Opinion: College expansion talk, plus thoughts on Michigan-Ohio State rivalry and more

“Not that Delany wants my input, but I say put Michigan and Ohio State in separate divisions. Forget the end-of-year tradition. Protect the rivalry, play it in early fall and hope your two premier programs match up again in a title game.”

I couldn't disagree more. The effort should be to disrupt as little of the tradition of the Big Ten as possible. Now instead of playing for the Rose Bowl they'll play for the right to go to the Championship Game. That works for me.

Wait, these colleges are expanding too, I thought it was just the conference

Think it through. Remember that there are five major conferences looking for the right opportunities.

Delany's in a position where he doesn't have to be the first to act. Expansion past 12 schools is a risky move, and he's going to wait to see it succeed elsewhere before moving.

I can't imagine the Big East losing many schools before it stops offering football. Follow the money. Already, it's the only major conference where basketball rivals football. It's also the only conference with members that don't play football.

If conferences expand to 14, the Big East soon gets swallowed for football. The ACC has to move in that direction and the Big Ten might as well.

You have to look at who the Big East can pick up. Some MAC and Conference USA schools become the logical choices, but that's not going to work for basketball, other than Memphis. It's a bad situation.

The Big XII survived because Texas was bribed. But it will struggle because it already has some very weak schools (Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State) and one more major loss would be a tipping point for the others.

Analyzing a school is far more than just looking at how good the football team is right now.

As for devaluing Michigan/Ohio State? That would be a mistake. I think the Big Ten resisted a championship game for so long because Michigan/Ohio State often was the championship game. They should remain in the same division. Maybe in a few years, once RichRod is gone, that will be the de facto division championship game more often than not.

It does not matter how you chop it, the OSU/UM rivalry will never be the same after this year. The only way that they get to play the last game of the year with all the marbles on the line is to separate them and hope they both make it to the Championship game. The only solution to making sure they play every year is to pit them against each other earlier in the season (same division or not, it does not matter) as long as they play...but still, there is a big difference between Sept. and November. Here is my solution: Assuming every big ten team plays 4 Non-conference teams, 5 Conference in division games...that leaves 3 out of division conference game that each team will play every year. Separate them, play the OSU/UM game as the first conference game every year. This will guarantee they play, plus they can potentially meet in the Conference Championship as well. Any time that both schools have good teams, they will almost certainly meet twice....that's the best case scenerio for everyone!

"Strong bond or not, Michigan just doesn’t have the horses to beat Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin."

Nice way to throw the team under the bus after writing such a nice piece on Roh's fight through trial and tribulation.

They have heart and i'll take heart over horse anyday, despite all the negative press media members profit from, there's a theme that most of the players seem to share, staying together, having a bond.

Not sure what makes you think or hope OSU, Wiscy or Iowa will be better
than last year, last i checked everyone is 0 and 0.... same logic that had many predict Iowa finishing 4th or 5th(in conf.)last year, yet they were on pace to play for a National championship late in the year.

Facts are facts and the facts are they since Rich Rod has got here he has won only 8 games and finished LAST in Big Ten. OSU is stocked with talent as is Iowa and Wisconsin.

The last paragraph contains a statement that is of concern. If Michigan cannot beat OSU, Iowa, or Wisky, when are they going to be able to beat these teams? I believe this is the last year that RR has to prove his system will work in the Big Ten. Personally, I believe Micvhigan fans are in for a disappointing decade of Michigan football. I certainly hope I am wrong, but I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel yet.

Dear Sparty Dave:

I know Sparty rivalries are different, but I really think you need a better understanding of the Michigan/Ohio State rivalry. Michigan and Ohio State needs to be the last game of the regular season. It is how things are done.

As for the supposition that Michigan "just doesn't have the horses" to beat OSU this year, you are once again demonstrating a lack of historical perspective concerning this rivalry. At this point, Michigan winning would be a huge upset, but there have been bigger ones in the series on both sides of the fence.

