12/21/24
November 11, 2007
For The Love of Sport: Rivalry: This game is a classic rivalry, it will determine the Big Ten title, and by establishing a Big Ten champion it will punch at least one BCS ticket. Kyrilmitch_76 returns with the latest installment of his weekly column.
Both teams are coming off a loss before "the big game". You can bet that both will be out for blood. Many predicted that Illinois could upset Ohio State. It may have been an upset, but to me it was really not surprising. The Big Ten is supposed to be weak this year, but I think it's a case of having real balance within the league.
posted by Howard_T at 11:32 AM on November 11, 2007
I have to say I was pretty surprised by the Ohio State loss. I kept waiting for Ohio State to unload on the "lowly" Illini but it just never happened. Michigan on the other hand is a team that really hasn't lived up to potential since last year's OSU game. It should be a great game.
posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 12:15 PM on November 11, 2007
If Mike Hart and Chad Henne are healthy able to play Michigan has substantial chance to win. If Ryan Mallet starts there is virtually no chance that Michigan can win. The Big Ten is supposed to be weak this year, but I think it's a case of having real balance within the league. The Big Ten may be balanced, but it is a balance of weak teams.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:38 PM on November 11, 2007
Is the glass half empty, or half full?
posted by brainofdtrain at 02:40 PM on November 11, 2007
I have to say I was pretty surprised by the Ohio State loss. I kept waiting for Ohio State to unload on the "lowly" Illini but it just never happened. I was surprised that Ohio State didn't just stack the box on the last drive to stop the QB draw and/or force Juice Williams to beat them with his arm. The Big Ten may be balanced, but it is a balance of weak teams. I think the Big Ten is at best the fourth best conference this year and probably fifth (behind the SEC, Pac-10, Big East, Big XII). Better for OSU though to get this game out of the way and then end up in a bowl like the Rose or a not-quite-BCS game, where they likely deserve to be, than to get to the National Championship game without ever really being challenged and then to get blown off the field like last year.
posted by holden at 03:11 PM on November 11, 2007
I have stopped guessing, but I am still curious as to who is actually going to be in the title game.
posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 05:46 PM on November 11, 2007
...and by establishing a Big Ten champion it will punch at least one BCS ticket If Michigan beats OSU, there is no way a 3-loss Michigan team, with a loss to I-AA App State and a 32-point loss to Oregon (even if the Ducks wind up in the championship game) deserves to play in a BCS game. All the BCS berths should be at-large...no guarantees for conference champions. There have been too many 3 or even 4 loss teams in the BCS (Pitt and Florida State come to mind in recent years) because of guaranteed berths. And a loss to a I-AA team should disqualify a team from the BCS for that season, even if they win their conference.
posted by TerpFan at 10:06 PM on November 11, 2007
TerpFan -- if the BCS was about rewarding the best teams, I would buy what you're saying in terms of teams "deserving" to play in a BCS game. Unfortunately, it's about maximizing revenue and concentrating wealth in the hands of the BCS conferences (plus Notre Dame) and, under that system, a 3-loss conference winner is still a conference winner.
posted by holden at 10:59 PM on November 11, 2007
I'm confused. If Michigan beats OSU, how would Michigan get a BCS game (Rose Bowl)? Michigan and OSU would share the Big Ten title. And OSU would still have the better record, right?
posted by lil'red at 10:22 AM on November 12, 2007
Both teams only have one conference loss so the winner of the game is the outright winner of the Big Ten and, thus, would earn the automatic berth for the BCS bowl.
posted by ksb122 at 10:28 AM on November 12, 2007
What ksb said. If Ohio State had not lost to Illinois and went on to lose against Michigan both teams would tie for the Big Ten title. Michigan would then go to a BCS game (most likely the Rose Bowl) since it would have the tiebreaker over Ohio State.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:13 PM on November 12, 2007
Thanks for clearing that up for me!
posted by lil'red at 03:30 PM on November 12, 2007
Holden is dead on, I don't know how else to say it: Playoffs, Playoffs, Playoffs, Playoffs. Maybe if its written another ten thousand times they will do away with this broke system.
posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 04:55 PM on November 12, 2007
Maybe if its written another ten thousand times they will do away with this broke system. Only if it is replaced with something more profitable. All of us know that the dollar controls sports, and the golden rule is "He who has the gold, rules".
posted by Howard_T at 09:48 AM on November 13, 2007
This game is even more important now, since both OSU & Michigan lost yesterday. I think this is one of the best rivalries ever. You don't root for the other side even in Bowl games when they are playing the Pac-10 or SEC. Coaches on both side have been fired because they lost to one or the other one too many times. Michigan has been known to spoil a perfect season for OSU. As a Buckeye fan, we can lose to Illinois or Florida, but to lose to Michigan is to lose face for an entire year. This is bragging rights folks. This is a game where you are revered or scorned at your respective schools for decades - win or lose. So tune in Saturday, it should be a great one!