What it's like to watch 18 years of season ending ineptitude.

I've heard some people refer to The One Who Wears Khaki's as the Wolverine's John Cooper. That analogy made me ask this question, "Is their fan base enduring a similar despair that our fans did during the Cooper era?"

After a little digging, the results may surprise you. Then again, they probably won't. 

PROLOGUE

There was a time at Ohio State when the sidelines were not patrolled by the illustrious Jim Tressel or Urban Meyer. There was a time when the Buckeyes did not regularly end the season with a win over That Team and return to Columbus with a bowl game trophy. Tressel and Meyer took Ohio State football out of the end of season darkness and despair that John Cooper brought upon it.

THE DARKNESS

How bad was it? During Cooper's 13 seasons, Ohio State finished the season with two consecutive losses 6 times and three straight losses once. That equates to a 53.8% chance Ohio State would conclude the year with at least two straight losses to end a season. Cooper finished with a record of 5–19–2 (.231) in the last two games on the schedule. He was 5–18–1 (.229) against the Wolverines and the bowl opponent. 

THE LIGHT

It's always darkest before the dawn and the Outback Bowl loss to South Carolina was that moment for Ohio State and its fans. The dawn broke in 2001 and the Buckeyes have not finished a season with a loss to Michigan and their bowl opponent with Tressel or Meyer as its coach since that debacle against the Gamecocks 18 years ago.*

Jim Tressel finished five of his ten seasons with wins over the rival and in the bowl game. The other five seasons ended with at least a win over That Team or the bowl opponent. The Tressel era ended with a remarkable record of 9–1 in The Game.

To date, three of Urban Meyer's seven season have ended with victories over the Wolverines and bowl opponent. With a win over Washington in the Rose Bowl, that number bumps up to four. Most important, Meyer finishes his Ohio State career a perfect 7–0 against That Team. 

With Tressel and Meyer at the helm, Ohio State had a record of 16–1 (.941) against That Team. The Buckeyes were 26–7 (.788) in bowl games under their guidance. If you add Luke Fickell's losses in 2011, Ohio State is still 16–2 and 26–8 respectively.

*2011 was under Luke Fickell's watch and 2013 ended with a loss to MSU in the B1G Championship Game and Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

THEIR SAVIOR

2015 was the season that Wolverine fans expected Captain Crazy to come in and save their program. During his time, the Wolverines have ended the season with losses to the Buckeyes and the bowl opponent three out of four times. He is also 0–4 against Ohio State. How's that savior thing working out? Winless in The Game and losing 75% of your bowl games. I guess it is happening.

THEIR DARKNESS

What Crazy Jim is experiencing is nothing new for the Wolverine program. Since 2001, That team has amassed a record of 6–30 (.167) in its last two games of the season. They have experienced a worse winning percentage than what Ohio State fans did during the Cooper years. More losses and less wins in The Game and more seasons ending with two or more consecutive losses.

What does this carnage look like? Take a look at the table at the bottom of this article.

EPILOGUE

Since 2001, That Team has four bowl victories. Four Bowl victories in 18 years. Those impressive wins? They defeated Florida in the Outback, Citrus and Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. The Wolverines also beat Virginia Tech in overtime to win the Sugar Bowl. They are 2–16 against Ohio State during that time frame, with one of the victories coming against an interim coach. 

For fans of the team not happy with the results that Jimmy Boy is bringing them, perhaps they should ask the following question: Is it the coach, or the program? From the results of the last 18 years, it appears that the coach is inconsequential for them. 

Ohio State's darkness can be correlated to a single coach. Once Tressel was hired, the end of season skids ebbed. For That Team, four different coaches have tried to turn the tide and all four have been unsuccessful.

It has been said that it's always darkest before the dawn. I hope and pray that Ryan Day and Ohio State keep That Team in perpetual darkness. 

Want more Schadenfreude? Check out the latest Losing Effect, you will find Harbaugh's ineptitude against ranked opponents and the meltdown from That Team's fans.