Win vs. MSU or OSU?
I already replied to post about "pressure is all on Michigan and Rodriguez" that I don't think it matters whether we win or lose vs. State. I think we definitely beat Purdue, and at least one other game this year, which keeps RR off the proverbial "Hot Seat."
However, thinking about MSU and whether or not it was a "must win" got me thinking about OSU. At this point, I would sooner take a record of 8 - 4, provided that included a win over OSU, than a record of 11 - 1, with a loss against OSU.
What about you? If you had to choose one victory between MSU and OSU, which would it be? Not living in Michigan, and having relatives at OSU, and with OSU being our real rival (rather than our "Little Brother,") I want a win against OSU more than anything else in the rest of the season.
EDIT: If you respond, please say whether or not you live in Michigan (or have relatives affiliated with Michigan State in some way.)
October 5th, 2010 at 1:01 PM ^
MSU just isn't as important to me.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:02 PM ^
For me personally it would be MSU. For the program it would be OSU.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:09 PM ^
1. 100% chance to win vs. MSU, with a 100% chance to lose to OSU
or
2. 100% chance to lose vs MSU, with a 25% chance to beat OSU
October 5th, 2010 at 1:09 PM ^
The pressure is on UM to win the MSU game - always.
Before the season, I thought that RR had to win at least 6 and beat MSU or the powers that be would remove him as coach. While I still believe OSU to be the bigger rivalry - and being forced to choose I would have to choose beating the Bucks in the long run - it has to be MSU this year under these circumstances.
The biggest game in RR's UM career is at the big house this Saturday. It's a must win. Fortunately, UM holds a trump card by the name of Denard Robinson. Hopefully, he will have a record setting day culminating in a historical win. Kind of like Braylon and the boys had in 2004.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:16 PM ^
LOVE the avatar. +1 to you... and by the way, what kind of name is Poone?
October 5th, 2010 at 2:07 PM ^
Comanche Indian.
October 5th, 2010 at 2:43 PM ^
John.
John Cock-toe-stone??
October 5th, 2010 at 3:03 PM ^
It's Scotch/Romanian.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:17 PM ^
Regardless of recent history, Sparty is still and will always be little brother. Columbus is still the source of all evil in the world and must be vanquished for all Middle Earth. Or something.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:16 PM ^
ohio state in the right scenario. If we rephrase our analysis of this question to be "what if MSU and OSU were the last two games of the year, which game would you rather win?", I would easily choose OSU. Right now, I am so concerned about recruiting, Rich Rod, confidence, etc...this makes MSU seem more important than OSU. Two losses in a row suck but they still are little brother.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:19 PM ^
is incredibly important. It is probably a pointless question, but in the theoretical world where we get to pick a win against only one of MSU/OSU, almost everyone would pick OSU. #1 rival, last game of the year is more important, OSU is ranked higher, longer losing streak, etc.
That being said, losing to OSU is more accepatable. They are a really good team and its in Columbus. We have to beat MSU. It is the most important game of the season and I have thought this since last year.
There isn't any truly necessary win the rest of the year. Finish 7-5 or better and bowl game and the party keeps on rolling next year. But there isn't a more important singular game left than MSU.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:20 PM ^
OSU is definitely the bigger rivalry. But being a mich fan from lansing, I don't want to wake up in the morning and read the biased LSJ gloating about how they beat us for the third staright year. I can't take it anymore.
Not only that...I live with a few arrogant MSU fans and they basically give me shit every other day about how Michigan hasn't beaten MSU in football or basketball in like two years. It annoys me to the point where I want to strangle them. And believe me, I hate OSU just as bad as any other mich fan BUT I just want to shut these fuckers up and move on with the season and then beat OSU
October 5th, 2010 at 1:41 PM ^
Beating OSU is the number 1 priority. Winning in cbus and going to a BCS game would be huge for RR and the program, after that everything else will take care of itself.
Losing to MSU could have disasterous effects to this young team psyche. A win on Saturday would certainly help the youngsters on defense with some confidence and may be the catalyst for a marked improvement in their defensive performances the rest of the season.
With this offense and this defense, I cannot even think past Saturday.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:44 PM ^
Obviously if records were not involved, it would be OSU in a landslide (ie: 8-4 with win over 1 of the 2, or 11-1 with the 1 loss to one of them). However, with the current state of the program, we NEED to take 11-1 over 8-4 no matter who the loss is against. 11-1 keeps the momentum rolling. 8-4 could be accomplished with a few flukes and doesn't send a resounding "we are back" message.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:53 PM ^
Both if I could but if I can't have my cake and eat it too, it's Ohio State all the way.
