[DeltAlum]

Kitso,

That's true, but just a tad misleading. Until this latest series with the MAC started -- probably six or eight years ago -- Ohio State probably hadn't played an in-state team for fifty years -- maybe more. At least I can't think of a game, and I was born and raised in Columbus.

I think that last time Ohio University beat Ohio State in football was 1908 -- or maybe 1906. The game ball used to be displayed in the old basketball arena.

Basketball is a different story. Ohio has beaten Ohio State a number of times that I can remember. As well as a lot of other big ten teams. Other MAC schools have as well.

What is important to remember is that Ohio State has about 50,000 students on the Columbus campus. The average MAC school in Ohio probably has about 15000. Ohio U. enrolls about 19,000 on the Athens Campus.

The athletic budgets of the MAC schools are a fraction of Ohio State's (or any other Big Ten team) -- so it's pretty tough to recruit against them -- especially in state.

That's one thing that made yesterday fairly remarkable. By the way, O.U. played a Big Ten team (Minnesota) and a Big Twelve team (Iowa State) this year in non-conference play, and was beaten rather handily -- but not embarassed.

In years past, the MAC teams would have been considered non-conference doormats to the teams from those leagues.

I think that cable tv sports channels have helped bring at least a small amount of parity. Before those, MAC and other conference of the like nearly never appeared on TV -- which didn't help recruitment either.

edited to add, the other thing about yesterdays wins is that they weren't against the bigger league's patsys, but some pretty strong programs.

More than you wanted to know.

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