3rd Protected Rivalry
If the Big 10 allowed a third team to be schedule protected (stays on, doesn't rotate off) who would you like it to be for Michigan?
Personally, I'd like to see Minnesota stay on. I love the battle for The Jug, I like their colors, I like the fact that they now play outdoors, I like the fact that they used to love to pound it on the ground under Glen Mason. I like the fact that they have a very rich football tradition. I just think that Minnesota and Michigan have a somewhat underrated rivalry, and the battle for The Jug is one of my favorite games of the year when they get together.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:18 PM ^
Penn st. - Might as well play the best
October 12th, 2009 at 9:18 PM ^
i agree i would like to see Minny on the schedule as the third team. Although i love seeing Michigan smack around Joe Pa's team
October 12th, 2009 at 9:22 PM ^
Gotta go with Minny. That is our traditional third rival and though they have been somewhat down as of recent, there is a longer history to that rivalry than Sparty. You could say Notre Dame, which I wouldn't disagree with either, but I'm purely looking at this as an in-conference kind of thing.
We simply don't have rivalries with any other Big Ten team, no matter what they think.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:31 PM ^
Penn St. and Minnesota. The battle for the jug is great, but having the Penn State game is awesome too. We will fight with them over attendance (instead of a jug), so that is a "trophy" itself. Just a thought.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:11 PM ^
Winning coach of the PSU game gets a Nobel Prize.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:31 PM ^
or UConn
October 13th, 2009 at 7:47 AM ^
let me do this for you since it seems nobody is putting batteries in their sarcasm-meters these days:
"Delaware State or UConn /sarcasm"
"Delaware State or UConn /sarcasm"
October 12th, 2009 at 9:33 PM ^
ND every year would be the move.
If it had to stay within the B10 I would say: PSU, Wisc/Iowa then Minne in that order.
All that being said if were to have a special season under way having just two big games and then 6-8 mediocre to good matchups, with a few poor teams sprinkled in would be just fine by me!
October 13th, 2009 at 12:16 AM ^
Notre Dame still isn't in the Big Ten
We already have a contracted series with them for the next 20 years.
Your last paragraph doesn't even make sense. We have usually 2-4 big games, 3-7 "good/mediocre" games, and 3 tomato cans. That's not any different.
October 13th, 2009 at 1:03 AM ^
I understand we have a contract, but they should be an official rival is the point I was making IF we were going to add a third rival. Similar to the arrangement USC has with ND.
To your not making sense claim, I stated some years it would be nice to only have 2 big games OSU an 1 other. Not 4 or more big games like next year is shaping up to have.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:29 AM ^
The original post talked about protected rivals, a Big Ten only rule because we don't play everybody (Pac-10, Big East), and we aren't split into divisions with a title game (ACC, SEC, Big 12).
I also don't understand why you don't want 8-9 big games a year. We will always have the Northwestern-esque teams on the schedule, but why do you prefer bad games to good games?
October 17th, 2009 at 3:39 PM ^
I just want the team at or near the BCS Title game every year. If we can limit the potential pot holes on the way to that goal why wouldn't you.
I'm not saying scheudule all creampuffs, but anything can happen on any given Saturday (see OSU today) so why not limit the teams risk of a loss. To do that schedule no more than 3, maybe 4 big games annually. I.e. ND, OSU, + 1 or 2 more.
Penciling in 8+ wins annually would be a real nice position to be in.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:45 PM ^
Is this possible? There's not an even number of teams to do it.
Illinois: Indiana, Northwestern, Iowa
Indiana: Illinois, Purdue, Ohio State
Iowa: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois
Michigan: Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State
Michigan State: Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin
Minnesota: Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue
Northwestern: Illinois, Purdue, ???
Ohio State: Michigan, Penn State, Indiana
Penn State: Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan
Purdue: Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota
Wisconsin: Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan State
I've got NU with no one to play.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:56 PM ^
I realize the whole in my idea to schedule Penn State. We get the circle of death where each of us defeats the other, then Minnesota goes undefeated to win the BigTen. Must never happen.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:03 PM ^
so (#teams * #games) has to be even.
Since this is hypothetical, I'll go with PSU.
The other problem with increasing the number of rivalry games would be the increased likelihood of a mid-tier team getting a cake-walk to the B10 championship.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:10 PM ^
"I've got NU with no one to play."
Eh, I'm pretty sure they could just cancel that game and not too many folks in Evanston would notice.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:51 PM ^
third year. Play them home, then away, then take a year off to schedule another good OOC game. Rinse and repeat. Probably tough to do in reality, but the rivalry would still remain pretty fresh, and you could do some quality home and homes with some other opponent in the off years.
In terms of in conference team locked up, now that the Gophers have a outdoor stadium, they're more paletable, I suppose. Still, I'd much rather see a more of a spotlight national game with PSU.
Michigan, OSU and PSU would all play each other every year in my perfect world.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:35 PM ^
I've never heard this idea before, but I think it is great. I would love to have the flexibility to schedule bigger OOC games.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:46 PM ^
Nice Idea but Notre Dame worked very hard so that during the course of one season they either play USC or Michigan at home.
They moved around us and USC to make sure they only had one tough away game a year.
So they wouldn't be a fan of this.
In the age of gimmick schedules, scheduling byes before the biggest games, yes I'm looking at you Florida and Alabama, I wish we could avoid the 3 road triumvirate of OSU, PSU, and ND all in the same year. Although PSU will get moved off again soon enough.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:15 PM ^
I'm pretty sure that under our current deal, we play Notre Dame every year until I die with no breaks.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:10 PM ^
Why so low? The battle for the Jug should be on the minds of every Michigan fan every. single. day. Minne$ucka didn't just take it. They stole it, like thieves in the night.
