Who is your 2nd favorite College Team?
I imagine this thread has been done previously, but I can't recall it recently, and it's August 1, meaning news is silm, so why not? I always find this interesting when I discuss with M alums and fans in person: who is your second favorite college football team? What team is it besides ours that you are following, even perhaps passionately?
My answer to start: USC. I understand how some fans hate them, but for me, they were the team of my childhood. I grew up in L.A. and moved to Michigan in my last year of H.S. so it wasn't until attending M that my love of SC was supplanted. My Dad took me to several SC games as a kid, and the memories are still with me. Seeing Traveller (the white horse), the "fight on" phrase, the fight song (which I think, along with ours, is the best in college football), my Dad teaching me about "student body right," the great tradition they had starting in the 60's, all of those things were just great to me at that age. So I still catch their games when I can, and despite the Caroll violations, wish them well.
And what about yours?
August 1st, 2011 at 10:56 PM ^
August 2nd, 2011 at 11:57 AM ^
/Napleon Dynamite voice
Born/raised Clevelander. Joined the AF now I live in BFE Texas.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:39 PM ^
My twin brother and one of my best friends went there, I grew up in Maryland, and it didn't hurt that they won the NCAA tournament when I was in high school. I still have trouble when UMD and UM play in baskeball (but at least there I get a nice bet going with my brother). My family were all UM fans growing up in Baltimore, but it was hard not to root a little for the local team.
The Comcast Center and Byrd Stadium are still great plays to see a game, especially an ACC game at Comcast.
Go Terps!
August 1st, 2011 at 10:41 PM ^
Spent most summers growing up down there. Still have few properties that my family rents out there too. Gulf side, south of Tampa.
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<br>And Texas. I always liked their colors and logo.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:42 PM ^
August 1st, 2011 at 10:54 PM ^
Would you play in the Rose Bowl seven times a year if you had the option? Especially if you weren't going to the game itself in the near future?
August 2nd, 2011 at 10:01 AM ^
Nothing against the stadium. Just that it takes two hours to get there, and -- I think as a consequence -- the student section is beyond lame. In contrast, Pauley Pavillion is practically at the campus's epicenter, and has a great atmosphere (at least for sports on the west coast). In fact, the football team practices right in the middle of campus (or at least they used to) -- it's just that games are non-events.
ftr: while I was enrolled, they were undefeated against USC.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:44 PM ^
I would say Texas. Only because Austin is a really cool place like AA and A&M is more akin to Sparty.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:45 PM ^
I'd have to say
1. Michigan - because I grew up there and can't remember rooting for any other team and litstening to Bob Ufer call the games on the radio during the 70's. I am also about to send my daughter there for Mech Eng.
2. Virginia Tech - becouse I received my masters degree from there and I like the workman's attitude of the coaches and players.
3. Michigan Tech - because I received my bachelors degree from there. They don't have a scholarship football team and their hockey team has sucked since John McGinnis died after my freshman year.
August 2nd, 2011 at 11:56 AM ^
I second the Tech vote. After being accepted to UM, I didn't apply to any other schools (UM or bust!). But Tech was a sure #2 choice for me if I would've received the rejection notice from UM Admissions.
Houghton is a charming "city". Tech is a top-notch school. Their men's and women's hoops teams do very well on the DII circuit. Any Yooper should be proud of that school.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:47 PM ^
Grew up in Springfield, Ohio, my dad has been a professor there for almost 30 years and they're Division III so no conflicts. All time leader in Division III wins I believe.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:49 PM ^
If we are talking football and basketball. I married into a West Virginia and VT family. December 07 made things complicated but I find myself pulling for them.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:50 PM ^
Oregon State. They are my local team. Also, when you cheer for the winningest program in history, it's nice to identify with "middle of the pack" schools for a different perspective
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<br>As far as watching on TV, I enjoy watching gaTech and the triple option. Don't care anything for the school, but I think they are fun to watch.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:40 PM ^
I'm currently a grad student at Oregon State, after graduating from Michigan in '09.
Are you still living in the area? I am always on the lookout for fellow Wolverines out here in the wonderful Pacific NW!
Yep. Typing on MGoBlog right now from Albany.
My friend's grandfather coached the Beavers' baseball team for 40-some years (Coleman) and they have amazing seats for the games. Sat 10 feet behind Cheating Petey when OSU upset USC 4-5 years ago. Most exciting college football game I've ever been to (hard to admit that).
August 1st, 2011 at 10:50 PM ^
Best friend goes to Tech and I love the pep band. Plus, I only have to retract my favor for them once per year when we play them in the GLI and every once in a great while for an exhibition in basketball.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:50 PM ^
Any 1 who beats Msu or Osu that week.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:51 PM ^
my #2 favourite team is whoever is playing against O$U, ND or MSU.
August 2nd, 2011 at 12:13 AM ^
On this board, we don't O$U. Ever.
Oh $hut your whiney trap!
<br>-Chet
August 1st, 2011 at 10:52 PM ^
August 1st, 2011 at 10:54 PM ^
I'm an Air Force Academy grad, so Air Force is my favorite team. Michigan is grad school so it's a close second.
Been to many AFA games. Great place to watch a game on a Saturday afternoon. My dad travelled with the team in the late 90's and caught the winning fg to beat ND and brought it home to Fisher and the guys. I also was at that Thursday night game in the same era against CSU in like 3 feet of snow with the final score in the 40s. Great memories of the parade, tailgating, and the flybys of the jets and falcons!
