Which game would be better to go to PSU or Wisconsin?
Good Morning,
So, I want to bring my family to the best home game on our schedule this year. Hopefully so they can be part of a fully packed stadium and electric crowd. The only problem is I don't know what game would be best.
Wisconsin might come in with 1-2 losses and that might deflate any hype for the game. Penn State might be undefeated or have 1 loss but we have been playing them and Wisconsin just returned to our schedule after a few years of haitus.
What do you guys think would be the best game to go to?
Also the prices in tickets are about the same. I plan on spending $180 on each ticket as of today. But maybe the ticket prices will drop?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
August 11th, 2016 at 1:38 PM ^
6-6 more likely than 8-4.
PSU will lose to Michigan, OSU and MSU.
I don't like their chances on the road against Pitt. We all know a little too well that Narduzzi loves playing the little brother versus traditional instate power house games when said traditional power is in a down period.
They also have to play Iowa from the West which will be tough for them.
Maryland beat them last time in Happy Valley and should've beaten them last year too. And they play Temple who beat them last year by a large margin. Minnesota is no slouch and Indiana's offense could give them trouble because they can't score points. Of these 4 games I think it's more likely they go 3-1 in this stretch than 4-0.
August 11th, 2016 at 10:20 AM ^
I want them to have a long, sad drive back to unHappy Valley.
August 11th, 2016 at 10:24 AM ^
I'm surprised with the responses here. I'd much rather see PSU over Wisconsin if I had the choice. Sure, we haven't played Wisconsin in a while, but I don't see how that makes it any better. I actually think it makes it worse - our recent games with PSU make that game more exciting. Also, they're in our division so that game could possibly mean more than the Wisco game.
Just my 2 cents.
August 11th, 2016 at 1:30 PM ^
Wisconsin is just better than Penn State though.
I think if Penn State had consistently been winning 8-10 games each year for the past half decade, we'd all pick them because of the familiarity, but PSU has been 7-5 or worse for many years now and not likely to change.
The Badgers have been, BY FAR, the best team in the Big Ten West for the last decade.
August 11th, 2016 at 10:25 AM ^
1. Bigger football school and better opposing fan following to AA.
2. I think they will have a slightly better team than Wisco.
3. History of some great games in the past.
4. FIRST real big test and very likely to be undefeated. (If we happen to lose, then the Wisco game might be arough one to attend.)
5. If you are not sitting in the sun, the weather might be better a little earlier.
6. Impatience means you might not last one extra week...
August 11th, 2016 at 11:22 AM ^
On 1, it's hard to make the case that PSU's been a better football school than Wisconsin since joining the conference.
3 Big Ten championships for PSU vs. 6 for Wisconsin.
7 10-win seasons for PSU vs. 9 for Wisconsin.
Both have had 4 seasons with losing records, but three of Wisconsin's came in the early 90s.
Wisconsin fans travel as well if not better than Penn State fans and they bring better beer with them.
Penn State probably has a bigger name, but it's a name built on dominating Temple, Maryland, and West Virginia more than 30 years ago. Since joining the conference, they've been, at best the 4th best program.
August 11th, 2016 at 12:47 PM ^
I get the sense you have some ties to Wisco people.
Anyway, you compared the best ever era of Wisco to the worst ever era of PSU. There is no debate that PSU has a better and deeper football history. If you want to look at PSU's recent struggles they still stack up well to the best Wisco can offer. What does that tell you?
Regardless, neither program is the same program they were throughout the majority of the time period you selected. Wisco and PSU are both years and a couple coaches removed from their last conference title.
PSU is a "better football school" and I don't think there is much debate about that among the non-biased among us.
August 11th, 2016 at 1:28 PM ^
I'm just saying that if you're hanging out with nearby fans at the tailgate and one group's likely to have Yuengling and the other Spotted Cow, it's reasonable to factor that into your choice.
And the reality of Penn State's reputation is that it's built on two decades of dominance against mediocre east coast schools that have never sniffed college football's elite. And during which time their holier than thou coach coddled a predator. When they got into a real conference, they've proved themselves to be a program that's one step above meh.
All hyperbole aside, for this year, it's about a wash between the two. Both teams have good to excellent running backs. Penn State has better receivers. Wisconsin's defense and oline will be better than Penn State's. And who knows what's going to happen with the new offense Penn State is putting in. I think Wisconsin's probably going to be the toughest home game UM faces, because they'll be tested and, if they manage to pull off upsets of either LSU or PSU, will have a good deal of confidence. Or they'll be beaten to hell. The OP should go to whichever one fits into their life more conveniently
August 11th, 2016 at 10:30 AM ^
1) I think they're a better overall team
2) They don't worship a man who enabled a child rapist.
3) Let's say Wisconsin take down LSU. Not probable, but certainly possible. The hype for that game becomes much bigger. And then if they get by MSU too, you're talking about what would likely be at least a top-15 matchup in Ann Arbor for the game. Maybe even Game Day comes to town. Two smash mouth teams that just want to line up across from you and run the ball right down your throat.
No one will give two shits if PSU comes in undefeated when they play us. They'll have beaten Pitt and Temple. Whoop Dee Freaking Doo.
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August 11th, 2016 at 1:26 PM ^
Agreed.
A game against 2-2 Wisconsin will be closer than a game against 3-0 Penn State anyways.
