It takes the joy out of your college football schadenfreude. Sure, right now Michigan’s big loss is a source of jubilation in State College and a source of mirth around Columbus, where local fans would like to stock up on Appalachian State paraphernalia.
But it won’t seem quite so funny in December should a Big 10 team be one of several undefeated squads. If you’re Ohio State, you want to beat a great team on November 17, not just one that isn’t any more impressive than Ole Miss or Pitt (to name two teams that LSU and West Virginia have to play, respectively, late in the season).