Our boys faced ferocious odds and lost much of their innocence facing off in trench warfare with those beady-eyed rodent bastards, and they got it back. But those fuckin' geauxfurs will never quit, and neither can we. Number one, always.
Remember the Jug. Never forget. Never forgive.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:23 PM ^
All this Gofer$ talk is making my blood pressure spike. If we EVER lose to those RODENT$, heads need to roll. I will be first in line to sign the petition to fire the coaches and AD, take away scholarships, etc. That would be UNACCEPTABLE.
Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
October 13th, 2009 at 6:49 PM ^
I will never forgive or forget. Those filthy GO-Furs did not even win that game in 1903. They simply tied the score late in the second half. There was still plenty of time for Michigan to come back and score but NOOooo...the brains of the Minne$ota fan base was infected with rabies. In their fevered little heads the game was OVER! They stormed the field as if they had just WON! The referee had to call the game a tie because of the chaos. Eff THEM! That jug is OURS!
KILL THEM ALL!
October 12th, 2009 at 10:17 PM ^
Never give in -- never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the LOLphers.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:17 PM ^
Huron River Rivalry
October 12th, 2009 at 11:01 PM ^
Has to be PSU. I love that series.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:04 PM ^
I have to go with Ohio State, home and away every year, like the Lions and the Pack
October 13th, 2009 at 7:53 AM ^
That sure would make things interesting... though there are plenty of problems with it. For example, depending on the proximity of the games, some players might be inclined to injure an opposing player intentionally at the end of the first game in order to gain advantage in the second game. Among other things.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:12 PM ^
If it's going to diddle with the schedule, then prohibit games against 1-AA teams.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:16 PM ^
all things considered, who would you rather be playing this week, Delaware State or say, Auburn.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:54 PM ^
If we're going to play someone like Deleware State, we may as well just get Slippery Rock in here.
October 13th, 2009 at 6:27 AM ^
Auburn
October 12th, 2009 at 11:16 PM ^
I'd like to see PSU, Minn, Wisc, and Iowa all be protected. Rotate Ill, Ind, NW, and Purdue through the two open slots. I don't want to see those years where teams like Wisc or Iowa catch a break by missing both us and OSU on the schedule.
October 13th, 2009 at 9:19 AM ^
even if it's wishful thinking. It is pretty annoying that 11 teams create that scheduling break on occasion. Winning a B10 title (or a share) without having to play 1 or 2 of the top teams in the conference cheapens that title.
It's annoying in basketball, too. Can someone enlighten me why there can't be a 20-game B10 bball schedule? I assume there's a good reason. Is it just because there aren't enough days between early Jan. and the conference tournament to get two more games in? I'd almost prefer to ditch the tourney, if that was the case.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:17 PM ^
Indiana!
October 12th, 2009 at 11:18 PM ^
This is one of the most entertaining and exciting rivalry games with the oldest trophy. I love the Little Brown Jug game!
October 12th, 2009 at 11:51 PM ^
If we want the most meaningful possible national title, we need to run the table through ND, MSU, PSU and OSU.
October 13th, 2009 at 12:53 AM ^
So with all the national titles we've won in our lifetime, some have been more meaningful than others? I think any national title is meaningful enough, thank you very much.
October 15th, 2009 at 3:04 AM ^
We don't need to beat each of those teams to have a legitimate national title, just the team we play in the BCS championship. But, in a perfect world, we would never ever lose to any of those teams. Just thinking about it makes my sciatica act up.
October 13th, 2009 at 5:52 AM ^
But UM has tough games against OSU, MSU, and Notre Dame every year--and if I'm not mistaken, they also seem to play Wisconsin every year.
This year UM plays ALL the Big Ten contenders. That's tough. No one else in the leagure has that schedule this year.
All the other conferences rotate (expecially the ones with divisions) so why not the Big Ten? Other than that, play a round robin and call it a day (which I'd prefer).
So the game I'd protect would be the Minnesota Golden Goophers.
October 13th, 2009 at 7:46 AM ^
The last time Michigan did not play Wisconsin was in 2003 and 2004.
I am not so much in favor of another protected rivalry game. Outside of the logistical problems Formerlyanonymous points out, the schedule would just get even more set/rigid with ND/OSU/MSU plus another team every year.
And the more Michigan plays another team every year, the less often the team plays Iowa, Wisconsin, etc. And I don't think that is a good thing.
October 13th, 2009 at 7:56 AM ^
Welcome back to sanity.
October 13th, 2009 at 5:18 PM ^
I'm with most people here and would go with either PSU or Minny.. but if I absolutely had to pick between the two of them, I think I would go with Minny.
October 13th, 2009 at 6:03 PM ^
Minnesota!
No contest. PSU isn't even a rivalry, so, I don't understand the logic for them.
Yes, both us and them are usually good.
Yes, there have been some exciting games between M and PSU.
That does not constitute a rivalry.
October 13th, 2009 at 7:05 PM ^
Minnesota would be my third protected game. And it would be a very close contest between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Nobody has mentioned our other state-neighbor, the one to the west; Wisconsin. Another original Western Conference / Big 10 rival. Michigan is, by far, the biggest game on Bucky's schedule when we are there.
Penn State? That's in Pennsylvania, right?
Somebody also mentioned Notre Dame, in a thread about Big 10 conference scheduling and protected rivalries within that schedule. I'm going to be nice, and just say, Hmmmm. Matter of fact, I think that Notre Dame and Penn State ought to find themselves a nice league and just, uh, be together in it.
October 13th, 2009 at 6:08 PM ^
Delaware State, this weekend is the beginning of one the greatest rivalries in history.