Big Ten Conference Divisions

[BB73]

I just want everyone that is equating Michigan being bad to them being put in a different division and moved earlier in the season to picture this. Michigan is good again Ohio State is still good Michigan beats Ohio State early in the season and goes on to lose to Nebraska, one loss Ohio State goes to happy valley to face undefeated Penn State. Ohio State beats Penn State in a great game, Buckeyes that made the trip rush the field celebrating the win and the upcoming match-up with Nebraska.

OK, I pictured it.

I'll be happy when tOSU beats the Nits, and happy if they win the CCG against the Huskers.

But overall I still think moving The Game sucks.

 

[MaliBuckeye]

I just want everyone that is equating Michigan being bad to them being put in a different division and moved earlier in the season to picture this. Michigan is good again Ohio State is still good Michigan beats Ohio State early in the season and goes on to lose to Nebraska, one loss Ohio State goes to happy valley to face undefeated Penn State. Ohio State beats Penn State in a great game, Buckeyes that made the trip rush the field celebrating the win and the upcoming match-up with Nebraska.

And if they win the Nebraska game and go to the BCS, they'll still not have beaten Mich1gAAn.

And the fact that that might not matter to them or to fans is what makes this move a horrible idea.

 

[Emperor Brutus]

But overall I still think moving The Game sucks.

So we agree. :)

And if they win the Nebraska game and go to the BCS, they'll still not have beaten Mich1gAAn.

And the fact that that might not matter to them or to fans is what makes this move a horrible idea.

Yep, Nebraska took them out we didn't and we had to beat Penn State to get the Big Ten title not them. If you don't think this will do something to the rivalry I don't know where you are coming from.

Maybe it will [censored] off most of us but no matter how much you tell generations down the line how much it matters, when what happens right in front of them says something different that's most likely what they are going to believe. Sorry dad sorry grampa.

 

[MaliBuckeye]

Sorry dad sorry grampa.

Unless you're a three year old, I don't think you can say the former and the latter is untenable.

My priorities (as much as I'm allowed to have them), in order:

1) Run a clean program, represent the state and University with pride
2) Beat Mich1gAAn
3) Win Big T1e2n
4) Win Bowl Game
5) Win National Championship

If Ohio State is able to do 3, 4, and 5 without doing 1 and/or 2, then it's not been a successful season.

To make #2 a "lesser" priority is the tragedy here, and moving The Game up with OSU and TTUN in separate divisions makes it more probable.

My $.02

 

[DallasHusker]

Unless you're a three year old, I don't think you can say the former and the latter is untenable.

My priorities (as much as I'm allowed to have them), in order:

1) Run a clean program, represent the state and University with pride
2) Beat Mich1gAAn
3) Win Big T1e2n
4) Win Bowl Game
5) Win National Championship

If Ohio State is able to do 3, 4, and 5 without doing 1 and/or 2, then it's not been a successful season.

To make #2 a "lesser" priority is the tragedy here, and moving The Game up with OSU and TTUN in separate divisions makes it more probable.

My $.02

I won't argue with you - your priorities are your priorities. But I just find it incredible that you'd pick 2) ahead of 5), given that you could absolutely have one or the other.

 

[IronBuckI]

I just want everyone that is equating Michigan being bad to them being put in a different division and moved earlier in the season to picture this. Michigan is good again Ohio State is still good Michigan beats Ohio State early in the season and goes on to lose to Nebraska, one loss Ohio State goes to happy valley to face undefeated Penn State. Ohio State beats Penn State in a great game, Buckeyes that made the trip rush the field celebrating the win and the upcoming match-up with Nebraska.

I think that I've already seen a version of this in 1996. Michigan beats Ohio State...Ohio State still wins the Big Ten...Ohio State beats #2 Arizona State in a great Rose Bowl Game...Ohio State fans are happy about a Rose Bowl win.

Sure, we were pissed about the loss to Michigan that cost us a shot at a National Championship, but a loss to Michigan in October would still have cost us that shot, and we still would have won the Big Ten if that were out only loss that season.

 

[muffler dragon]

I won't argue with you - your priorities are your priorities. But I just find it incredible that you'd pick 2) ahead of 5), given that you could absolutely have one or the other.

Beating Michigan is paramount for a LOT of Buckeyes.

 

[MaliBuckeye]

I won't argue with you - your priorities are your priorities. But I just find it incredible that you'd pick 2) ahead of 5), given that you could absolutely have one or the other.

