Second Favorite Big Ten Team?

Submitted by GoWolverines16 on

It's a simple question that I don't think has been discussed on the forum. Do you have a team outside of Michigan that you root for in the Big Ten?

I'd have to go with Penn State. It has the second best stadium in the Big Ten and how could root against someone like Joe Pa? However, there fans can get a little annoying, but I like PSU.

Njia

April 25th, 2010 at 1:24 PM ^

Back in the Hayden Frey/Chuck Long era, it was almost too easy to hate Iowa. More than Ohio State, more than MSU. Ferentz has made that team very classy, their fans are respectful, and playing them is always fun. Easy to consider them my second favorite, if I have one.

And I've decided that Dantonio is a worthy successor to King Douce, Hayden Frey.

cbuswolverine

April 25th, 2010 at 8:03 AM ^

I love the way everybody is hanging on JoePa's nuts like he runs a squeaky clean program over in Happy Valley.

PSU is the original MSU.

"The show found that since 2002 (through 2008), 46 Penn State players have been charged with 163 criminal complaints. Forty-five of those complaints resulted in guilty pleas or convictions. Of the 46 players charged, 27 pleaded guilty or were convicted.

More recently, to show the problem is getting worse, 17 players were charged in 2007 with 72 crimes. Nine charges resulted in guilty pleas. The numbers screamed about a lack of control by the coaching staff and a lack of discipline by the players.

The response from Graham Spanier, the university president, was expected. "They're staggering numbers," he said. "They're very high and they shouldn't be that way.

"It's embarrassing to the university."

Professor Paul Clarke, who is vice chairman of the Faculty Senate athletics committee, also had an expected response. "This is really a black mark. It diminishes all of us."

To those who have followed Paterno closely in recent years, his response also was expected.

"I think you've done an awful lot of probing which bothers me that you might be on a witch hunt," he said.

The show focused on in an incident that occurred April 1, 2007. In response to one of their teammates and his girlfriend being involved in an altercation with three Penn State students, a group of football players, about 15, broke into an apartment on campus. Several students were beaten, including some not involved in the original altercation.

According to the show, one student was attacked with a beer bottle, another was struck with a wooden stool, a third was kicked in the face.

According to a report by the Judicial Affairs Department, which is the university's disciplinary arm, one of the football players involved said, "We knew we were going there to beat up people."

As a result of these vicious attacks, which no one on a college campus should expect, four players were temporarily expelled. The expulsions occurred during summer school, thus severely lessening the level of punishment. Additionally, the players were permitted to practice before their period of expulsion expired.

In other words, a whitewash."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08212/900389-194.stm

Nosce Te Ipsum

April 25th, 2010 at 9:58 AM ^

It seems as though Penn State is the team most people are saying is their second fav. I have to agree. There is just something about them. It's probably all JoePa. My love for them has faltered some after seeing that Youtube, however.

DubbaEwwTeeEff

April 25th, 2010 at 3:15 AM ^

One thing about the Big Ten is it's got no shortage of classy and likeable teams. For me it's a toss-up between Iowa, Penn State, and Wisconsin. Honorable mentions go to MSU and Purdue, as I have friends who went to both.

All in all though, in non-conference games I'll root for anyone except Ohio State. (Sole exception: national championship game vs. Florida, when ALL OF MY HATE was directed at Urban Meyer. And wouldn't ya know it, they let me down.)

GoBlueInNYC

April 25th, 2010 at 4:14 AM ^

I like both Iowa and Wisconsin. They both rely on and have a reputation as "old school Big Ten football." Whether or not that wins games, it's nice to see a team or two holding down the combination of insane defense and power running.

The Biatch

April 25th, 2010 at 5:58 AM ^

Indiana. Basically my entire extended family went there including both parents, and my brother was the Drum Major at IU for two years in 2000/2001. Been to a lot of games in Bloomington, and while their fans really don't seem to give a rat's ass, it's still a fun time and a great city.

