[West] Standings- Thanks a lot, Brutus.
Michigan | 2-0 | 58 | 0 | 6-0 | 228 | 75 | W6 |
Michigan State | 1-0 | 10 | 7 | 4-1 | 140 | 51 | W2 |
Nebraska | 1-1 | 17 | 48 | 5-1 | 222 | 163 | W1 |
Iowa | 0-1 | 3 | 13 | 3-2 | 154 | 108 | L1 |
Northwestern | 0-2 | 35 | 38 | 2-3 | 139 | 139 | L3 |
Minnesota | 0-2 | 17 | 103 | 1-5 | 108 | 210 | L3 |
[West] Division Standings updated above. Anyone not understanding why you should have been rooting for the Buckeyes the last 2 weeks? They are the ONLY team to have supplied non-M victories to the ENTIRE [West] Division.
October 9th, 2011 at 3:51 PM ^
Yeah, but, they lost so... I'm happy.
October 9th, 2011 at 7:02 PM ^
Yeah, but, MSU and Nebraska losing is more helpful to Michigan.
Which is more important to you, Michigan succeeding or Ohio not succeeding?
October 9th, 2011 at 7:22 PM ^
I disagree with the notion that Nebraska or MSU losing was more beneficial to Michigan. I will agree that for this specific season, it probably increases our odds to win the Big Ten, however, in the long-term, Ohio losing is FAR more beneficial to Michigan.
If Ohio struggles, their recruiting is likely to fall off, making it easier for Michigan to beat them on a yearly basis. This is important not only because it likely improves Michigan's recruiting, but also because think about if Hoke begins to beat up on Ohio for a while? It will solidify him at Michigan and put an end to the theory of Michigan struggling, etc.
Also, let's not act as if those teams losing would have helped us THAT much. If we end up losing to MSU and Nebraska, it will probably not make any difference. If Michigan wins they will help themselves.
I will ALWAYS root against Ohio no matter who they face
October 9th, 2011 at 7:25 PM ^
Or, you know, we could do it the old fashion way and BEAT MSU AND NEBRASKA OURSELVES. Yes, I was yelling. I am not worried about somebody else beating them, since we play them this year. Its our job. If we lose we don't deserve to be ahead of them i the division. Seriously.
October 9th, 2011 at 8:38 PM ^
1 loss should elimante us...If we lose to MSU this week just cancel the rest of the season ecause were not doing it the old fashioned way.
October 10th, 2011 at 1:57 AM ^
October 9th, 2011 at 8:35 PM ^
Yes it is more helpful if MSU and Nebraska lose. But, remember: Michigan has a chance to take care of business on the field with both of them. So, we can have our cake and eat it too.
I want to see OSU lose. Every. Single. Week.
October 9th, 2011 at 9:21 PM ^
what the answer is in Cbus. Pathetic.
October 9th, 2011 at 10:39 PM ^
if they lose to Michigan. If they win every other game then lose to us then it helps Michigan, if they lose every single game including against Michigan then it helps us not at all. Understand?
October 10th, 2011 at 6:30 PM ^
UM succeeding. We're not MSU/Dantonio ("two victories in one day . . .").
October 9th, 2011 at 3:52 PM ^
I can't help but to get excited when I see that. How all of the teams in our division have faltered is beyond me...
October 9th, 2011 at 3:52 PM ^
If we deserve to the divison, then great, but I will root for an 0-12 season for the Buckeyes every year.
October 9th, 2011 at 3:56 PM ^
As much as I hate Ohio, if they were 0-12 every year then the rivalry would be diminished because Michigan would walk all over them each year. That does not mean I root for Ohio, but I wouldn't want them 0-12 every year
October 9th, 2011 at 5:13 PM ^
I wouldn't worry about degrading the rivalry. It didn't happen the last 3 years while we were down, and it ain't happening next 10 years while Ohio struggles to find a decent coach
October 9th, 2011 at 6:50 PM ^
I wouldn't get too far ahead of yourself by saying the the rivalry hasn't diminished over the last couple of years. Although it will always mean plenty to those intimately involved, it has certainly diminished on a national level. I have lived in south carolina and florida over the last 5 years. SEC fans used to pay a lot of attention to THE GAME, now it's just another game to watch on a saturday. Don't be fooled into thinking this rivalry will always be nationally relevant; both teams need to be relevant in order for anyone outside of big ten country to care.
October 9th, 2011 at 8:02 PM ^
will never diminish with those who find it important, namely the people of Michigan and Ohio. This rivalry has been going on since 1835 when the Toldeo war broke out. I doubt those that have revelled in this storied rivalry like Yost, Crisler and Schembechler would give a rip what the SEC thinks about their Rivalry game with tsio or what people think on a national level.
October 9th, 2011 at 5:41 PM ^
Yeah but it would also mean our status in conference and nationally would be that much more elevated, we would continue to recruit well in Ohio, someone else would pick up the slack and be better and we'd have a bigger game against them...I'm sure there are negatives about the goose egg for Brutus but as far as I'm concerned I'm down with them going 0-12, sorry rivalry...
October 9th, 2011 at 4:00 PM ^
results from some combo of a team's wins and its opponents' losses, so. . . "deserving". . . hmmm.
October 9th, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^
but theres something very right about Michigan and Ohio State meeting in November with matching 11-0 records. That sort of tradition is why Michigan and Ohio State is the greatest rivalry in sports.
October 9th, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
October 9th, 2011 at 4:49 PM ^
Well put. UM doesn't need to worry about what OSU or any other team from the Leaders division does against Legends division teams. UM only needs to focus on winning each of its games. If UM beats MSU and Nebraska head-to-head it won't matter what OSU did or didn't do against them.
In summary: F*ck OSU. Go Blue!
