This was a chatbox argument between myself, NAHSTE, Virix, Atlas and a couple of others.
There's been controversy since Day 1 surrounding the Big Ten divisions and the way they were divided up. OSU and Michigan put in seperate divisons to ensure a meeting in the CCG to generate bigger interest, better ratings, and more $. Now, lets take a look at the past 25 years, and see just how many times this matchup actually would've came into play.
Now, I'm going to make 2 seperate lists: One that determines the CCG participants based on the current way the divisions were divided up, and one that goes purely based on their conference record at the time.
Current Divisions
1986: Ohio State - Michigan
1987: Michigan State - Indiana
1988: Michigan - Illinois
1989: Michigan - Illinois
1990: Illinois - Iowa
1991: Michigan - Indiana
1992: Michigan - Ohio State
1993: Ohio State - Michigan (Mich came in 6th overall in the conf this year)
1994: Penn State - Michigan
1995: Northwestern - Ohio State
1996: Ohio State - Northwestern
1997: Michigan - Penn State
1998: Ohio State - Michigan
1999: Wisconsin - Michigan
2000: Michigan - Purdue
2001: Illinois - Michigan
2002: Ohio State - Iowa
2003: Michigan - Ohio State
2004: Michigan - Wisconsin
2005: Ohio State - Iowa
2006: Ohio State - Michigan
2007: Ohio State - Michigan
2008: Ohio State - Michigan State
2009: Ohio State - Iowa
2010: Wisconsin - Michigan State
Total: 7 meetings in 25 years
Conference Standings
1987: Michigan State - Indiana
1988: Michigan - Michigan State
1989: Michigan - Illinois
1990: Illinois - Iowa
1991: Michigan - Iowa
1992: Michigan - Ohio State
1993: Ohio State - Wisconsin
1994: Penn State - Ohio State
1995: Northwestern - Ohio State
1996: Ohio State - Northwestern
1997: Michigan - Penn State
1998: Ohio State - Michigan
1999: Wisconsin - Michigan
2000: Michigan - Northwestern
2001: Illinois - Michigan
2002: Ohio State - Iowa
2003: Michigan - Ohio State
2004: Michigan - Iowa
2005: Ohio State - Penn State
2006: Ohio State - Michigan
2007: Ohio State - Illinois
2008: Ohio State - Penn State
2009: Ohio State - Iowa
2010: Wisconsin - Ohio State
Total: 5 meetings in 25 years
So, was it really that great of a decision to make divide the divisions up so poorly for the chance that once every four years Ohio State and Michigan will play for a conference title? Put them in the same division, just like Alabama-Auburn, thats how it should've been done.
Should've just divided it at the Indiana/Illinois border:
East: OSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State
On another note, hopefully the names of these divisions get changed because they are just awful.
There's been controversy since Day 1 surrounding the Big Ten divisions and the way they were divided up. OSU and Michigan put in seperate divisons to ensure a meeting in the CCG to generate bigger interest, better ratings, and more $. Now, lets take a look at the past 25 years, and see just how many times this matchup actually would've came into play.
Now, I'm going to make 2 seperate lists: One that determines the CCG participants based on the current way the divisions were divided up, and one that goes purely based on their conference record at the time.
Current Divisions
1986: Ohio State - Michigan
1987: Michigan State - Indiana
1988: Michigan - Illinois
1989: Michigan - Illinois
1990: Illinois - Iowa
1991: Michigan - Indiana
1992: Michigan - Ohio State
1993: Ohio State - Michigan (Mich came in 6th overall in the conf this year)
1994: Penn State - Michigan
1995: Northwestern - Ohio State
1996: Ohio State - Northwestern
1997: Michigan - Penn State
1998: Ohio State - Michigan
1999: Wisconsin - Michigan
2000: Michigan - Purdue
2001: Illinois - Michigan
2002: Ohio State - Iowa
2003: Michigan - Ohio State
2004: Michigan - Wisconsin
2005: Ohio State - Iowa
2006: Ohio State - Michigan
2007: Ohio State - Michigan
2008: Ohio State - Michigan State
2009: Ohio State - Iowa
2010: Wisconsin - Michigan State
Total: 7 meetings in 25 years
Conference Standings
1987: Michigan State - Indiana
1988: Michigan - Michigan State
1989: Michigan - Illinois
1990: Illinois - Iowa
1991: Michigan - Iowa
1992: Michigan - Ohio State
1993: Ohio State - Wisconsin
1994: Penn State - Ohio State
1995: Northwestern - Ohio State
1996: Ohio State - Northwestern
1997: Michigan - Penn State
1998: Ohio State - Michigan
1999: Wisconsin - Michigan
2000: Michigan - Northwestern
2001: Illinois - Michigan
2002: Ohio State - Iowa
2003: Michigan - Ohio State
2004: Michigan - Iowa
2005: Ohio State - Penn State
2006: Ohio State - Michigan
2007: Ohio State - Illinois
2008: Ohio State - Penn State
2009: Ohio State - Iowa
2010: Wisconsin - Ohio State
Total: 5 meetings in 25 years
So, was it really that great of a decision to make divide the divisions up so poorly for the chance that once every four years Ohio State and Michigan will play for a conference title? Put them in the same division, just like Alabama-Auburn, thats how it should've been done.
Should've just divided it at the Indiana/Illinois border:
East: OSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State
On another note, hopefully the names of these divisions get changed because they are just awful.
Comment