Fencer Tingbot

April 25th, 2010 at 9:27 AM ^

With you here, MGoShoe.

However, by June, when we get to the "Who is your 8th favorite Big Ten team" thread, I'll emphatically say, "ILLINOIS!"

Call me an old fart, but second favorite team implies that you actually spend time thinking about college football way too long.

Here's the list:

Favorite Team: Michigan
Second Favorite team: Sex
Third favorite team: Beer

Now, as I get older, #3 is really gaining on #2.

cbuswolverine

April 25th, 2010 at 7:45 AM ^

I don't understand having a second Big Ten school at all. My sister got her Master's at Illinois and their football team can DIAGF as far as she's concerned. I guess it runs in the family.

Elno Lewis

April 25th, 2010 at 8:42 AM ^

No other team has provided the drama, the competitiveness and controversy tht OSU has provided Michigan. There is only one game I want OSU to lose every year--the last one. I love that they took on USC and Texas, and Miami (NTO).

No potato salad here.

Hemlock Philosopher

April 25th, 2010 at 9:02 AM ^

I don't not like any other Big Ten Teams, Sam I Am!

I could not, would not, give Sparty a vote.
I will not, will not, pull for PSU over a goat.
I will not root on them Badgers in the rain.
I will not root on them Boilers on a train.
Not in the dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! Northwestern, You let me be!
I do not like them Hawkeyes.
I do not like them Buckeyes.
I want to beat them Hoosiers in our house.
I want to beat them Gophers like a Ike beat his spouse.
I do not like them Illini here or there.
I do not like them ANYWHERE

I do not like
other Big Ten Teams
and (Notre) Damn!

Michigan Arrogance

April 25th, 2010 at 9:13 AM ^

M
I
N
N
E
S
O
T
A

MINNESOTA
MINNESOTA
hhhHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYY
GOPHERS!

them or IU, since their football program is so sad and the only famous guy that shows up to their games is John Cougar Mellencamp.

befuggled

April 25th, 2010 at 10:36 AM ^

I lived in Madison for nearly twenty years, and when they were terrible and free tickets were easy to come by I went to a fair number of games. My wife used to raise money for the University.

I had been rooting for Penn State long before they joined the Big Ten. My mother had a friend in State College whose husband was a professor, and we used to stop there on our way to visit my grandparents out east. I used to like JoePa, too, although it's probably time for him to step down.

Having said, I'm always happy to see Michigan crush both teams.

steviebrownfor…

April 25th, 2010 at 11:37 AM ^

and remain true to the Gophies (although its a distant second to UM). The first UM football game I ever saw was @Minny in the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome. U of M won 58-7(!!!) under G Moeller when I was just 7 years old.

I couldn't find stats but I vividly remember Tyron Wheatley just going apeshit in the game. so Go Blue! and, also Gophies, try not to embarass yourselves.

BlueGoM

April 25th, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^

I usually find myself rooting for the underdog in most college games (except of course anyone playing Michigan). Since NW was the underdog in so many games so often... perhaps not recently but when I was growing up they were always so bad.

That, and I like the enthusiasm that NW's coach has. You have to think he's gonna be around for a while, he seems to be doing a very good job considering the school he's coaching at.

So, NW. And anyone playing against OSU.

Jeffro

April 25th, 2010 at 12:53 PM ^

I'd go with Penn State too. I don't find there fans annoying at all. They're a friendly, not-to cocky bunch who hate OSU. Good in my book.

collegefootballguru

April 25th, 2010 at 12:57 PM ^

definitely ohio state baby! as a matter of fact...I HATE MICHIGAN AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE OHIO STATE!!!!

GO BUCKEYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

TERRELLE PRYOR BABY!

OHIO STATE IS #1

jmblue

April 25th, 2010 at 2:44 PM ^

Although they are annoyingly competitive against us, you have to respect a school that can win despite pretty significant academic restrictions. For the same reason, Vandy is by far my favorite SEC school.

Lately I've rooted a bit for Indiana, mostly just out of pity.