October 9th, 2011 at 6:31 PM ^
You want to take care of your own business first, then think about what happens to the other guy. If Michigan wins, then they will be atop the standings. I may root for OSU sometimes (rare though they are) but I am not shedding any tears over their 0-2 start.
October 9th, 2011 at 8:28 PM ^
OSU was playing Satan's own army
Isn't that called in intrasquad scrimage?
October 10th, 2011 at 8:23 AM ^
yes they wear the scarlet.
October 9th, 2011 at 3:54 PM ^
.....intellectually, everyone is well-aware as to why we need OSU to at least show up at the game, but on an emotional level, it is a terrible lowering of personal barriers to even consider cheering on OSU.
October 9th, 2011 at 4:17 PM ^
If OSU loses every game and we win every game, does it matter? No...so I want us to do our job and not care what others do, especially tOSU
October 9th, 2011 at 3:54 PM ^
Beating MSU puts us in the drivers seat for the division. Really hoping Nebraska and MSU lose next weekend.
Why anyone would root for Nebraska over OSU is completely beyond my understanding.
October 9th, 2011 at 4:01 PM ^
You obviously have not experienced the pain of taking classes while surrounded by idiots. A crowd of idiots wearing OSU hats and Salty Dog Cafe T-shirts while Facebooking in the middle of lecture. It's those guys that drive me crazy, even more than the guys who make it on the TV at gametime.
October 9th, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
next weekend, plays Minny the week after that. OSU has a chance to help us by beating the Illini in Champaign.
October 9th, 2011 at 4:16 PM ^
OSU v Illinois is in the other division and has no effect on us.
October 9th, 2011 at 4:58 PM ^
AKA, Go Illini!
October 9th, 2011 at 5:00 PM ^
It does to the extent of answering the question: who will we face in the B1G championship if we make it there?
October 9th, 2011 at 4:23 PM ^
How does that help us?
October 9th, 2011 at 4:09 PM ^
I'm really, really hoping MSU loses next weekend too.
Also, although we should root for OSU, I'm totally okay with them being a tire fire for a couple of years.
October 9th, 2011 at 4:09 PM ^
October 9th, 2011 at 4:13 PM ^
We will really be in the drivers seat if we beat MSU, because they have the "privilege" of playing Wisconsin. If they lose that too, then they'll have two B1G losses and we'd have to lose three to finish behind them because of the tiebreak that we would hold in that situation.
October 9th, 2011 at 8:35 PM ^
After an M victory over MSU, we will obviously be in the drivers seat wrt to MSU. Further, the Nebraska loss to Wisky gives us an edge over the Cornhuskers, but we still have to beat the them.
October 9th, 2011 at 4:18 PM ^
You should try getting it more
October 9th, 2011 at 5:07 PM ^
Don't you think I've had this chat with my spouse?
October 9th, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
Justingoblue, if you don't understand why anyone would root for Nebraska over OSU, then you don't understand the rivalry.
October 9th, 2011 at 5:03 PM ^
What is this? I don't even understand.
It's fun to hate your rival but they aren't your rival if you can't respect them. I don't actively root for them but I would rather we beat them in a good year for them than in a bad year for them. The only day it really matters is that last game in November. That's when it's important that they lose. Other than that, I see them as an instrument of our benefit. Ideally, they would beat the people in our division and lose to the ones in their own.
October 9th, 2011 at 5:14 PM ^
October 9th, 2011 at 5:27 PM ^
He makes perfect sense. This division thing - long term - is going to impact rivalries and who Michigan fans desire to see win games....like it or not.
October 9th, 2011 at 8:42 PM ^
I commend your courage and agree. There is a strong likelihood that the M-OSU rivalry is dimished over time under the current division structure. The goal is to win Big Ten championships. In order to win those you first need to win your division and beating folks in your division (MSU and Nebraska) is more important to winning the division than is beating OSU. Because, when you beat MSU and Nebraska you not only improve your record, you worsen a division foes record and you gain the tie breaker. Of those, beating OSU only improves your record.
October 9th, 2011 at 6:15 PM ^
Hoke does though. He gets it, amirite?????
October 9th, 2011 at 6:35 PM ^
If we're going to start making judgements, I could just as easily say that you don't understand what it means to support Michigan football if you root for Legends teams to beat Leaders teams in crossover games.
Winning the division helps Michigan, Nebraska losing increases the odds of Michigan doing that. There is no room for interpretation here, it's fact.
October 9th, 2011 at 6:43 PM ^
October 9th, 2011 at 6:57 PM ^
I said that I didn't understand why anyone would, I didn't make a personal judgement about anyone's fandom.
If you want to give me a concrete reason to root for a divisional opponent to beat a non-divisional opponent (that's also a better reason than increasing the odds of a BTCG berth), I will admit that I'm wrong. Until then, I will continue to not understand this thinking.
I don't know of any Michigan fans who are fond of OSU. I hope they lose every game in their division in embarrassing fashion and we pants them on November 26. I also want to eliminate every divisional opponent from contention as soon as possible, which means hoping OSU beats Nebraska and MSU. Maybe a better way to put it is saying I hope those teams lose, would that be better with everyone?
October 9th, 2011 at 8:53 PM ^
But , but, but we shouldn't "back-'in", we should win it for ourselves! In fact, it is painfully clear that we should absolutely refuse an invitation to the Big Ten championship game in any year in which we lose any divisional game. Why turn an invite down in those circumstances? Because, obviously in any year that you lose a divisional game the only way that you could get a chance to go the the championship game is someone else helped you. And obviously, that is below us!
In all seriousness, I don't get the logic that an OSU loss > than increasing M chances of going to the championship game. Whether or not those chances are increased via "backing-in"".