Do you guys consider Penn State a rival?

Submitted by Couzen Rick's on

Tbh this probably isn't board-worthy, but I don't really care and am interested in it so I'll throw it out anyway.

Was talking to a Penn State fan, and the two B1G teams they as a fanbase hate the most are supposedly us and OSU. This got me thinking, while  OSU and MSU are obviously the main rivals, after that there isn't a team I want Michigan to beat more on a yearly basis than PSU. '94, '97, '02, '05, '06, '13 (albeit in a different way) were all great games.

I personally don't really care about ND and that series, and would've preferred to keep that schedule spot open for another P5 series (like the canceled Arkansas and VT games), and the Minnesota series, while an awesome tradition and the coolest rivalry trophy story, just isn't that compelling on a year to year basis.

So what say you, Michigan Internet, is PSU a rival? Wisconsin? Illinois (lol)?

I'll hang up and listen.

Goggles Paisano

September 21st, 2018 at 4:29 PM ^

I don't dislike him as much as I used to.  I think he is a decent dude but just not a strong X and O type coach.  He's more like a CEO type running that large program, which he is doing a good job of.  I didn't think he had it in him, but I can't argue with the recent success they have had. 

Always a big game, but not our rival though.   

OccaMsrazr

September 21st, 2018 at 4:41 PM ^

PSU wants to be rivals with us and OSU but they’re not. Their only rival is Pitt if that even counts. 

 

Nd Msu and OSU are rivals along with Minny I guess. (And apparently Illinois if you check Wikipedia lol)

mjc

September 21st, 2018 at 1:55 PM ^

I agree with you about Notre Dame. Let's play them once every 4 years or something and get some other teams into Michigan Stadium.  

Oh yeah...... FUCK PENN STATE

Kevin14

September 21st, 2018 at 1:58 PM ^

I think I would agree.  Our games against them feel important because they're usually high stakes.  Rivalry rankings something like this:

Tier 1: OSU/MSU

Tier 2: ND

Tier 3: PSU/Minny

ijohnb

September 21st, 2018 at 2:00 PM ^

It has been a very good, balanced series since they joined the BIG, but I don't think it could be classified as a "rivalry."  There just isn't a geographical or other notable historical connection between the schools to separate from any other game.  Both teams are typically very good, but it isn't a "rivalry."

WindyCityBlue

September 21st, 2018 at 2:12 PM ^

I wouldn't call it balanced.  Its 13-8 in our favor.  We had 9 victories in a row (and it if it wasn't for taking a year off playing them, it'd would have been 10 victories in a row).  They had 4 game win streak against us when we were butt under RR and Hoke.

Good program though for sure, just not a rival.

Walter Sobchak

September 21st, 2018 at 2:00 PM ^

Penn State is not a worthy adversary.

 

When Penn State came to the Big Ten, they had to campus to campus and tell everyone they were a bunch of pederasts.

bronxblue

September 21st, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^

PSU is on the same tier as ND to me, which is usually below OSU and (sometimes) MSU.  Though my personal animus toward that school makes me exceedingly happy when they lose.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

September 21st, 2018 at 2:05 PM ^

Yes, sure, why not?  Usually when two good teams play each other, something's at stake.  Which is how rivalries are generated.  There's a mutual dislike, a desire to beat them more than most other teams, and all the other trappings.  It walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.

The Mad Hatter

September 21st, 2018 at 2:06 PM ^

No, they're not a rival.  I always considered them a worthy adversary (before, you know, all the rape), since the school was good and JoPa seemed like a good guy.  We played quite a few exciting and important games against PSU (97 especially), but I never hated them like OSU and ND.

maizenbluenc

September 21st, 2018 at 2:49 PM ^

Used to be OSU, and then ND. Because those two games dictated Rose Bowl and AP national championship hopes.

Lose to ND and the AP NC is out, lose to OSU and Bo Rose Bowl.

MSU just didn't matter other than been that annoying team that played hard and dirty and sometimes one because they wanted to show us up (kinda like Illinois).

Now ND no longer really matters NC-wise - nor does getting to the arose Bowl. PSU and MSU are much more important division wise, but winning the B1G is pretty hard without beating OSU.

Still, Penn State feels like a must win, but not a rival in the sense they think of it. Then again we haven't really been much of a rival to anyone since 2006 except maybe 2016.