Ohio State Football: The Buckeyes Have a New Arch Rival

Less than two weeks ago on national signing day, Wisconsin verbal commit Kyle Dodson decided that he'd rather play for Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Coach Bret Bielema and the Camp Randall Badgers fell victim to Meyer's superior recruiting tactics, joining Michigan State and Penn State in allowing a 4-star recruit to change direction.

One week prior, Bielema had called Meyer over the phone to tell him to "cut it out" and that what he was doing was illegal.

Meyer thought otherwise.

"It should be noted that my coaching staff is in full compliance with our recruiting efforts, and no one on this staff did anything illegal or unethical," he said.

The two-time national champion coach also added that he and his staff would "continue to be relentless."

Bielema believes that Meyer has broken a longstanding "gentleman's agreement"—an unwritten rule among Big Ten coaches—by recruiting a player that had already given a public commitment to another school.

It was at that moment where a new college football war was started.

"You're pissed because we went after a committed guy? Guess what, we got nine guys who better go do it again. Do it a little harder next time," said Meyer.

Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith also had some choice words for Bielema released in a statement last week.

"I am disappointed that negative references have been made about our football coaches, and particularly head coach Urban Meyer regarding recruiting. In our league appropriate protocol, if you have concerns, is to share those concerns with your Athletic Director," said Smith.

President E. Gordon Gee, famous for his "little sisters of the poor" remark back in 2010, wasn't going to let a shot at putting his input in on the situation pass.

"We hired the best coach and we went out and got the best kids so get a life," Gee told the school's student newspaper.

Bret Bielema seems to have backed off since his initial comments, but far too late to prevent something he did not want. He's ticked off one of the winningest coaches in the country and has fueled the rivalry.

“I was very angry,” Meyer said during his appearance on “The Bull and the Fox” show on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. "Whenever you use those terms, something like ‘illegal,’ that couldn’t be further from the truth. That doesn’t happen here."

With the addition of Dodson (and many other highly-touted prospective athletes), Ohio State finished No. 6 on ESPN's Class of 2012 Team Football Recruiting Rankings.

Wisconsin is unranked.

The Buckeyes are 52-17-5 all-time against the Badgers and will travel to Madison this upcoming season on November 17.