Cliches about "throwing out the records" aside, you really can't say that one team has no chance of winning in this rivalry. During Michigan's 10-2-1 run against OSU, nobody except Walter Smith was stupid or arrogant enough to think that one team was so superior to the other that it didn't have at least a "puncher's chance" of winning. And both Smith and Michigan paid for his arrogance.

OSU may very well win this year, but they won't do it if they decide that they are so talented that they can "fax it in." And no serious writer should make that decision, either.

"Strong bond or not, Michigan just doesn’t have the horses to beat Ohio State, Iowa AND Wisconsin."

emphasis mine. I think few people need to learn the difference between 'and' and 'or'.

Good story dave, Indeed Michigan does not even have a horse in this years race.
Ok, maybe a Pony, and i guess theoretically a pony COULD win the Kentucky Derby, Should all the other horses sleep in.

It's funny to me that everyone, even nationally, thinks that this years team (any team) will have the same results as last years team, good or bad. Every year the face and the dynamics of the team changes. Last year Mich did not have the horses. Young team, inexperienced players, not enough conditioning, (18 and 19 year olds are not men yet, takes time to pound muscle on). Last year Iowa, Purdue, Mich State came down to the last few minutes. Come on now State fans you were nervous when Mich tied it up and forced an overtime. I know, "bend don't break defense" let Mich score. Then I have to say, "Why didn't Dantonio coach them up and crush Mich 50 to nothing?" Did a 6-6 season be an indicator of problems within? And Ohio State fans----you won by 1 point! And we spotted you 7 points in the first few minutes of the game and threw 5 picks to you. Where were your offensive horses?
Dave Birkett----the last line of your article really has nothing to do with the body of the article. But you did get a lot of chatter about it.

Jarhead, wasnt the 2009 score 21-10? better check your math, especially when you make such a big point and have to use a bunch of dramatic dashes and an exclamation point.
You are right about team dynamics changing every year, Pryor appears to have shaken his sophomore jitters, and cousins is looking like a force as well.
As for teams beating michigan in the last couple minutes or getting help from turnovers, well the game is 60 mins long and the "Help" swings both ways. I see you didnt mention the help Michigan got at the end of the Indiana game, or do you mentally block that call? Michigan was one blown call away from going 0-Fer in the big ten.
So there are still questions at Qb
Defense is thin and is being anchored by 2 players who are coming off surgery.
Kicking Game is another big question.
No star power at the receiver position.
No stand out Running backs.
and every team you play this year smells Blood and is going to be gunning for you.
Im sure the thought of beating Micihgan has brought many teams together over the past summer. Players from Conneticuit, BG, ND, State, Indiana, and Purdue probably spent an additional thousand hours each working out this summer, because chances like this dont happen every year, the chance to go 3 in a row, the chance to spoil a home opener of a new stadium, the chance to get some payback for last years blunder. Id be worried if i was a michigan fan.

"Strong bond or not, Michigan just doesn’t have the horses to beat Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin."

Excuse me, didn't Michigan almost beat Iowa last year? I think Michigan improves more than Iowa this year.

The Wolverines can beat any football team in this Union my friend.

Osubebetter, My apologies, I need to proof read better. That was supposed to be eleven (11) not one (1). Point I was trying to make was take away 7 points and 5 interceptions then that might have been an interesting game, though the result may have been the same. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Ohio State or Mich State. I revell in the rivalries. I think Tressell is a great choach. just look at the bcs bowls he has taken you all to and his domination of Mich. The Columbus Dispatch has a running clock that says 2443 days since Mich has beaten Ohio. On Nov 28th I'd like it to reset to 1 day.
I didn't mention the Indiana game, I was sure someone would point it out for me, Ha. I'm not gonna do you guys's work for ya.
And yes every year everyone is gunning for Mich. Ohio feels it too, don't they? Pryor will only get better as time goes by. Every player should though shouldn't they? Over the years I've seen many a team that didn't have super-stars but had great team chemistry and execution. Mich can only get better. And due to the amount of negative blogs, I have to think you all are gettin' NERVOUS!