On Fridays, Ryan McGee will preview a key weekend matchup by digging deep into the rivalry and determining which team is set up for a brighter future going forward. From fan bases to coaching stability to recruiting success, he'll cover the rivalries from every angle.
This week, he's looking at the Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes.
For the first time since 1977, Wisconsin will enter this matchup as the only ranked team involved. The Badgers, despite last week's crushing loss to the Michigan State Spartans, are in the BCS mix again this year after last season's Rose Bowl trip, while the Buckeyes are struggling with an interim coach and a cloud of looming NCAA sanctions hanging over them.
So the question is, will the Badgers continue to hold an advantage over the Buckeyes in the wins column in the next few seasons, or will OSU be able to rebound and take back this Big Ten rivalry? Read on to find out.
1. Recent performance
It's not surprising that Wisconsin's sports information office doesn't list the results of the entire 77-game series with Ohio State in its edition of this week's pregame notes. Instead, they begin with 1981. Why? Because that's when this game became an actual rivalry.
Prior to 1981 the series was ugly, to say the least, with the Buckeyes leading 39-7-4. That's a beatdown any way you slice it. But over the last three decades it has evened out to the tune of 14-11-1 in Ohio State's favor. Since 1999, it has been even closer, split evenly at 5-5 (and 3-3 over the last six games). In fact, the Badgers are the only team to beat Ohio State four times in the last decade. No one else has beaten the Buckeyes more than twice in that time span.
Last year, then-top-ranked OSU gave up 31 points to Wisconsin, the most the Buckeyes surrendered since their loss to No. 1 USC in 2008. This year, the Badgers roll into Columbus ranked 12th in the AP poll.
Interestingly, Ohio State's SID office has turned the school's recent scandal into a positive when it comes to this series. Because the Buckeyes vacated the 2010 season, OSU doesn't officially recognize last year's upset loss, and they claim a current winning streak versus Wisconsin of three straight, from 2007-09.
Advantage: Wisconsin
2. Recruiting
To see which rival, Ohio State or Wisconsin, has the chance to be more successful over the next few seasons, become an ESPN Insider today.
Ryan McGee | email
ESPN The Magazine, NASCAR- ESPN The Magazine senior writer
- 2-time Sports Emmy winner
- 2010 NMPA Writer of the Year
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Ryan McGee
Ryan McGee is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine. While you may know him for his extensive and very popular NASCAR coverage on this site and television, he's also been a constant in the Mag's coverage of college football. Why? Well, to wit:
• He started working in college athletic departments at 16 (Furman, Tennessee). Got his first sideline pass (UNC @ Virginia) when he was 12 and was totally run over by Tar Heels LB Micah Moon.
• His father was a college football official for 36 years (FBS 1981-2009), working 20 bowl games and two national championships.
• Ryan's a member of the FWAA (Football Writers Association of America).
• He's covered college football for ESPN The Magazine for the last five years.
• He's all over college sports -- Ryan authored "The Road To Omaha: Hits, Hopes and History at the College World Series."
Follow Ryan on Twitter: @ESPNMcGee
