[The Horrible Esthete]

THE OHIO STATE-MICHIGAN SERIES
The two teams are meeting for the 103rd time in a rivalry that began in 1897 and has been continuous since 1918. Since 1935, the game has been the traditional conference finale between the two schools. Michigan was 13-0-2 in the first 15 games of the series before finally dropping 13-3 decision in Ann Arbor in 1919. Since 1951, the Buckeyes have a 27-26-2 lead, including victories in four of the past five games under Jim Tressel. Ohio State has won the last two games in the series and has won two straight in Ohio Stadium, but Michigan leads the series in Columbus 27-21-2.

Over the years, the two teams have been undefeated a total of 17 times when meeting one another, but 15 of those were prior to 1935. Since 1935, that has happened just twice - both in the Hayes-Schembechler era - in 1970 and 1973.

This also will be the eighth time that one or the other of the two teams has been ranked No. 1. Michigan was No. 1 going into the game in 1947, '48 and '97, while Ohio State was No. 1 in 1954, '69, '73 and '75.

This will be the first time OSU and Michigan will face each other as the #1 and #2 teams in the nation. (The last time two teams from the same conference played in a 1-2 game was 1987, when Oklahoma and Nebraska did it.)

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A pair of ESPN polls revealed that Ohio State and Michigan football is the "greatest in sports". So, with OSU and UM facing each other as #1 and #2 and a national championship berth on the line.....

...this is the biggest sporting event this Buckeye fan will ever witness.

GO BUCKS.

[prz]

This game is really for the national championship in my opinion.

Also, lets be honest here, whoever is the loser (I hope the Bucks win) do they not deserve a second shot? Why should a USC or Florida be allowed to play in the Nat Champ game? Or if Wisconsin was in the Big East, I think they would be undefeated now too.

This is yet again another year of BCS garbage. They need to put a playoff format in.

[robert goulet]

I agree the current system is bunk...but how could you work out the logistics of a playoff format championship and still satisfy all of the Home Game revenue these school's live and die for.

Virtually every Div 1 A school uses their football program and its corresponding home game revenues to fund the rest of their entire varsity program....even all those crappy women sports that exist thanks to Title IX.

[Jenna_Bird]

even all those crappy women sports that exist thanks to Title IX.

How is it that a sport is crappy just because it may not generate revenue? Should student athletes, specifically women, have to alter their aspirations or ambitions just because their talent does not contribute to a spectator friendly sport? I'm sure that the cheerleaders and/or dance teams get better funding because they are linked to the money-making sports such as football and basketball. However, it takes a hell of a lot more dedication to row or run cross-country at a Division One level. :roll:

-Jenna

[hotmetal401]

even all those crappy women sports that exist thanks to Title IX.

How is it that a sport is crappy just because it may not generate revenue? Should student athletes, specifically women, have to alter their aspirations or ambitions just because their talent does not contribute to a spectator friendly sport? I'm sure that the cheerleaders and/or dance teams get better funding because they are linked to the money-making sports such as football and basketball. However, it takes a hell of a lot more dedication to row or run cross-country at a Divition One level. :roll:

-Jenna

What she said. From an inclusion standpoint, Title IX has been one of the best things to happen to the NCAA. I'd argue it's been beneficial to sport as a whole. Look at women's hockey. Women's hockey wouldn't be the sport it is today without the NCCA system. As with their male counterparts, the combination of US money and Canadian talent often is unparalled.

Cheers,

Pat

[Drez7]

Let's Go Michigan!!! :thumb:

[Jenna_Bird]

And oh yeah, LET'S GO BUCKS!

Really, I must say, this rivalry is a thing of beauty. I knew it existed but I didn't earn a full apperciation for it until moving out here. There are a few kids who attend the school where I teach that are Michigan fans and yikes...they don't stand a chance. The OSU kiddies never get violent; it's usually just good-natured ribbing, but it reaching a whole different level than what I expected.

This is coming from a Eagles fan who has been trained to hate and destroy anything related to the Cowboys.

And personally, I think that this is much more fun...plus there's no battery throwing. :lol:

-Jenna

[The Horrible Esthete]

I agree the current system is bunk...but how could you work out the logistics of a playoff format championship and still satisfy all of the Home Game revenue these school's live and die for.

I don't think home game revenues would be the big issue, since a playoff would most likely occur after the regular season schedule.

The issue would be figuring out a way to preserve the revenues generated by the stupid bowls. The bowls are the entire reason why there still isn't a playoff system in place to crown a national champ -- too much money to be made by schools, NCAA, and sponsors.

Here's what I would propose:

■ Pare back regular season schedules to 11 games (beginning this year, schools were allowed to schedule 12 games instead of 11).

