No loss is ever "good", but some losses are more palatable than others. Last year's 20-24 effort at OSU was tantalizing but it was hard to be too upset after that game. But the ISU game was a travesty. The Minny and Wisky games were disheartening for what happened in the trenches.
Here are the types of losses that are particularly hard to stomach, defined:
Losing to a vastly inferior opponent (in terms of talent): ISU, Army, New Hampshire
Playing like utter crap vs. a team you should generally handle: Duke in 2017, Cal in 2014
Getting manhandled in a "measuring stick" game that shows how far you have to go: UT in 2015
Losing on a Hail Mary: Nebby, Michigan
Here are the types of losses that are particularly hard to stomach, defined:
Losing to a vastly inferior opponent (in terms of talent): ISU, Army, New Hampshire
Playing like utter crap vs. a team you should generally handle: Duke in 2017, Cal in 2014
Getting manhandled in a "measuring stick" game that shows how far you have to go: UT in 2015
Losing on a Hail Mary: Nebby, Michigan
