Michigan football: max satisfaction beating lower-tier teams

I contend that no other program (upper-tier) gets as much satisfaction from beating the likes of Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern, and the like year after year. It adds to their win total and they have overpowering long-term historical winning records over them it makes them feel so good about themselves.

I contend that now 10-2 is the perfect record that keeps Michigan fans happy and their stadium filled. There are about four games each year that Michigan fans truly care about.

Michigan State and Ohio State are the two every year and when they play Notre Dame that makes it the third. The fourth is either another decent non-conference opponent if they don't play ND, Penn State, or the other big ten team that is having a good season like when Iowa or Wisconsin have a good year. That is on average. Some years it's MSU, Ohio State, Penn State, and ND or MSU, Ohio State, Penn State and let's say Iowa.

Ideally for UM fans it's Ohio State, MSU, Notre Dame, and Penn State, but they don't always play ND and Penn State in down years is not as important as Ohio State and MSU--which do not depend on how they are doing that season.

So, Harbaugh or whoever just needs to win the 8 less important games and have a split with the four that matter each year, but he cannot go 0-2 in a one year versus Ohio State and MSU and keep fans happy. His record against MSU and Ohio State is such that he needs to start going 1-1 versus them more often than not, but given the UM fan base gets so much satisfaction by beating Purdue, Indiana, et al he's pretty safe going 10-2 or 9-3 even every year with the caveat of at least being .500 against Ohio State and MSU.