Ohio State Football: Why the OSU-Michigan Rivalry Is a Long Way from Equality

There is no doubt that if there is one fanbase reinvigorated by the Ohio State scandal, it would be a Michigan fanbase that has had little to cheer about in the last several years.

The Wolverines looked like they were on their way back in 2010, but limped to the finish line and lost their last two games to Ohio State and Mississippi State by a combined 89-21.

New coach Brady Hoke seems to have recaptured the fanbase, even pulling a Woody Hayes by dropping the State from Ohio State's name, only referring to them as Ohio.

And while Hayes was initially successful and remained successful against the Wolverines, odds are the result won't quite flip just yet. The reason: talent depth.

While Michigan has a very good recruiting class building up for 2012, the reality is they won't become major contributors until 2013 at the earliest.

And no matter how good Greg Mattison's coaching is, the fact is that the Michigan defense is still very undersized and undertalented, especially in the back seven which was very porous last season.

In other words, it's not likely Mattison will be able to work immediate miracles.

When they bring in good talent, then things will get interesting.

But another reason why things might stay where they are is not because of what Michigan's 2011 recruiting class looks like, but how good Ohio State's 2011 class is.

That class finished No. 5 on Scout.com, featuring a large assortment of players ranked in the top 10 at their positions.

Recruiting has been the biggest reason for the chasm that has developed between the two schools, and between the past three seasons, that gap has only grown, mostly because Michigan's recruiting classes have been subpar on the field.

That type of thing takes several years to round itself out. Not one recruiting class alone can tilt the balance back in the favor of Michigan; it takes a few in a row to make it happen.

But one thing Ohio State has that Michigan doesn't is program uncertainty. Only the NCAA knows what they will do to Ohio State for the scandal that cost Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor their jobs. 

The scandal is likely the best thing that has happened to Michigan because they have swept up some good Ohio kids while they are weary of what will happen to OSU.

And if Ohio State doesn't get hammered by the NCAA which Michigan fans hope will happen, it will take that much longer for the rivalry to become a rivalry.

If Ohio State gets off lightly, they will get a bunch of talented kids in a mad rush, especially if the dream scenario for some fans happens and Urban Meyer is hired as the next coach while keeping Luke Fickell and Mike Vrabel on board.

But the truth of the matter is that Ohio State has gone through four full recruiting classes, from 2004-2007, that have never lost a game to Michigan, although technically the 2010 game was never played.

And while this year is Michigan's best chance to beat Ohio State since 2007, the reality is the talent chasm is just too deep for Michigan to traverse just now.

Wolverine fans should be excited for the contest in 2013, as that is likely the best chance they will have had yet to put their long streak of not beating Ohio State to rest.

It will happen someday, but it will still be a little longer before The Game becomes competitive once again.

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