Both Ohio State and Michigan had successful seasons last year. There were ups and downs, certainly, but neither program needed to hang their heads when the final buzzer sounded.
The Buckeyes were picked to finish in the middle of the Big Ten, but E.J. Liddell and Duane Washington’s simultaneous improvement propelled them towards the top of the conference standings and the AP Poll all season long. Ohio State earned a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament, and yes, they were upset in historic fashion shortly thereafter. But the work that was done to get them there cannot be overlooked.