Urban Meyer earned a special honor before the Orange Bowl Thursday night — although you wouldn’t have known it based on how fans reacted at Hard Rock Stadium.
The former coach and now Fox Sports studio analyst was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame before the CFP Semifinal game between Notre Dame and Penn State. Normally, figures honored at such ceremonial events earn a smattering of applause from distracted fans who are eager to get on with the game.
Yet as soon as the PA announcer mentioned Meyer’s name and his face flashed on the board, the crowd loudly booed him. Penn State fan Kevin Horne shared the moment on X.
Penn State fans remember Meyer’s coaching tenure at their bitter Big Ten rival, Ohio State, where he posted a 6-1 mark against the Nittany Lions. That would have been reason enough for many fans to boo, but Meyer has also been a controversial figure through the years. So the reaction Thursday night was predictable.
One of Meyer’s colleagues on Fox Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff, Matt Leinart, was also inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame before the game. Leinart drew some boos, but nothing like Meyer. And another Big Noon Kickoff member, former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, inducted Meyer.
Perhaps Quinn’s presence was an attempt to garner cheers from the Notre Dame fans in attendance, thus shielding Meyer from the predictable reaction. If that was the plan, however, it clearly didn’t prove successful.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.