Do we want MSU & OSU undefeated before we play them?

I want no losses before us. Why? Because I don't want those mouth breathers to have an out. Remember when we last beat OSU all their fans simply said....we are in a down year. The coach is a fill in....etc

I hope they are undefeated before Michigan takes it to them. I don't want any excuses for anybody to leave Michigan out of the playoff when we win the Big Ten.  

Say Oklahoma struggles with Houston (or loses to them) then beats Ohio State.  The talk will be about the Big Ten being down this year. Obviously an undefeated Michigan will be in, but I could see Michigan slipping up against Iowa or Wisconsin, yet still winning the Big Ten. If OSU and / or MSU have a loss before Michigan beats them, the Big Ten could be the conference on the outside looking in this year.

I have multiple thoughts on this question.

1. I don't care. As long as we beat MSU and OSU, I don't care if they lose or win all their other games.
2. I want their record to be such that it increases our odds of winning. So, I want them to have won a bunch, so they don't do everything to just beat us. Sometimes a team that has lost a fair amount is pretty dangerous. I wonder if they have a perfect record whether that puts more pressure on them so they choke, or more pressure on them so they play to win? I also don't want them to win out until the game before us. I think that OSU was sleepwalking last year, and the loss to MSU really changed their MO and made them angry and ready to take it out on Michigan. Better for them to be complacent.
3. OTOH, I would love for us to give them each their most significant loss.
4. Details MSU:  I'd like for them to lose 1 - 2 games, to ND, Wisconsin, NW, prior to us, and lose to OSU after us.
5. Details OSU:  I'd like for them to lose to OK and either IN or NE.

In general, I put rivalries into two categories: Respect rivalries and Contempt rivalries. 

I realized this distinction existed when I spent some time pondering the Wings-Avalanche rivalry in the late-90s / early 00s. I hated the Avalanche passionately. I wanted to beat them badly. the 2002 series was epic.

But I disliked them so much that I didn't (and still don't) care if they ever won another game. My second-favorite NHL team was whoever was playing against Colorado. When the Wild took them on and won in OT of Game 7, I was delirious. And, oddly, when the Wild faced them again in the 2015 playoffs, with Patrick Waaahhhh behind the Av bench, I became a huge Wild fan again. 

I have contempt for them. I wouldn't shed a tear if the franchise were scoured from the face of the Earth.

That has become what I think of MSU. When I was a kid, they were a local team, nice if they did well, etc. Now, though, I would delight in every miserable sob if they lost every game this season. I don't care how well they do. It is a contempt rivalry.

OSU is different. I dislike them more than any other team. I think a lot of their fans are obnoxious jerks. It sickens me to see them succeed.

But I also respect them as a worthy opponent. I believe our rivalry with OSU deserves to be placed at the pinnacle of American Sport. And, in fact, it has in the past; I want it back. I want the games to be huge. I want people to flippantly dismiss other major rivalry games that weekend to focus on ours. I want Gameday there. And, of course, I want to win, often.

And when we win, I want OSU to be heartbroken, shocked, dismayed. I want a great season derailed. By us. 

Another Ten Year War. I want that. We will both be better for it.

it would be better for OSU to have a down year and give all those 5*s something to think about.

Still, I can't see them losing more than 2 games.

Don't care.

I don't care as long as we beat them.

For some reason I want MSU to lose every game they ever play in. So I prefer that when we play them. As for OSU, I want to see 11-0 against 11-0 in that game. There's no bigger rivalry in sports! 

In an ideal world we go undefeated, OSU's only loss is to us, and MSU's only losses are to us and OSU, which sets up The Game to be a big stage with two top 5 teams, both of which are undefeated, which of course we'd obviously win.

I think they both project to have a loss prior to our meeting.  MSU will probably not be favored to beat ND.  OSU will probably not be favored to beat Oklahoma.  Other than that they obviously play each other with OSU being the favorite, and I'd suggest that PSU has an outside shot to beat them both since they get them both at home.  Other than that I'd be surprised if either team looses another game.  

So, I'd bet OSU looses 1-3 games (to Oklahoma, UM, & PSU).  I'd bet MSU looses 2-4 games (to ND, OSU, UM, and PSU).  I'd say we're probably an underdog in the OSU game and a slight favorite in the Iowa and MSU games.  So we probabbly finish with 1-3 losses as well.  Personally I'd be surprised if anyone in the conference goes undefeated.  UM, Iowa, and OSU seem equally likely to be favorites to win the conference, but I doubt any team gets through unscathed.

I want OSU to lose every game!

Yep, I do.  I also won't go out of my way to watch and/or root for those teams though. 

 i just want to beat both of them. what they come in does not take away the win or loss.

Msu will lose at Notre Dame

Osu will lose at Oklahoma

Barrett has to stay healthy for OSU to be good...

As long as they are not undefeated after we play them.

MSU: Yes. We win, they go into a tailslide and lose every other game in heartbreaking fashion.

OSU: No. That game is never going to be easy, and it's the last one of the season. I want us to be able to spot them a win and still make the B1G championship.

always want our rivals undefeated....  until we play them.     More on the line.

to win every non-conference game.  Including bowls.

OSU over OU

MSU over ND

inside the conference let them both lose them all