Image via Tressel's World
For fans of Ohio State and Michigan, each season obviously starts with the hope that the two most important games of the year will be The Game and the subsequent bowl trip that could lead to a national title. At least that's the way it should be. I know for a time that this thought was lost on Buckeye fans as John Cooper bit his nails to the tune of 2-10-1 against Michigan rendering the bowl game a meaningless afterthought. Luckily, Andy Geiger brought Tressel to town and he immediately saved the program and swung the momentum of The Game itself. Check out how The Vest and Lloyd compare in the ever important last two games of the season since Tressel showed up in 2001:
Lloyd: 2 Wins, 12 Losses (1-5 v. OSU, 1-5 in bowls) Tressel: 9 Wins, 3 Losses (5-1 v. Mich, 4-2 in bowls)
Lloyd's two wins come in the form of a meaningless 38-30 Citrus Bowl defeat of #20 Florida to end the 2002 campaign and a 35-21 victory against the Buckeyes in 2003. During this same stretch, Tressel has won a national title, finished 2nd last season, and gone 3-1 in BCS bowls. I certainly don't feel sorry for UM fans, but I know how they feel.
