Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.
Dominance, Graphed
Ohio State has consistently dominated Michigan on the football field for about the past two decades and you probably don't really need a graph to show you that the gap is only getting wider.
But for those who do...
One more: Ohio State and Michigan's SP+ history. I forgot that SP+ leaned Michigan in 2016 by ... you could call it the nose of a football, or maybe a fourth down spot, if you want ... pic.twitter.com/bhkolbLbP5
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) July 9, 2021
Ohio State's out here soaring at or near all-time highs year after year. Meanwhile, Michigan looks like it just fell off a damn cliff.
The state of the rivalry.
Basketball School
But it's not all bad for Michigan. At least they have basketball!
The Wolverines did get a big boost this week as their star big man announced he will be returning for one more season with Michigan.
One last ride pic.twitter.com/obx1fqbxqE
— Hunter Dickinson (@H_Dickinson24) July 6, 2021
As a true freshman last season, Dickinson led Michigan in both scoring and rebounds, averaging 14.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Dickinson scored more than 20 points in five games last season, two of which came against Ohio State when he scored 22 points in Columbus and 21 in the Big Ten Tournament.
For what it's worth, the Buckeyes countered with some good news of their own, adding Louisiana transfer Cedric Russell, who averaged 17.2 points per game last season on a 41.9/40.0/76.7 shooting split.
Big Guys, Big Deal
There have been many, many endorsement deals announced in the college sports world this month since college athletes are now allowed to profit off of their name, image and likeness.
But none was more fitting than this one.
@MissionBBQ has sponsored all 17 offensive linemen at Notre Dame
— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 7, 2021
It's a movement pic.twitter.com/OeBkautVQ5
They should have no problem with gains season.
ICYMI
Ohio State Wants Xavier Nwankpa, "The Number One Safety in America"
Our Colin Hass-Hill gives us an inside look at the recruitment of "the number one safety in America," who Ohio State wants to fill the bullet position.
A Look at NIL Changes From an Advertising Industry Veteran
Our Kyle Jones isn't just a scheme expert, he's a veteran in the advertising industry and he gives us five predictions about the impact of name, image and likeness changes.
Ohio State's Best Recruiting Class Ever
Colin Hass-Hill takes a look at some numbers that highlight just how absurd Ohio State's 2021 recruiting class is after J.T. Tuimoloau's commitment.