■ Use the current BCS formula to rank teams through the end of the regular season.

■ At the end of the regular season, the Top 8 in BCS rankings earn a berth in the BCS Playoff (if a team thinks it deserves inclusion but ends up ranked #9, tough shit!)

■ The first round of playoffs are played the last week in November, the second round is played the 1st week of December.

■ The two teams that surviver the first two rounds of the playoff are in the Championship Game.

■ The Bowls then choose teams as they would normally do; teams eliminated from the BCS Playoffs are now eligible for Bowl selection.

[The Darkest Canuck]

greatest rivalry in sports?

gimme a break :roll:....Habs/Leafs....Yankees/Red Sox...England/France (soccer)...

maybe the greatest rivalry in football...but perhaps those polled were unaware that there are other sports out there aside from football.

[robert goulet]

I agree the current system is bunk...but how could you work out the logistics of a playoff format championship and still satisfy all of the Home Game revenue these school's live and die for.

Here's what I would propose:

■ Pare back regular season schedules to 11 games (beginning this year, schools were allowed to schedule 12 games instead of 11).

■ Use the current BCS formula to rank teams through the end of the regular season.

■ At the end of the regular season, the Top 8 in BCS rankings earn a berth in the BCS Playoff (if a team thinks it deserves inclusion but ends up ranked #9, tough shit!)

■ The first round of playoffs are played the last week in November, the second round is played the 1st week of December.

■ The two teams that surviver the first two rounds of the playoff are in the Championship Game.

■ The Bowls then choose teams as they would normally do; teams eliminated from the BCS Playoffs are now eligible for Bowl selection.

OK...I see how this would work and I like it but.....isn't the BCS seeding process the bone of contention?? I guess no matter how you slice it, there is going to be some sort of arbitrary voting to select your top tier.

[tkkarpen]

The only problem is that conference champions deserve to get in from the major conferences. How would you like it if Ohio St. (or anyone else) won the Big Ten championship and finished #9 or lower in the BCS standings. The 6 BCS conferences (Big East, Big 10, Big 12, ACC, Pac 10, SEC) need the automatic berths, then somehow Notre Dame needs to be worked in. I say you have 10 teams, #1 and #2 deserve byes, the 6 conference champs get in, as do the next 4 highest ranked teams in the BCS standings (I hate Notre Dame - wish they didn't need to be considered - maybe not including them with a special tie in makes them join the Big East for football too).

[The Horrible Esthete]

OK...I see how this would work and I like it but.....isn't the BCS seeding process the bone of contention?? I guess no matter how you slice it, there is going to be some sort of arbitrary voting to select your top tier.

Good point, goulet. My bone of contention is definitely the arbitrary nature and bias of the human polls, but I'm okay with using such methods to establish a scenario where the best handful of teams then get to play it out on the field. The BCS is almost good enough; but the problem is that it selects only two teams to be title-worthy, which isn't inclusive enough for me. Eight, however, is plenty. Whomever is ninth will most certainly have had at least one pretty bad loss along the way....and in college football 1 bad loss = end of your title hopes.

[The Horrible Esthete]

The only problem is that conference champions deserve to get in from the major conferences.

I generally agree, but the fact is that if you ARE a major conf. champ, you WILL be one of the Top 8 unless your conference is uncharacteristically poor. This year might be atypical in that the Big 12 and ACC may not be represented in the Top 8 under BCS-style rankings, but that's because every team in both leagues has 2 or more losses except Wake Forest (imagine that!). Both leagues are mediocre at BEST this year, and have no dominant teams. If WF finishes with just 1 loss, they will probably be in that Top 8, and rightfully so.

How would you like it if Ohio St. (or anyone else) won the Big Ten championship and finished #9 or lower in the BCS standings.

It simply could not happen unless that Big 10 Champ had 2 or more losses, at least one of which coming to a weak opponent. In that case, I honestly would be just fine with it.

The 6 BCS conferences (Big East, Big 10, Big 12, ACC, Pac 10, SEC) need the automatic berths, then somehow Notre Dame needs to be worked in. I say you have 10 teams, #1 and #2 deserve byes, the 6 conference champs get in, as do the next 4 highest ranked teams in the BCS standings

That's not a bad outline, tk, but I still shy away from automatic berths for conf. champs. I think that in most years, at least 1 of the major 6 conferences does not have a team good enough to be considered one of the best 8 in the country. In every case, berths need to be earned, not just awarded, imo.

[robert goulet]

Here's my vote...Esthete for President of the BCS!!!

[The Horrible Esthete]

:oops:

Thanks, rg.

I must admit, I watch / analyze college football like it's my job.

(Ask poor Jenna. She's such a good sport! :thumb: )