Winningest senior class at top half of Big Ten school programs
This year's seniors currently 28 wins. Should they get 14 or more (need to at least get to title game to probably do that), they will have 42 wins overall which would surpass 1997-2000 and 1971-74 as our winningest senior class since our program-record 44 wins from 1902-05. To get an idea of where that stands let's look at the top half of the conference in this category and where it ranks:
1. Ohio State: 50 wins, 2012-15
2. Nebraska: 49 wins, 1994-97
3. Minnesota: 46 wins, 1902-05
4. Wisconsin: 45 wins, 2014-17
5. Michigan: 44 wins, 1902-05
6. Michigan State: 43 wins, 2012-15
7. Penn State: 43 wins, 1971-74
August 20th, 2018 at 4:56 PM ^
It took exactly 110 years for MSU to fail to surpass our best lol
August 20th, 2018 at 4:58 PM ^
Is this based off entry year and not 5th years? Incoming freshmen this year should have a good chance at obliterating our record.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:00 PM ^
Not to be too negative, but I think its a little sad that we 110 years removed from our best senior class. No one else is more than than 50 (Minnesota doesn't count, cause they have always sucked). This is especially true given how many more games are now compared to back then.
August 20th, 2018 at 6:00 PM ^
Especially when you consider that there are more games played every year now, so there are more opportunities to win and surpass the previous record.
August 20th, 2018 at 7:41 PM ^
The Bo teams from the 70s would have surpassed the current mark if they played 12 regular season games, plus a bowl game. Also, we won/shared five straight titles in the late 80s/early 90s. I would think that's more impressive than piling up wins against Youngstown St and directional Michigan.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:03 PM ^
Yeah this stat isn't going to help the whole, Michigan hasn't been a blue blood in the modern era thing.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:10 PM ^
nebraska doesn’t count
August 20th, 2018 at 5:12 PM ^
Interesting and thanks. It would be wonderful to have another notch in there above states 43 win series.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:13 PM ^
We go 15-0 this year and we’d yor MSU with 43, 15-0 also next year and we’d be at 48. So just win the next two nattys in a row and we’d be right in the mix. Sigh.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:28 PM ^
I saw this and thought it was on the current senior classes of each team. So I compiled it:
- Ohio State 35
- Wisconsin 34
- Penn State 29
- (tie) Michigan 28
- (tie) Iowa 28
- Northwestern 27
- Michigan State 25
- Minnesota 20
- Nebraska 19
- Indiana 17
- Maryland 13
- Purdue 12
- Rutgers and Illinois 10
Nothing really surprising here. (I don't know how to fix numbering with the tie with Michigan and Iowa)
August 20th, 2018 at 7:59 PM ^
The surprise is that Rutgers has won 10 games over the past 3 years
August 20th, 2018 at 5:49 PM ^
1902-05 Michigan would probably be pushing 60 wins with todays schedule.
EDIT: after really looking into this that 1905 season really stings....we were undefeated and had not allowed a single point against all year. Then we lose 2-0 to Chicago. The Maroons 7-2-2 defense completely stopped us. :(
August 20th, 2018 at 5:55 PM ^
Yeah, what classes had a higher win % would be more telling.
August 20th, 2018 at 6:02 PM ^
It was a safety on a punt taken out of the endzone where the returner was tackled inside the endzone after reversing field. William Denison Clark. Later tragically committed suicide.
August 20th, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^
Ran back into the end zone ? Yikes thats a pretty awful play. Was he a good player otherwise ?
August 20th, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^
That makes my stomach churn... just goes to show you that Michigan has been taking its football very (too?) serious for a loooong time.
August 20th, 2018 at 9:58 PM ^
That’s a Michigan Football story I haven’t heard, and a very sad one at that.
August 21st, 2018 at 8:31 AM ^
It did weigh heavy on him for pretty much his whole life but he did take his life 27 years after that game, your words make it sound like he did it after the game
August 20th, 2018 at 5:57 PM ^
Context is key.
OSU's senior class: 50-4 (.926)
Our 1902-1905: 44-1-1 (.967)
Fuck ohio
August 20th, 2018 at 11:29 PM ^
According to wikipedia Michigan was actually the dirty recruiting team of that period. Just goes to show, recruiting has always been the primary key to success in college football.
Before the start of the 1903 season, Michigan became involved in controversy over amateurism in college football. In April 1903, David Starr Jordan, the president of Stanford University, accused Michigan coach Fielding Yost of sinning against the spirit of amateur athletics.[4] Jordan's accusations focused on two players, George W. Gregory and Willie Heston, both of whom had come to Michigan from California with Coach Yost in 1901. The Detroit Free Press reported in early September 1903 that the two might opt not to return to the University of Michigan when classes resumed.[5]
A report issued by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in April 1903 advocated stricter regulation to protect the amateur nature of the games. Although the report contained only passing references to the University of Michigan, the Chicago Record-Heralddevoted much of its coverage to attacks on amateurism at the University of Michigan.[6] The Michigan Alumnus expressed concern that football posed a danger "to the minds and morals of the players and their fellow-students."[6] It published an open letter to Coach Yost on the evils of recruiting in college football.
August 20th, 2018 at 6:46 PM ^
They don't play the same number of games per year over different eras so you're comparing apples to oranges. Do winning percentage and come back.
August 20th, 2018 at 8:32 PM ^
Is it sad that this graphic is making me realize how irrelevant we have been for the last 12 years?
August 20th, 2018 at 10:05 PM ^
I'm trying to do my best not to be critical, but this is not how you would go about comparing winningest or most successful. With expanded schedules, no bowl game limitations (Big Ten didn't change its one team bowl policy until 1974), and conference championships games & playoff, you can't compare eras by total games won. I would start with winning percentage and work from there. Some of these won't change, but some will and how they rank.
August 20th, 2018 at 11:24 PM ^
It does show we haven't been an elite team in the period of current schedules.
August 21st, 2018 at 12:14 AM ^
And we needed this thread to prove that? Is there anyone making that claim? 2007-2015 was one of the darkest stretches in Michigan football. And the decline had started in 2001. College football moved to 12-game regular seasons in 2002, added a B1G championship game in 2011, and the CFP in 2014. That is a lot new potential games per season added during a period when Michigan has not been good.
What is elite and who defines how long the period should be? Not sure why were are looking at 4-year periods as it seems kind of short to define program success. A good 4-year run could be the result of a couple good classes, but it doesn't establish a great program or era.
August 20th, 2018 at 10:58 PM ^
This stat makes me incredibly sad
August 20th, 2018 at 11:21 PM ^
Being that Boise is the only other team I root for/follow, I don’t care what people say, the Boise state, kellen Moore senior class is the winningest all time. OSU played more games and won 50, one of kellen Moore’s three losses was by one point, and the other two were because of missed field goals with no time left. I hate when OSU puts them self up there with that Boise state class. Boise could have easily been 53-0. OSU was lucky to get to 50.