I hear you... although I've talked to folks in Lincoln who felt the same way about the OU game back when it mattered.

Ideally, I'd like to have both, but The Game comes first.

I'd also like a pony, if you're making a list.

 

[jwinslow]

I won't argue with you - your priorities are your priorities. But I just find it incredible that you'd pick 2) ahead of 5), given that you could absolutely have one or the other.

2 is on the way to 5, and 5 requires luck and things out of OSU's control. They can take care of Michigan, they can't take care of who loses when, especially if they have one loss like most title contenders.

 

[Buckeye737]

I think that I've already seen a version of this in 1996. Michigan beats Ohio State...Ohio State still wins the Big Ten...Ohio State beats #2 Arizona State in a great Rose Bowl Game...Ohio State fans are happy about a Rose Bowl win.

Sure, we were pissed about the loss to Michigan that cost us a shot at a National Championship, but a loss to Michigan in October would still have cost us that shot, and we still would have won the Big Ten if that were out only loss that season.

My memory of that season is slightly different than yours. I was happy about the Rose Bowl win and it was nice to go out on a high note, but nothing came close to making up for the bitterness of that loss to Michigan. Not even close

.

 

[ScriptOhio]

I'm just assuming something, but if I had to guess, I think the next (planned) leak will come from the Penn State AD or Joe Paterno (most likely the AD).

Are you sure Paterno still takes planned leaks?

 

[Woody1968]

I think that I've already seen a version of this in 1996. Michigan beats Ohio State...Ohio State still wins the Big Ten...Ohio State beats #2 Arizona State in a great Rose Bowl Game...Ohio State fans are happy about a Rose Bowl win.

Sure, we were pissed about the loss to Michigan that cost us a shot at a National Championship, but a loss to Michigan in October would still have cost us that shot, and we still would have won the Big Ten if that were out only loss that season.

But you had hope of a NC all the way up to the end of the season. It made the season more compelling. On the other hand, we may have climbed far enough up the rankings that Forida's loss the same day we originally lost to Michigan would have put us at #3 instead of #4, and we would have won at least a share of the NC by winning the Rose Bowl. And if if's and buts were candy and nuts...

 

[Taosman]

I want to try and look at this positively, but with the skunkbears not competitive for probably 3-4 years to come, it looks like our new "Big Game" could end up being Nebraska or even Iowa. And/or whoever makes the Big Ten Championship game in Indi.
It seems at first blush that the inclusion of Nebraska at a time when scUM is down could be a godsend for a conference whose perception has suffered recently.

 

[SloopyHangOn]

I want to try and look at this positively, but with the skunkbears not competitive for probably 3-4 years to come, it looks like our new "Big Game" could end up being Nebraska or even Iowa. And/or whoever makes the Big Ten Championship game in Indi.

I still don't understand how in only 3 years of Michigan failure The Game has suddenly lost its meaning. As a fan base it would be disgusting to act as if we're suddenly too good to care about beating tSUN simply because of the gap in productivity over a meager span of THREE years. You're ridiculous for dismissing The Game for some Neb/tOSU rivalry that hasn't even bloomed yet. You're ridiculous for pretending like any game vs. Iowa is anywhere NEAR comparable as The Game and you're damn near insane for having the audacity to act like you're doing anyone a favor by "trying to look at this positively".

With that said, I personally do not love the idea of tSUN/tOSU being split but I also do not hate it. Delany and Co. are going to do what makes the most sense and we all know that making bank makes the most sense. They also know that there isn't a single person among us that's going to stop watching Buckeye football because the conference decides to make changes to the premier rivalry in all of college football.

In all reality, can anyone really say that there is a negative to this besides the glaring negative that is screwing with tradition?

I may be wrong but it seems like there ARE good things that can/will come out of it.

 

[JBaney45]

I won't argue with you - your priorities are your priorities. But I just find it incredible that you'd pick 2) ahead of 5), given that you could absolutely have one or the other.

That's the tOSU - Michigan game for you. I don't really think any other 2 teams are as bound to their rival as these 2 are when it comes to how they are defined.

The thought of a 12-1 Ohio State National Championship team with that 1 loss being Michigan makes me sick to my stomach. To be a truly great Ohio State team you have to win that game, period.

I want the absolute best tOSU and Michigan teams playing each other, teams are peaking in late November (save injury bugs) that's when they need to play. At tOSU and Michigan you have the entire year to improve and get better for THE game no matter what your record is during the rest of the season.