Ohio State Needs Michigan to Replace Brady Hoke with a Winner

The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is losing its intensity. 

It might not feel that way to those closest to the fire. For some, that heat is fueled by decades of animosity—passed down through generations like some prized family heirloom. 

For the uninvolved, though, it's hard to feel or even see that fire. It's so distant that it fails to register, especially as the Alabama-Auburn feud rages on with a frightening and captivating ferocity.

That's why Ohio State needs its archrival to find a winner. 

Michigan announced the end of the Brady Hoke era on Tuesday, officially terminating the head coach after four years of diminishing returns. The once proud program will ramp up a coaching search for the third time in seven years, desperately needing a leader who can pull Michigan back into relevance.

The Wolverines, who haven't claimed a Big Ten title since 2004, have struggled through years of mediocrity and frustration under coaches who couldn't maintain—and more importantly, enhance—Michigan's proud history and success. Rich Rodriguez and Hoke combined to turn one of the nation's strongest programs into a middle-of-the-pack team in a slumping conference.

Forty-six victories. Forty-two losses. That's what Michigan has produced since the start of the 2008 season.

The Wolverines deserve better. So do the Buckeyes.

The B1G Needs a Boost

Michigan hasn't been in the national title picture since 2006, when it surged to win its first 11 games by an average of 17.2 points. The Wolverines used one of the nation's strongest defenses and a balanced offense to climb all the way to No. 2 in the national rankings. 

That contributed to a banner year for the Big Ten. Ohio State entered the season as the country's top team and maintained that ranking all year, setting up a titanic regular-season showdown.

On November 18, 2006, all eyes were on Columbus as No. 1 Ohio State battled No. 2 Michigan. The Buckeyes came out on top of an instant 42-39 classic that lived up to a season's worth of hype.

AMY SANCETTA/Associated Press

But both teams slipped badly in the postseason. The Wolverines went on to face USC in the Rose Bowl, where they were blasted in a 32-18 beatdown. Ohio State advanced to the BCS title game for a matchup against the Florida Gators, who rolled to a laughable 41-14 blowout victory.

It was a devastating blow to the Big Ten's perception—a punch it's still trying to recover from eight years later. 

The Buckeyes have maintained a high level of play. Since falling in the title game to Florida, Ohio State has gone 85-18—a record that includes a vacated 12-win season in 2010, as well as a 6-7 campaign in 2011 under interim head coach Luke Fickell. 

But the rest of the Big Ten has deteriorated. The league has lost 35 of its 54 bowl games over the last seven years, and three of its 19 victories have since been vacated. 

The conference's poor reputation directly impacts Ohio State. In 2013, the league's overall lack of quality had voters openly challenging the Buckeyes' strength despite ripping off 24 consecutive victories. This year has been no different—the Big Ten is ranked fourth by ESPN among Power Five conferences, just barely ahead of the ACC. 

Michigan's woes have contributed to the Big Ten's recent downturn. A resurgence in Ann Arbor could trigger a much-needed recovery.

The Game Needs to Be The Game Again

Ohio State has absolutely dominated Michigan since 2001, winning 12 of the last 14 matchups. With Rodriguez and Hoke at the helm, the Wolverines have managed just one win over the Buckeyes while losing the other six games by an average of 16 points. 

Leon Halip/Getty Images

But that's not hurting the rivalry's intensity as much as Michigan's general decline.

John Cooper put together a brilliant run for the Buckeyes during his 13-year tenure. From 1988-2000, he made Ohio State a consistent contender, going 111-43-4 while winning three Big Ten titles. But he struggled mightily against Michigan, claiming victories in just two of his 13 games with one tie. 

The rivalry thrived during that stretch, though, because both teams were elite. 

Beating up on bad Michigan teams may feel good for Ohio State fans, but it dilutes the significance of The Game in the long run. As Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News wrote last week, Ohio State doesn't benefit from feasting on a faltering Wolverines squad.

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The truth is, the rivalry passion has seeped out, like chaw juice dribbling down a Buckeye's chin(s). Beating Michigan is neither the challenge nor the point anymore. Nobody wants to admit it, but this is the problem with Michigan's inexplicable de-emphasis of tackle football: A wobbly conference that desperately wants to be considered better than it is, no longer can count on the program renowned for inflated self-worth. 

Face it, folks. You want Michigan on that Blue Wall. You need Michigan on that Blue Wall.

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How can the Wolverines claw their way back to prominence? It starts with the crucial first step of finding the right leader. Michigan needs someone who can coach—and win—at the highest level, because its last two hires flopped during their time in Ann Arbor.

Is that Jim Harbaugh or Les Miles? Could the Wolverines succeed with someone like Dan Mullen or Pat Narduzzi at the helm?

Whoever Michigan settles on, he has to be a winner. 

If he's not, the Big Ten will continue to suffer, and the fire fueling one of college football's greatest rivalries will continue to fade.

David Regimbal covers Ohio State football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.