Wolverine Watch: The Painful Countdown

Did you ever engage in a wet clay-slinging contest, determining which “friend” could leave the bigger welt on the others? It’s not advisable.

Ever challenge a buddy to a battle strolling along barefoot on hot asphalt, until somebody bails? Agony of de feet, indeed.

Ever root for Northwestern football, from 1936-95? Enough said.

Those painful, futility-laden contests are a little like coming up with a midsummer column on a topic better left alone. You’d be farther ahead if you didn’t go there, but the temptation seems irresistible.

Fact is, Michigan football has a shot at extending a record this season. It’s just not one of which the Wolverines want any part.

Since Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Jake Long and the rest of Lloyd Carr’s 2004 Michigan football squad got it done, U-M hasn’t tasted a Big Ten championship. That’s unimaginable, and unprecedented in the history of Michigan football.

The touchstone for futility throughout the lives of most in the Bo Schembechler era involved the 13 seasons between 1951-63, when the Wolverines went without a trophy. Those growing up when Bo stalked the sidelines listened, eyes wide, to wizened elders discussing the drought.

They couldn’t imagine it then. They understand now.

Never, since joining the Big Ten in 1898, have the Wolverines gone this long without becoming the victors of their league. And that includes the years when Fielding H. Yost’s Michigan program bolted from the conference for a decade (1907-1916).

Now, others have had it nearly as bad at times, and most far worse. Here’s a rundown of each conference school’s greatest title drought, starting with the long-timers and moving to the newbies (Penn State on).

• Ohio State (14) — The Buckeyes went without a Big Ten championship from 1921-34. Jim Tressel wouldn’t even be born until 18 years after that streak ended, but his recruiting of kickball teammates with dime store candy in the ‘50s laid the foundation for the future.

• Illinois (19) — The Illini drew the title donut from 1964-82, before Mike White’s crew got it done in ’83. Five years later, White resigned after an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations.

• Michigan State (19) — MSU didn’t even join the league until 1950, due to the Big Ten Commission On Quality Control (Big Ten Book Of Made-Up Facts, Part I). But the Spartans still managed nearly two decades without a conference title, beginning shortly after the post-Bo era.

• Purdue (31) — This is where the serious futility-streakers begin. The Boilermakers went from 1968-99 without a conference championship, or from Bob Griese’s finish to two years beyond Brian Griese’s national title.

• Iowa (33) — From 1923-55, the Hawkeyes glued dried corn kernels to the nose rings of bulls for their imaginary championship baubles (Big Ten Book Of Made-Up Facts, Part II).

• Wisconsin (39) — The Badgers didn’t badger anybody from 1912-52, spending a quiet four decades watching others win.

• Indiana (52) — The Hoosiers got in on the three-way Big Ten title for the title in ’67, with Purdue and Minnesota. They haven’t won anything since. You could throw a chair in Assembly Hall’s hallways and not hit a gridiron Hoosier highlight.

• Minnesota (52) — The Gophers were a big deal in the Big Ten once. Ask your great-grandfather. If P.J. Fleck gets them there again, after nothing from 1968-now, they’ll swear he can walk across the Mississippi without rowing the boat — or getting in one.

• Northwestern (58) — The Wildcats went from 1936-94 without a championship. Pat Fitzgerald helped put a stop to that nonsense as a player, which is part of why he’s the coach today.

• Nebraska (10) — The once-proud Cornhuskers are 0-for-10 in Big Ten championships, and that frosts plenty of fans who remember the enhanced beef boys of long ago.

• Penn State (10) — The Nittany Lions won the league in their second year in it (1994), then got shut out for the following decade. That forever sealed the thin blue line of hatred toward Carr and his purported influence with Big Ten officials.

• Maryland & Rutgers (8) — Haven’t won it yet, and won’t. Next.

So sure, there’s company in the futility streak business. But that’s them, Michigan fan insists. This is us.

Well, most of the above streaks were eventually broken, with noted exceptions. Former Michigan running back Jamie Morris speaks for many when he says it’s time — past time.

“We need to call it what it is,” Morris said. “It’s borderline ridiculous, to me. They’ve got to get to Indianapolis. Your fan base has waited for you to do this.”

---

• Talk about this article inside The Fort

• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine

• Sign up for our newsletter, The Wolverine Now

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @AustinFox42, @JB_ Wolverine, Clayton Sayfie and @DrewCHallett

• Like us on Facebook