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August 1st, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
Western Illinois University, that is where I went for my undergrad. It has the claim of fame for being the #1 seller of keystone as well as making Lettermen's top 10 party streets.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:56 PM ^
After living in East Lansing for the past 4 years, I would have to say my second favorite college team is any team playing against little brother.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:59 PM ^
Couple 'o odd ones for me:
* TCU: When the old Southwest Conference was still intact, I was working in an office in DFW where every school but TCU was represented. So, I adopted them as my team for the football and basketball seasons. This was before LT and their return to prominence.
* Idaho State: I have a cousin who lives out there and I've always enjoyed my visits to the area.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:00 PM ^
Vanderbilt? But next year whoever RR coaches.
August 2nd, 2011 at 10:04 AM ^
Vandy is a good choice, for being the most un-SEC-like team in the conference. (Though Florida gets some props on the integrity front as well).
August 1st, 2011 at 11:00 PM ^
USF Bulls
August 1st, 2011 at 11:01 PM ^
Either FSU or PITT. I have always liked both of them for some reason.
August 2nd, 2011 at 12:55 AM ^
this long to find a Pitt answer and yours was the only one. Depressing.
I'm a Pitt guy too. Mom, Dad, Uncle, other Uncle, and Grandpa all went to Pitt. My family is all from PGH, obviously. I'm the only Buckeye.
My story is exactly opposite of yours. Whole family at Michigan and I was the one to head out east.
Also, it must make for some odd rooting interests in a lot of the new staff there from your perspective. Being a Pitt/ OSU fan it must be odd rooting for coaches from WVU and M.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:02 PM ^
The Iowa Hawkeyes.
I grew up in and went to high school in Iowa and saw several friends/people I played against go on to play for them. Not only that, but they are a team that is successful simply by being extremely fundamentally sound and running simple systems/schemes. They never out-recruit anyone, but manage to win nonetheless. The blue collar work ethic is respectable, as well as their coaching. Kirk Ferrantz is a good man. The only problem is the amount of off the field problems the team has had; this may be a result of basically nothing to do in Iowa City (which I go to to party) other than drinking.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:03 PM ^
August 1st, 2011 at 11:02 PM ^
Other than Michigan, I guess my favorite team is whoever is playing tsio.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:03 PM ^
University of Hawaii - How can you beat Honolulu for a trip to a game?? I actually have work on Maui a lot so it is fun to watch those guys play, and their tailgates, er Pig Roats and coconut bras.... not too shabby.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:06 PM ^
I'm a 2005 Western Michigan grad. They had a losing season every year that I was there. But still gotta cheer for them when they are not playing UM.
Also a 2011 Johns Hopkins grad, though they are D3, still fun to watch. They were 8-3 last year and 20th in the preseason poll. Never have to worry about cheering against them versus UM.
Fiancé is a Virginia grad. So I pretend to be a fan.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:14 PM ^
Army gives me a pay check. But I secretly cheer for Navy.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:08 PM ^
..having graduated and went to Miami and its Bo's starting ground, my biggest supporter outside of UofM.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:10 PM ^
Answering the headline, the University of Vermont. I grew up watching John LeClair, Martin St. Louis, Tim Thomas, (slightly more recently) Torrey Mitchell, and Patrick Sharp play hockey. Until very recently, there were t-shirts around these parts that accurately stated the football team'd undefeated status since 1976. Unfortunately they have since brought back a club football team that's pretty bad, so that distinction no longer holds.
As far as a school that actually has a football team, I don't really have anything against sparty since half my family went there (I still love to razz them), but I'm going to have to go with pretty much anybody who is playing USC*. While I was in the MMB, I never encountered a more rude, awful and disgusting group of people than the USC fans.
*I hate to admit it, but I've actually seen enough evidence to indicate that OSU fans can be classy... At the national championship game in New Orleans (was living there at the time), LSU fans actually made them look like ... well... saints, by comparison. However aside from those lining up against USC, anybody playing OSU is next on my list.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:11 PM ^
Iowa alum so the Hawks would be it if I had to choose.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:11 PM ^
Because I'll be attending EMU for the next two years...
I think it's safe to say that Michigan is above and beyond my favorite team in college sports. Hopefully I'll be able to transfer there in 2 years
August 1st, 2011 at 11:12 PM ^
Rich Rod decides to coach next. Flat out.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:12 PM ^
Western Michigan. I was briefly recruited to play there, but their interest was essentially me most likely just being a preferred walk on who would never see time past the practice field. Even though that didn't pan out, I ended up going to school there anyways at the same time Greg Jennings and Tony Scheffler played, so it was actually exciting watching those guys who had no business playing lowly MAC competition. I will still cheer for them every time they somehow wind up on tv (except against U of M of course).
And for the small extremist sect of people here who will come out of the woodwork to say I can't be a true U of M fan because I didn't go there; Not only is that ridiculous, but I was born and raised in A2 to alumni parents and even worked for the University for 3 years, so shut it.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:15 PM ^
Alabama. As an Alabamian by birth the Tide is my "other" team. I'm not sure why but Auburn never had much appeal. Maybe it's the big brother - little brother thing. I'll have a low grade conflict at the first game of 2012, but will be pulling for the Maize and Blue all the way. Go Blue!
August 1st, 2011 at 11:15 PM ^
I used to hate the Terps (moved to DC from Chicago when I was kid) but my girlfriend went there, my best friend went there, and I attended several of their games in my year after college when I bummed around and tailgated with my girlfriend and our friends who were still there.
So, now, I root for them in like a half-hearted way.
Basketball, I do have a 2nd favorite team. North Carolina. Because of MJ. And those Baby Blue unis.