Why do we play Wisconsin for at least 6 years straight?

Submitted by Communist Football on

Something odd about the football schedule. Wisconsin is in the other division; our Big 10 West opponents each year, in theory, should rotate through. But we play Wisconsin for at least six years straight. As far as I know, the only "protected rivalry" is Indiana vs. Purdue.

Here are the dates we play Wisconsin, with our other Big 10 West opponents in parentheses. You'll notice that over this six-year period, we play Illinois twice; Iowa twice; Purdue twice; Minnesota twice; Nebraska twice; Northwestern twice; and Wisconsin 6 times:

Oct 1, 2016: @Michigan 14, Wisconsin 7 (Illinois, @Iowa)

Nov 18, 2017: @Wisconsin 24, Michigan 10 (@Purdue, Minnesota)

Oct 13, 2018: Wisconsin @Michigan (Nebraska, @Northwestern)

Sep 21, 2019: Michigan @Wisconsin (Iowa, @Illinois)

Sep 26, 2020: Wisconsin @Michigan (@Minnesota, Purdue)

Oct 2, 2021: Michigan @Wisconsin (@Nebraska, Northwestern)

Given that there are 18 games and 7 Big 10 West opponents, I'd expect there to be more of a 2-2-2-3-3-3-3 split.

Does anyone have the answer?

UPDATE: Here is Wisconsin's non-Michigan Big 10 East schedule over the same period. MSU twice, OSU twice, Maryland twice, Indiana twice, Rutgers twice, PSU twice, Michigan 6 times:

2016: @MSU, OSU (played PSU in championship)

2017: Maryland, @Indiana (played OSU in championship)

2018: Rutgers, @PSU

2019: MSU, @OSU

2020: Indiana, @Maryland (also plays Notre Dame)

2021: PSU, @Rutgers

 

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Space Coyote

December 5th, 2017 at 12:07 PM ^

@Michigan, @OSU, vs MSU, for crossover games. In division goes: @Wisconsin, @Northwestern, @Iowa; but thanks for Illinois, Minnesota, and Purdue at home...

They basically are facing for sure three of the top four teams from the East (two on the road), and playing at three of the top four West teams.

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UMxWolverines

December 5th, 2017 at 12:15 PM ^

Is there anything else you can think of to whine about? We didn't play them for six years before last year. If we're good enough the schedule shouldn't matter. Sack up and play up to competition for once.

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Billy Ray Valentine

December 5th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^

Love this. I wish we played Wisconsin every year. I love the rivalry. I love going to games in Madison. With the rare exception of a random idiot, their fanbase is passionate, reasonable, knowledgeable, and welcoming to Michigan fans. Not to go all poetic, but to be the best, you need to beat the best, and they have been the best, in the West, for some time.

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CarlosSpicyweiner21

December 5th, 2017 at 12:39 PM ^

Funny I just had this argument with a Buckeye fan. I called Delany dirty and he called me a angry UM fan. I simply pointed out how screwed and uneven the divisions were and then the fact we play Wisconsin every year and OSU plays them 1 time during the same span.

 

Michigan gets OSU, PSU, MSU and Wisconsin every year.

 

I also pointed out that when he switched the conferences magically we had to take on MSU on the road 2 straight years and that we play our biggest rivals away every other year.

 

2 times in the 6 years we run a gauntlet of PSU, MSU and Wisconsin 3 straight weeks. 1 time we get a bye in between one of the 3 games.

 

Delany knew at the time OSU was his golden goose because they cheated...got caught...got away with it...replaced one HofF coach with a better one and never missed a beat. We are screwed in The Game unless we are undefeated and OSU isn't or if OSU has a horrible year where they come into the game with 3 loses.

 

Delany chases the money and doesn't care about 90% of the teams in the league. He may be the Dave Brandon of League Commisoners. 

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Blue in Yarmouth

December 5th, 2017 at 1:05 PM ^

I, for one, want to be beating the best teams and playing competitive games week in and week out. If other schools want to beat up on tomato cans let them, but I hate it. Honestly, what is the point here? Are we scared of playing good teams? Do we want to get a really good bowl game because we have an inflated record? Play the best teams and if you win you get playoffs and titles, if you lose you didn’t deserve to be there in the first place. Chalk me up as loving that we play them every year.

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LSAClassOf2000

December 5th, 2017 at 1:45 PM ^

Wow. We've gotten this far into this thread without anyone saying "because you touch yourself at night". I am kind of disappointed actually. 

I remember someone did the generic breakdown of how the interdivision play would work when we went to East and West and I think the first thing that boggled the mind was watching how teams would randomly fall in and out of rotation. Welcome to the Bigger Than Ten Big Ten.

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