But I really think the Badgers have a strong chance to be 3-1. And if they were 4-0, that's 100% a top ten matchup.
August 11th, 2016 at 2:07 PM ^
Not sure it'd be a top-10 matchup (for Wisconsin, climbing from unranked to top-10 status in 2-3 weeks would be a tall order for them, and they would likely need some chaos elsewhere), but it could certainly happen if they go 4-0.
They would've knocked off a top-5 LSU team and the reigning Big Ten champ in their own back yard. I'd say that at least gets them into 11-15 territory.
August 11th, 2016 at 3:12 PM ^
Beating two top 10 teams in the first four weeks, especially neither having true home field advantage, makes a top 10 team. Wisconsin would have the best wins resume in the country. It's not unheard of for teams to shoot up wildly in the rankings in the first few weeks with big wins.
The rankings shift a lot more in the first month than later on.
If Wisconsin is 4-0 they arguably could be ranked higher than Michigan, especially if MSU beats Notre Dame in week 3 and LSU beats Miss. State and Auburn to start 2-0 in the SEC.
If MSU loses to Notre Dame they would not be in the top ten when Wisconsin beats them, so that could hurt their standing.
August 11th, 2016 at 10:30 AM ^
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August 11th, 2016 at 10:36 AM ^
August 11th, 2016 at 10:56 AM ^
August 11th, 2016 at 10:38 AM ^
That's the one you want.
August 11th, 2016 at 10:41 AM ^
I live in Wisconsin
And besides O$U and Sparty, i hate the badgers the most.
Talent wise i think Wisconsin will be better .
Rivalry wise, shutting Franklin the hell up and those PED Paterno loving fools and that program the hell up will be exciting.
I think the Wisconsin game will be tougher. i think were gonnd smash Penn state, and Wisconsin will be a close tough challenge.
regardless, fuck both schools
August 11th, 2016 at 10:59 AM ^
I know that feeling. They think they're academically and athletically on par with Michigan, if not better. I have no doubt that we will win by 14+ this year.
August 11th, 2016 at 1:25 PM ^
I guess you live in Wisconsin, but I don't hate any school besides MSU and OSU. I feel like hating every Big Ten school is a Sparty thing to do. We should be above that (barring specific personal reasons).
August 11th, 2016 at 10:44 AM ^
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August 11th, 2016 at 10:45 AM ^
Wiscy will be in early October which is a little more fall-y. Should be a great game atmosphere in Ann Arbor in general.
August 11th, 2016 at 11:07 AM ^
I have a question, what is it like sitting on the other side of the stadium? I have tickets in section 40, and am wondering the balance of fans in that area.
August 11th, 2016 at 1:23 PM ^
Awesome.
Still mostly Michigan fans by far, but you get to watch the student section from up close so it actually is louder on that side of the stadium by a little bit (in my experience) bc the noise from the other side comes towards you.
August 11th, 2016 at 11:22 AM ^
Wisconsin
August 11th, 2016 at 11:48 AM ^
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August 11th, 2016 at 12:10 PM ^
August 11th, 2016 at 12:38 PM ^
Of course, you won't know if they beat Sparty and go to 3-1 until after UM plays Penn State (or, at best, just before kickoff of UM-PSU).
August 11th, 2016 at 12:16 PM ^
You can never predict what game is going to be best. Of the 8 games I went to last year, I never would've predicted before the season that the BYU and Indiana games were going to be my most memorable.
August 11th, 2016 at 12:20 PM ^
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August 11th, 2016 at 1:21 PM ^
Wisconsin seems like it'll be more exciting. Even if Wisconsin has 2 losses, I am 99% sure they will play us closer than Penn State. I think PSU will be a blowout.
And there is definitely bigger upside (Wisconsin has a higher ceiling than Penn State; if they some how pull off beating LSU, that game would be huge.)
You could wait until after the season opener to see how Wisconsin does against LSU, or Week 2 to see if Penn State loses to Pitt.
August 11th, 2016 at 1:29 PM ^
Yeah if Wiscy beats LSU that is a huge game. They won't beat LSU though I'm confident. Typical Wisconsin team of old won't win the important game. Only can win in the B1G. Most annoying team ever except this year Michigan is going to run right at them all day and smack them in the mouths over and over. A stacked and healthy Michigan team at the beginning of the B1G schedule. I'd want to go to that game over disgusting PSU.
August 11th, 2016 at 1:39 PM ^
All I'll say is that if I'd attended PSU, I'd still be there without a diploma.
The bar scene there is just outrageous. Its more impressive than the school facilities.
And I'm not being complimentary. My daughter isn't going there. Not because of all the football crap, because it's like they build a mini Ft. Lauderdale near campus.
August 11th, 2016 at 1:47 PM ^
August 11th, 2016 at 2:11 PM ^
Definitely Wisconsin. We haven't played them since the Rich Rod days.
Also, fuck Penn State.
August 11th, 2016 at 3:44 PM ^
Thanks for all of the input guys.
Maybe I should wait until after the Wisconsin/Lsu game. If wisconsn gets blown out, maybe pick the PSU game.
August 11th, 2016 at 4:55 PM ^
We host them once a decade. We play PSU in Ann Arbor every other year.
August 11th, 2016 at 5:39 PM ^
August 11th, 2016 at 9:17 PM ^
Will let you know.