Do you guys consider Penn State a rival?
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.
September 21st, 2018 at 3:33 PM ^
No. Only OSU, MSU and Rutgers :)
September 21st, 2018 at 3:38 PM ^
It depends on how permanently you define rival. They are certainly under our skin of late but they are not a permanent fixture.
Separately, I'll take this opportunity to note that even the permanent fixtures (OSU, Minnesota, MSU, ND) can shuffle over time.
I graduated in 2006. In that era, the rivalries clearly ranked like this for many (most?) fans:
OSU > ND >> MSU >> Minnesota
Now it's more like:
OSU/MSU >> ND >>> ... >>> Minnesota
September 21st, 2018 at 3:45 PM ^
No, I don’t consider them a rival. If they want to be our rival, they can get in line between Illinois and Rutgers.
September 21st, 2018 at 3:57 PM ^
I don't know who to say is a "Rival" anymore. Michigan hasn't been an active participant in any rivalries in the last decade...
September 22nd, 2018 at 8:30 AM ^
Weve beaten ND and msu a couple times but what is is now, 13 out of 14 or something? This stat is disgusting
September 21st, 2018 at 3:59 PM ^
I live in Pa and these people are insufferable. I have started to hate them solely based on their fans for a myriad of reasons.
September 21st, 2018 at 4:14 PM ^
I think ND was more of a rival when they were on our permanent schedule, but I still consider them a classic rival.
Let's say this: If OSU & MSU are blue chip rivals, then Penn State is an upstart rival.
The more close grudge matches we have with them, or the more back-to-back lopsided blowouts like the last couple years, the more the rivalry will grow.
In 10 years, Penn State will move to blue chip level, imo.
September 21st, 2018 at 4:16 PM ^
I do, after that bullshit last year. Barkley running around windmill swinging his arms. Got straight up embarrassed on PrimeTime. I want to beat them as much as I do MSU. OSU is #1 and ND? The loss didn't come close to bothering me as much as an MSU/OSU loss. PSU last year pissed me off more than ND this year...
September 21st, 2018 at 4:26 PM ^
if you look closely at this poster from the OSU website, OSU doesn't consider them a rival either.
September 22nd, 2018 at 8:33 AM ^
What is this? Im confused lol
September 21st, 2018 at 4:27 PM ^
Yes, I consider PSU a rival.
Random Fact: it's interesting to me that our top competition in the East division all have "state" in their last name.
Ohio State
Penn State
Michigan State
September 22nd, 2018 at 8:29 AM ^
I hate state!
September 21st, 2018 at 4:29 PM ^
rumor has it that George Perles built this trophy in his basement...MSU is their rival, because honestly no-one else cares about either of them....
September 21st, 2018 at 5:03 PM ^
That trophy is an eyesore, wow lol
September 21st, 2018 at 4:35 PM ^
Not so much.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:02 PM ^
Only in the fact that that they are a pretty strong Big 10 team, kind of like Wisconsin. But no they arent a real rival no. They arent in the same state as us or share a border with us, I see OSU as more a rival with PSU than us.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:03 PM ^
Ped state shouldn't be in the Big 10 so hell no
September 21st, 2018 at 7:40 PM ^
Wondering what’s your rationale on that statement?
September 21st, 2018 at 5:05 PM ^
I would say that OSU, MSU, and Minnesota are our rivals. However, the Minnesota rivalry has been killed under Delany's reign.
To some extent "all conference foes" are rivals and Penn State might be a bit more of a rival in the sense that we both have the tradition, history, and capacity to excel. However, I don't really consider them anymore of a rival then Wisconsin or Iowa and nowhere near OSU or MSU.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^
Hate them? Yes. Loathe them? Yes. Wish they could lose every game but for 1 (OSU)? Absolutely.
Rival? Not even close.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:17 PM ^
You forgot Rutgers..smh
September 21st, 2018 at 5:26 PM ^
Not really. I want to beat them, of course. But they're not a rival. Nor do I think they consider us to be one.