Born and raised in the Detroit area too. Lots of Sparties and Wolverines living in the same community. But Ohio State must go down either way just because of the national perception.
After all we've been on a slide vs Tressel, and I think the national perception of UM has fallen on a parallel path. Time to reverse that- we can't be taken seriously as a program at the national level if we can't beat our biggest rival in 7 tries and counting.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:53 PM ^
If I had to choose one, definitely and always OSU. Yeah, MSU fans are annoying, but OSU is and will always be our #1 rival. If nothing else, that would get rid of that days since Michigan's last win over OSU counter that's on the Columbus Dispatch website.
October 5th, 2010 at 2:09 PM ^
Michigan alum, but I have family who went to MSU&tOSU. Uncle is a Spartan, Aunt (and godmother) is a Buckeye. Woe is me.
I would rather see a MSU win. @ home is the key. Just can't take 3 in a row against the East Lansing Peanut Gallery, especially 2 in a row at home.
Losing to OSU is par for the course at this point, as long as we don't get blown out. Stranger things have happened with competent Michigan teams though. I think its likely OSU slips up one or two of its 7 remaining B10 games, especially if Pryor performs less than what's expected out of him.
I think winning both is statistically possible, but I'm always the optimist when we're undefeated :).
October 5th, 2010 at 2:43 PM ^
Not in Michigan currently. Work environment (firm with 1000 attorneys and multiple offices):
- 45 Michigan grads
- 6 OSU grads
- 1 MSU grad, 2500 miles away from me (lol)
October 5th, 2010 at 2:49 PM ^
For me this is a no brainer. I grew up about 25 minutes away from OSU's campus. Almost the entire family are OSU supporters and some even attend there now. Needless to say, I have had to endure a lot of crap which has made this an easy decision: win over OSU.
In addition to my personal reasons for wanting a win over them so badly, we need to reestablish our dominance in our main rivalry. MSU is no threat to us, but OSU has dominated the Big Ten for too long. I look forward to RR and Denard restoring order to the college football world on November 27th.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:01 PM ^
I'll have my cake AND eat it too, thank you very much.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:28 PM ^
UM grad living in nyc, no biases with family/friends of either schools. My blood boils when I see scarlet and grey; Green and white just seems cute.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:58 PM ^
on this. I hate them both. But i live in Michigan and have to hear about the sparties win all year long. I rarely go to Ohio so i dont have to interact with "those" people very much at all.
I will be bummed beyond belief if we lose Saturday.
But damn.....i am just sick and tired of the buckeyes and Pryor.
Beating little brother does not give the sense of euphoria that comes with knocking off a true powerhouse like OSU.
I will have to pick beating OSU then......but its kinda close....
October 5th, 2010 at 3:59 PM ^
For this opponent non-football smack talk and hatred has bored me two days in. That would never happen with OSU.
This has turned into another opponent, albeit a little better than average.
I don't even feel it is a must win for vindication of the coach or system, recruiting, respect or any of that. Did on Sunday, but it was gone mostly by Monday. If it were real dislike or hard boiled need to win, and not media driven, I'd be burning hot until game time.
Not saying people who are really hating them or wanting badly to beat them are wrong, just that it isn't in me for MSU. I supposed I can even deal with another year of State fan being stupid about it.
Don't want to, but whatever. We all know if Michigan wins, they'll talk around it or switch it to basketball. So a win doesn't change anything.
OSU would make my year.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:55 PM ^
Both.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:57 PM ^
I say just beat them both!
October 5th, 2010 at 6:14 PM ^
I want to win both, but I definentely want to see MSU go DOWN. I'm damn sick of Sparty, the Buckeye fans I know aren't as bad as Sparties are.
I think we win @ Purdue and PSU. I think we have a huge breakout game at PSU defensively.
October 5th, 2010 at 6:24 PM ^
OSU. Not even a question
October 5th, 2010 at 6:51 PM ^
One game at a time.
The MSU game on Saturday is the biggest game in RichRod's tenure at UM.
When did beating only Indiana and Purdue constitute a "good season" that would ensure the coach isn't on the hot seat?
It's a long season, let's not jump ahead to the last game, there is plenty of business to take care of first.
October 5th, 2010 at 7:07 PM ^
I am from MI originally, and graduated from M, but had to go where there was work. Howeva, even if I wasn't living in Columbus, I would still pick OSU hands down. I have been a M fan since 2004, so I have never witnessed a win over OSU as an M fan. Plus, it would be awesome to go around the OSU Union putting up signs that say: Number of Days Since Michigan has Beaten OSU: ZERO.