Jimbo Fisher vs. Urban Meyer: Taking care of business at home

This is a volatile year in college football, as teams continue to circulate throughout the ranks of the College Football Playoff. Florida State was relegated to outsider status following its close road loss to No. 1 Clemson on November 7th, whereas the undefeated defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes were still very much in the race, and rightfully so.

Until this Saturday.

That's when the Michigan State Spartans came calling. And, despite playing in Columbus with a pair of backup quarterbacks, Sparty nevertheless emerged with a 17-14 victory. The end result, unexpected by most insiders, prompts a question about the oft-praised yet nevertheless frequently maligned coaches of the Seminoles and Buckeyes.

Both FSU's Jimbo Fisher and Ohio State's Urban Meyer have been roundly critiqued for perceived shortcomings recently-- but hasn't Fisher held up a bigger part of the deal than Meyer, regarding the home environment? Yes, the two coaches account for the last two national championships, Florida State's in 2013 and Ohio State's last year. But in each of the aforementioned seasons, the 'Noles remained perfect at home, whereas the Buckeyes have dropped a home contest, in which they were favored, in each of the last two years.

FSU fans revel in questioning the decisions made by a coach who brought them a national title and hasn't lost at Doak Campbell Stadium since 2012, while the OSU faithful now have to make peace with yet another home loss, one that saw the team's star running back question the play calling and allude to going pro before the season is even over, and with arch-rival Michigan looming on the horizon.

Perhaps Seminole fans would do well to ask themselves this question: while losing, albeit rarely, has hurt, would you rather have it happen on the road, or at a neutral site, or on Bobby Bowden Field?