Do you consider penn state a major rivalry? Obviously, any team that we play that is good will become a rivalry that particular week, but in the grand scheme of things, where does penns state fall?
I ask this, because apparently there's a "Beat Ohio State Week" and everything. They've got like 1200 students camping out in preparation, it seems amazing. I just don't understand how they can take this game so seriously, whereby hardly anyone on this end of the spectrum is treating is as anything more than a tough big ten matchup.
Sorry if this is a repeat post, I couldn't see any recently, and I was just curious to guage 11w's opinion on this matter
I never considered Penn State our rival or minded them a until I moved to PA for grad school. I go to school with a ton of Penn State grads and they are very obnoxious. I was constantly reminded on a daily basis about our tattoo scandal and what cheaters we were until the whole Joe Pa situation went down. Its amazing because I never considered them our rivals but I can tell you we are their biggest rival. My view of their fanbase has completely hit the rocks and I definately consider them one of our rivals if we weren't techniqually rivals before. I really hope we win this weekend because I will never hear the end of it if we lose.
When you're at the top (historically) everyone wants to beat you. Teams that we consider gimmes or don't really give much thought to because they're not our biggest rivals (NW, Purdue, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, etc) consider Michigan and OSU their biggest games of the year. They want to beat the big dogs. PSU isn't quite on the low tier (get some popcorn), but they're not a major rival, IMO for either Michigan or OSU.
PSU's home games this year are highlighted by OSU and Wiscy. Since this is the closest thing to a night game they have this year, I think they're getting more hyped up for it. Plus, the series is pretty tight. I think OSU holds a 14-12 series lead if you ignore the vacated wins.
Those who stay will be CHAMPIONS!
~Bo Schembechler
Ever since the 2005 game, I have considered them a rival. The games seem to be so intense most years. I want Ohio State to win so badly, calm the white out down, and shut them up. And our crowd seems to step it up a notch when they come to town. So there is something of a rivalry in my eyes.
They consider us their biggest rival, we consider them a B1G foe.
After the 2005 game, this was always my(and the group I watch games with) most anticipated game other than UM. Games seemed to be intense and many times the outcome had B10 title implications. Now that PSU is going to be down for the next several years I'm sure this will lose some luster.
@Hail: Great points. And not to sound demeaning in any way (to the players on those teams), but another thing to consider is that many players on MSU, PSU, and especially the others you mentioned, are from the Ohio/Michigan area and WANTED to play for OSU or Mich, but either weren't recruited by them at all, or weren't recruited by them seriously (ala someone like Le'Veon Bell at MSU). So that stokes the fire even more for the players themselves.
I think they think its a rivalry, but I really think a lot of my feeling is OSU\Michigan arrogance. In my opinion (right or wrong) we take part in the greatest rivalry in sports. Nothing compares to it, and we don't have enough time to consider them a rival. I don't think OSU or Michigan will ever take either of them seriously.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
To me its always been TSUN only. Others kinda rotate in and out- Wisconsin, Iowa, Sparty, PSU. I actually think of Purdue as more of a rival than PSU because the Purdue games of late have been so much more up in the air.
Only rivalry we have is up in Ann Arbor, Penn State is just a home or away game.
JT
Technically it is a rivalry game but it was manufactured by the big ten and to me feels forced. I think Penn State sees us as their biggest rival but to our fanbase there isnt enough history to really hate them.
If Wisc was 8-0 coming to the Shoe, it would be a Big game for us. So? This is a big game for both schools. PSU is playing like an 8-0 team right now. Lately the PSU game has been #2 or #3 behind TSUN.
Agree with NKOHL. PSU fans grew up hating Pitt for a long time. Now, thats over pretty much.
PSU is very new to the Big 10 compared to games like OSU/TSUN, Ala vs Aub, etc etc etc.
For them we are a clear rival, since we are geographically the closet high level football program and therefore the biggest threat in terms of recruiting. Their true rival should be Pittsburgh but Pittsburgh hasn't been up to the challenge, which should change as Penn State starts to drop off the next couple years. Generally speaking, however, they are not Ohio State's rival. I happen to run in circles where there are Penn St grads and fans, so I tend to build the game up more than others (Mich excluded) just because of the personal impact, which is probably the case with other OSU fans. But Penn St is never going to be a real rival for Ohio State because Ohio State has Mich. Especially for the next ten years.
I never understood the refusal of Buckeye fans to consider them a rival really. Since they joined the conference, we're barely over 500 against them. Outside of Michigan they have the most wins in conference head to head against us than anyone else in recent years. Whether people want to admit it or not, they are competitively, as much of a rival as anyone else in the B1G.
Competitively, yes, they've given OSU more trouble since 1993 than anyone other than TSUN. State Penn is kind of a rival, but to me, the real rivalry is OSU/TSUN. That is one of the biggest rivalries in sports. Because of how special that rivalry is, any other rivalry is just flat. OSU/PSU is nice for a good, intense game. But it's not TSUN, and therefore, it'll never get the proper attention that it probably deserves and State Penn gives it. It's only as big as the stakes and how good State Penn is in a given year.
Class of 2010.
@ CPLUNK...i will never consider Iowa a serious rival ever !