Ohio State’s Best Decade Ever?

As promised, here is a look at various ten year periods of Ohio State football.

1993-2002

Record: 97-27-1 (.78226)

vs. Michigan: 4-6

Bowl Games: 4-5

Big Ten Championships: 3

National Championships: 1

All-Americans: 25

All-Big Ten: 51

Heisman Trophy: 1

I threw this one in mostly for fun and cheated by including 2002. Even with that, this ten year period is behind in all categories… but not by much.

The record against Michigan and in bowl games, as well as a lack of Big Ten championships,  is what really brings this decade down a notch.

1954-1963

Record: 67-20-5 (.77011)

vs. Michigan: 8-2

Bowl Games: 1-0

Big Ten Championships: 4

National Championships: 3

All-Americans: 13

All-Big Ten: 24

Heisman Trophy: 1

The three national championships is what really sets this ten year period apart and is why I included it. Other than that everything is ho-hum. The 8-2 record against Michigan is nice though.

1968-1977

Record: 91-16-2 (.85047)

vs. Michigan: 5-4-1

Bowl Games: 3-5

Big Ten Championships: 9

National Championships: 1

All-Americans: 38

All-Big Ten: 80

Heisman Trophy: 2

A poor showing in bowl games and an average record against Michigan (in by far the most competitive ten years of the rivalry) are about the only thing that you can knock this decade for.

The number of All-Americans and All-Big Ten players is impressive.

This decade could have easily seen another national championship or three which would have made it an unbelievable time in Ohio State history.

As it is, this ten year period set the standard that all others will be judged by.

2000-2009

Record: 102-25 (.80315)

vs. Michigan: 8-2

Bowl Games: 5-5

Big Ten Championships: 6

National Championships: 1

All-Americans: 26

All-Big Ten: 52

Heisman Trophy: 1

The contender decade to ’68-’77.

The early years of this ten year period really drag it down, but there is nothing you can do about it at this point with the rules that govern time and all.

However, if the next few years go as well as I expect them to and I get the liberty to bump the starting point back, the current decade could certainly be argued as the best in Ohio State history.

Good times.

Some random thoughts:

• It’s pretty cool that Ohio State has a National Championship and a Heisman Trophy winner in three different ten year periods (not counting the 90’s period that I cheated on by including 2002).
• I am not sure what this says about the Tressel vs. Hayes argument. The fact that Hayes was able to put together two ten-year periods of this caliber is extremely impressive to me. At the same time, Hayes obviously had some down years. Tressel is going to match Hayes’ best years, but the fact that Hayes did it twice is still a factor. I guess it will depend on how long Tressel keeps his current streak going.