We all know a few things about OSU's last B1G losses.
- Last loss to PSU: 2016
- Lass Loss to Iowa/Purdue (2017/2018)
Then, our memories get a little murky.
Since OSU hired a man named Urban (2012), they've suffered 5 B1G Losses while claiming 5 B1G Titles. Three to the aforementioned, and 2 to MSU (2013 and 2015).
So, I started wondering, when was the last time they lost to X? (Luckily head to head series are easy to find online https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/ohio-state/head-to-head.html) I mean, seriously, off the top of your head when was the last time OSU lost to Minnesota? Or Maryland? Or Wisconsin?
Long story short, if it seems that team X's last victory has been a while, it has.
| Opponent | Last Victory |
|---|---|
| Illinois | 2007 |
| Indiana | 1988 |
| Iowa | 2017 |
| Maryland | never |
| Michigan | 2011 |
| Minnesota | 2000 |
| MSU | 2015 |
| Nebraska | 2011* |
| Northwestern | 2004 |
| PSU | 2016 |
| Purdue | 2018 |
| Rutgers | never |
| Wisconsin | 2010 |
| *denotes only loss | |
| Avg Years Since Loss | 11.2 |
On average... the dominating pace of OSU, they lose to team X every 11.2 years. Amazingly, go back to John Cooper before you find losses to Indy and Minnesota. Also, 3 teams still belong to Tressel and 4 to Urban. Fickell owns two losses in the list, but 2011 was doomed before he took the reigns.
Ryan Day, 0.
Putting it together, how does this compare to the ENTIRE B1G?
| Opponent below |
Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Maryland | Michigan | Minnesota | MSU | Nebraska | Northwestern | OSU | PSU | Purdue | Rutgers | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | n/a | 2014 | 2008 | never | 2009 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2014 | 2007 | 2014 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Indiana | 2017 | n/a | 2012 | 2020 | 2020 | 2007 | 2020 | 2019 | 2019 | 1988 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020 |
| Iowa | 2020 | 2018 | n/a | 2018 | 2016 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 | 2019 | 2017 | 2020 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Maryland | 2018 | 2017 | 2014 | n/a | 2014 | 2020 | 2016 | never | never | never | 2020 | 2016 | 2019 | never |
| Michigan | 2019 | 2019 | 2019 | 2019 | n/a | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2018 | 2011 | 2018 | 2017 | 2020 | 2017 |
| Minnesota | 2020 | 2018 | 2014 | 2019 | 2014 | n/a | 2009 | 2020 | 2019 | 2000 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| MSU | 2013 | 2019 | 2017 | 2019 | 2020 | 2017 | n/a | 2014 | 2020 | 2015 | 2018 | 2018 | 2019 | 2012 |
| Nebraska | 2019 | 2016 | 2014 | 2019 | 2013 | 2018 | 2018 | n/a | 2019 | 2011 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 | 2012 |
| NW | 2020 | 2016 | 2020 | 2020 | 2008 | 2018 | 2018 | 2020 | n/a | 2004 | 2015 | 2020 | 2018 | 2020 |
| OSU | 2017 | 2020 | 2013 | 2019 | 2019 | 2018 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 | n/a | 2020 | 2013 | 2020 | 2019 |
| PSU | 2020 | 2019 | 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | 2016 | 2020 | 2017 | 2017 | 2016 | n/a | 2019 | 2020 | 2018 |
| Purdue | 2020 | 2018 | 2020 | 2019 | 2009 | 2017 | 2006 | 2019 | never | 2018 | 2004 | n/a | never | 2003 |
| Rutgers | 2017 | 2015 | never | 2020 | 2014 | never | 2020 | never | 2018 | never | never | 2020 | n/a | never |
| Wisconsin | 2020 | 2017 | 2019 | 2017 | 2020 | 2020 | 2019 | 2019 | 2019 | 2010 | 2011 | 2019 | 2018 | n/a |
| Avg Years... | 1.5 | 2.6 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 4.9 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 11.2 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 3.8 |
*doesn't include Rutger's games against PSU (1988) and Northwestern (1991)... Conference games only.
Also, the denominator was reduced by 1 each time a 'never' appears in the list.
Ranking in terms of Greatness (guess who's atop?)
| Team | Avg Seasons since Losing to X |
|---|---|
| OSU | 11.2 |
| Michigan | 4.9 |
| Iowa | 4.3 |
| Wisconsin | 3.8 |
| PSU | 3.4 |
| MSU | 2.8 |
| Indiana | 2.6 |
| Minnesota | 2.6 |
| NW | 1.6 |
| Purdue | 1.6 |
| Illinois | 1.5 |
| Nebraska | 1.3 |
| Maryland | 1 |
| Rutgers | 0.7 |
Atop is OSU... 11.2 Seasons elapse before they lose to 'that' team.
It's impossible to be 0... that requires losing to everyone in 2020. Rutgers is almost there, 0.7 seasons elapse before they lose to 'that' team. They have two 'last losses' in 2018, all else was 2019 and 2020.
Remember, it only takes one bad year to screw things up in this list. Maryland nears the bottom; going 1-8 in conference in 2019 hurts on these lists. PSU started 2020's B1G Slate 0-5, likely plummeted their standings on this made up arbitrary list.
Amazingly, OSU is more than DOUBLE #2... Which is Michigan. I mean, Michigan is better than most (2016, 2018 were world beaters)... OSU is just elite.
Longest 'Not Losing to That Team' Streaks
- OSU over Indy (last loss 1988)
- OSU over Minnesota (last loss 2000)
- Wisconsin Over Purdue (last loss 2003)
- OSU Over NW / PSU Over Purdue (last loss 2004)
- MSU Over Purdue (last loss 2006)
- OSU Over Illinois / Minnesota Over Indiana (Last Loss 2007)
Good lord, it seems that everybody's NOT losing to Purdue except OSU... and OSU is beating everyone BUT Purdue (5-4 head to head since 2004, and 8-5 since 2000, not a typo). Even harder to believe, 2 of OSU's Purdue wins were improbables (2002 Holy Buckeye & 2012's 'Guiton game') and 2003 was an OT win.
I say, make Purdue play Clemson and Bama every year in the non conference and see what unfolds... I mean, they have a knack for this stuff.
Long story short, the sun spot cycle peaks every 11 years. OSU's current pace is a loss to team X every 11.2 years... They're outpacing the sun.
