weren’t enough, an Alabama-Ohio State title game almost has to happen for the storylines alone.

Ohio State went unbeaten last season but didn’t play for the national title because it was on probation and ineligible for the postseason. Alabama didn’t go undefeated but won the national title.

But wait. There’s more.

Alabama wouldn’t have played for the title if Ohio State had been smarter and self-imposed a bowl ban the year before with NCAA sanctions coming. Obviously, in hindsight, the Buckeyes would’ve rather missed that Gator Bowl against Florida to be eligible to play in the BCS National Championship Game against fellow unbeaten Notre Dame.

From the day he took the Ohio State job, Meyer looked like the best candidate out there to end the SEC’s national championship streak. After all, he was the one who started it with Florida in 2006.

Expect him to get his chance. Just don’t expect him to admit that he’s “declaring war on Alabama.” Even if he is.

“No, absolutely not,” he said to the Alabama question. “We have one rival, and that rival was dictated many, many years ago. One rival, and that rival is clear.”

Please. Michigan was no match for Ohio State last season. Or for Alabama, either.

The Wolverines were nothing more than a sparring partner for the Buckeyes and the Crimson Tide. At least until their inevitable heavyweight championship bout to come.

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Email: scarbinsky@gmail.com

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