Wisconsin has displaced Michigan in the conference's pecking order . . .
I wish this were true for two reasons:
- Pragmatically, Wisconsin is further away and thus competes head-to-head with tOSU for recruits less frequently, and
- Emotionally just because I despise Michigan.
That said, I'm not sure that this actually IS true.
On the basis of current/recent wins, league titles and so-forth, this clearly is true but the rather vague concept of "Helmetosity" is harder to nail down.
Winning percentage since:
- 2020: Wisconsin leads .5714 to .3333
- 2019: Wisconsin leads .6667 to .57895
- 2018: Michigan leads .65625 to .64706
- 2017: Wisconsin leads .7292 to .6444
- 2016: Wisconsin leads .7419 to .6724
- 2015: Wisconsin leads .7467 to .6901
- 2014: Wisconsin leads .7528 to .6506
- 2013: Wisconsin leads .7451 to .6354
- 2012: Wisconsin leads .7241 to .6330
- 2011: Wisconsin leads .7308 to .6557
Note that for the last 10 years (2011-2020) Wisconsin is 10th nationally behind mostly the usual suspects (Bama, Clemson, tOSU, Oklahoma, BoiseSt, ApSt, UGA, LSU, and Oregon).
- 2006: Wisconsin leads .7385 to .6216
Note that for the last 15 years (2006-2020) Wisconsin is 8th nationally behind mostly the usual suspects (tOSU, Bama, BoiseSt, Oklahoma, Clemson, ApSt, and LSU).
- 2001: Wisconsin leads .7066 to .6437
Note that for the last 20 years (2001-2020) Wisconsin is 12th nationally behind mostly the usual suspects (tOSU, BoiseSt, Oklahoma, ApSt, Bama, LSU, UGA, Clemson, USC, Oregon, and TCU).
- 1996: Wisconsin leads .7111 to .6753
Note that for the last 25 years (1996-2020) Wisconsin is 9th nationally behind mostly the usual suspects (tOSU, BoiseSt, Oklahoma, UGA, Bama, LSU, Florida, and Oregon)
- 1991: Wisconsin leads .6940 to .6870
Note that for the last 30 years (1991-2020) Wisconsin is 8th nationally behind tOSU, BoiseSt, Florida, Oklahoma, Bama, FSU, and UGA.
- 1986: Michigan leads .7000 to .6276
The bottom line is that you have to look back all the way to the late 1980's in order to find Michigan consistently ahead of Wisconsin in winning percentage.
League titles since:
- 2011: Wisconsin leads 3-0, note that the Badgers are tied with MSU for 2nd behind tOSU (5)
- 2006: Wisconsin leads 3-0, note that the Badgers are tied with MSU for 2nd behind tOSU (9)
- 2001: Wisconsin leads 3-2, note that the Badgers are tied MSU and PSU for 2nd behind tOSU (11)
- 1996: Wisconsin and Michigan are tied for 2nd with five each behind tOSU (13)
- 1991: Michigan leads 7-6, note that M and UW are 2nd and 3rd behind tOSU (14)
The bottom line is that you have to look back all the way to the early 1990's to find more league titles for Michigan than for Wisconsin.
Looking at those figures it is pretty clear that overall since about 1993 Wisconsin has been the league's second best team. 1993, of course, was Alvarez' breakout season. The Badgers went 10-1-1, tied tOSU, won the league, and won the Rose Bowl. Prior to that they hadn't finished above .500 since 1984 and hadn't played in the Rose Bowl since JFK was in the White House (1/1/1963).
Curiously, however, if you look at poll appearances since 1993 the Wolverines have a SIGNIFICANT lead over the Badgers (351 or 75.3% to 288 or 61.8%). Why? Helmetosity. The Wolverines get (or at least got) the benefit of the doubt and the Badgers don't (or at least didn't).
Wisconsin is much closer in top-10 appearances since 1993 (109 or 23.4% for UW, 139 or 29.8% for M).
Wisconsin has been the better team for about 30 years but unfortunately I still think that Michigan has the bigger "helmet".
What would it take for Wisconsin to surpass Michigan in "helmet"? IMHO the answer is NC's. Even within the last 30 years Michigan DOES have an NC. They split it with Nebraska in 1997. Wisconsin . . .
For casual and non-local fans the NC is really the only thing that moves the needle significantly.