W/L records versus Big Ten opponents

[Go Gophers Rah]

In our last ten meetings against each Big Ten opponent, here are our records (from best to worst):

Illinois: 7-3 (.700)
Indiana: 6-4 (.600)
Michigan State: 5-5 (.500)
Northwestern: 4-6 (.400)
Penn State: 4-6 (.400)
Iowa: 3-7 (.300)
Purdue: 2-8 (.200)
Wisconsin: 2-8 (.200)
Michigan: 1-9 (.100)
Ohio State: 1-9 (.100)

No surprises with Michigan and Ohio State or (sadly) versus our arch-rivals.

I find it a little surprising how well (relatively) we have played Michigan State and PSU (I know we faced PSU during a couple of their "down" years) versus how poorly we've faired against Northwestern and Purdue. I don't think anyone can think of a game that the refs stole from us so badly as the 2006 Penn State Game, so we really ought to be .500 against them.

I know that many of us are expecting wins against Purdue, Northwestern and (perhaps) Wisconsin, so that would change these numbers if it were to occur.

Why do we play Penn State and Michigan State so well but play Purdue so poorly?

Also of note is that our away record versus IU for the past 20 years is 1-8 its not like walking into the Big House to face a ranked team.

Anyway, just some fodder until summer practice starts.

 

[spermophilus]

Measuring Stick For The Gopher FB Head Coach

"What was/is your record against Iowa and Wisconsin?"

Over a 5-yr period - it should never be below .500. Assuming you take care of these 2 ends of the business and what that connotes - everything else will/should be academic.

 

[ulfr]

I find it a little surprising how well (relatively) we have played Michigan State and Northwestern[Northwestern or PSU?] (I know we faced PSU during a couple of their "down" years) versus how poorly we've faired against Northwestern and Purdue. I don't think anyone can think of a game that the refs stole from us so badly as the 2006 Penn State Game, so we really ought to be .500 against them.

I would top the PSU game in the last ten years for officiating win-thievery with the overtime loss to Purdue with the touchdown that was ruled out of bounds because the pre'04 turf/rug had a golden endzone area that didn't actually extend all the way to the boundary lines, there being about a foot and a half between the edge of the logo'd area and the boundary. The gopher receiver neatly dragged both feet in that green space between but was called for the line out and Purdue won. Instant replay became a part of my religion the next day.

 

[Go Gophers Rah]

you're right, I meant PSU and have edited my original post - thanks.

 

[Schnauzer]

I was looking at season by season results earlier and we dominated our neighbors directly to our east pretty well up until the B.A. years. There were actually more wins in the 90's than I remembered too. The last 10... not so good. It is amazing the way "they" would have you believe it has always been that way.

This is just a memory of the bad Gopher teams (so, maybe skewed by how I want to remember them) but it seemed as though a lot of the bad teams were especially poor on the defensive side of the ball, and to be more specific... PASS DEFENSE. Since Tiller was a good 'O' coach and had a run of great college quarterbacks... I'm wondering if that could be a reason why we had an especially bad run against them in more recent years. We just didn't match up well with the way Purdue was built. It wasn't as obvious with other programs that similar overall records as Purdue.

Also, I typically don't pin losses on ref calls but Penn State should be 5-5 considering that obvious jobbing ref call a couple years ago. I know, I know... woulda coulda shoulda... you could say that about a lot of games (both ways). That one just really sticks out in my mind and I can't forget it.

EDIT: I posted my PSU comments before seeing the other's highlight that in their comments (and original post). It is nice to feel part of something, I guess. It still bugs me.

 

[MNCH]

Why the bad record vs. Purdue? David Gibbs put 8 men in the box...against Drew Brees.

 

[Ole]

pretty interesting numbers actually.

The one that sticks out to me is wisky of course. (2-8) gah!
My thoughts:
I remember watching the 06 game at camp randall, I have never seen a team so flat and uninterested in competing as that gopher squad was that day. Since then I actually like the progression in relationship to our team's talents. 07- got beat but fought hard and left everything out there(Defense was awful), 08-went into camp randall and gave it to them, but faltered due to freshmen mistakes(fumbles, roughing penalties), we will get the ax back this year.

The others are pretty standard for the last decade, win some here and there, lose some here and there. I have a theory on the PSU and MSU records: We don't play them every year, Mason's offense was very difficult to defend when you haven't played against it, see bowl victories against Alabama, Oregon, etc. Unfortunately we also had terrible D during the last decade so it often didn't matter how many points we scored.