MSU, OSU, and ND are (to me) Michigan's only rivals. Minnesota hasn't been a rival since the Charleston was a popular form of dance.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:39 PM ^
Not at all.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:45 PM ^
I would consider any team consistently in the mix for a Big Ten title to be a Michigan rival, on a temporary basis as long as they're fighting for the Big Ten title competitively at least.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:45 PM ^
Yes, but the are a distant 4th behind OSU, MSU and ND.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:50 PM ^
I don’t think here are rivals. There is no “mutual respect” between schools and programs. Take football out of the equation, and do we care about beating PSU in basketball....nope.
I would say Wisconsin, due to basketball, is becoming a good rival. And, I think most of us respect wisonsin for a lot of reasons
fyi- hail shamrocks. Beat Rice
September 21st, 2018 at 9:25 PM ^
I agree with your overall take except for the "mutual respect" part. Despite growing up in Lansing (as a sparty fan in my younger, unenlightened days) I have zero respect for MSU. Not much respect for our tattoo, free car driving, women abusing friends rivals in Ohio either.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:50 PM ^
No, I don't
September 21st, 2018 at 5:51 PM ^
No I do not consider them a rival. I only see OSU and ND as our rivals.
September 21st, 2018 at 5:58 PM ^
No, PSU is just another traditionally strong program. Rivalries happen over long periods of hard fought battles, so maybe someday decades from now, but certainly not yet.
September 21st, 2018 at 6:02 PM ^
Nope. I don't really consider ND a rival at this point, either. ND and PSU are in the "I don't like them, but whatever" category for me.
September 21st, 2018 at 6:12 PM ^
Nah. I thought morality had its cellar in Happy Valley. Turns out our real rivals thought the competition was for how low you could go.
September 21st, 2018 at 6:31 PM ^
It seems like everyone considers them a rival (which everyone knows we can't beat) when we lose to them, but not when we beat them.
I "strongly dislike" that team, program and coach.
September 21st, 2018 at 6:33 PM ^
No, not really... I mean, its usually a good and meaningful game but it will never be on the level of OSU, ND, or MSU.
September 21st, 2018 at 6:37 PM ^
Fuck Ped State.
September 21st, 2018 at 6:39 PM ^
No, more of a nuisance
September 21st, 2018 at 6:42 PM ^
fuck psu and their joepa-loving delusional fans!!!
That being said...no. Our rivals are OSU, MSU, and ND.
September 21st, 2018 at 6:48 PM ^
I’m willing to bet that anyone who ranks ND as a bigger rival than MSU is older than 35.
September 22nd, 2018 at 12:12 AM ^
Guilty as charged
September 21st, 2018 at 7:28 PM ^
Not a rival but no team more that I'd like to just kick their ass and win by 50
September 21st, 2018 at 7:55 PM ^
No. The litmus test is, how much do you care about beating this team if they're not good? If OSU, MSU, or Notre Dame are bad, it's still an important game to me. Beating Penn State in 2015 was just another game.
September 21st, 2018 at 11:27 PM ^
Wow you're right. Great post.
September 22nd, 2018 at 9:51 AM ^
Thanks man
September 21st, 2018 at 7:59 PM ^
Not really. No more than Nebraska.
September 21st, 2018 at 8:20 PM ^
PSU is not a traditional rival but I do get amped for that game because I do not like James Franklin. Are they a rival to the masses, probably not. But my emotions tell me they are borderline becoming one, for me anyway.
September 21st, 2018 at 8:46 PM ^
Not a rival. Late to the big ten. But no morals so always good to beat them
September 21st, 2018 at 9:27 PM ^
Same level as Wisconsin for me. Great opponents, great winds when you get them, but OSU, Sparty and Minnesota are the rivalries I like the most... and Chicago.
September 21st, 2018 at 10:06 PM ^
Id say rivalish. Another 30 years and maybe then they will be full-fledged rivals.