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BIG TEN RIVALS ( A work in progress... )


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As we creep closer to our 4th year in our new home some things to ponder: Taylor Martinez is in the NFL, There will be no new NCAA game this year, and for the first time in history the highest plethora of college football will crown a champion via playoff. Times they are a changing. Also, we will be conference mates with Maryland so there's that. Three years is nowhere long enough to establish a rivalry but how are our potential bad blood series developing? Who are the contenders?

 

Penn State - Upon entering the league the Nittany Lions were paired with the Huskers as cross division foes for a yearly match-up. In 3 tries PSU has come up short in its efforts to knock off Nebraska, including twice in their own stadium. If a casual fan is channel surfing for a game I think its safe to say seeing these two teams on the field will get them to stop and take notice. This had some serious potential until division realignment placed Penn State in the newly crowned East division. With the series only resuming play every few years it takes a crushing blow to the potential rivalry.

 

Wisconsin - The fans choice. Similar traditions, style of play, color scheme, and even their heralded former coach Barry Alvarez played for Nebraska. All the pieces are in place for this to turn into something special. Now that both teams are in the same division the yearly matchup will have serious implications, to the winner go the spoils of a potential title game spot in Indianapolis. The only problem? The Huskers have yet to truly be competitive with the Badgers as conference foes. The series is tied 4-4 all time. However the Huskers 1-2 record against the Badgers as conference mates isn't what you would hope for. In Madison Nebraska was blown out. In Lincoln Nebraska needed a 17 point comeback to eek out a win. And the Title Game in Indy was all Wisconsin. Hopefully with the new division alignment a stronger showing from both sides will level the playing field and produce more unpredictable outcomes.

 

Iowa - The conferences choice. Iowa replaced Colorado on Black Friday, who replaced Oklahoma. For some fans Iowa is third generation don't give a crap. For others Iowa is a perfect fit. An actual border state with a similar geographical setting. Iowa has loathed Nebraska for ages for its success and it finally culminated in 2013's contest where the Hawkeyes earned a much needed win against Big Red. As conference foes Nebraska leads it 2-1 and has a chance to seek revenge in Kinnick and take back the Heroes trophy. After two straight unexciting Husker wins, the Hawkeyes breathed new life into the potential rivalry. I get the feeling the 2014 edition will take a big step forward in the rivalry department.

 

Northwestern - On paper nobody expected this to develop into much more as an inevitable W for Big Red. In the first meeting between the two as league brethren, Northwestern came into Lincoln and knocked off highly ranked Nebraska. The Huskers returned the favor in Evanston the following year with a comeback win where purple clad fans complained the traveling Husker faithful were too loud for even their QB resulting in a silent count on snaps. The third edition was nothing short of incredible. The Wildcats again came into Lincoln banged up but still managed to lead Nebraska late into the game almost sealing it away with an interception. It took a last second Hail Mary pass to give Nebraska the win. So far the battle to be the real NU has been decided by a total of 7 points NW 28 - NU 25, NW 28 - NU 29, NW 24 - NU 27. Personally I think its more of Northwestern playing up to Nebraska as opposed to Nebraska playing down to Northwestern. Every game has been a nail biter, there's no reason to believe that will change moving forward.

 

 

If I had to choose which team fits the bill as rival the best after only 3 years of Big Ten play, my vote easily goes to Northwestern. The close competitive games are exactly what rivalries should look like when both teams take the field. As added incentive the teams get to play every year for the right to call themselves NU. I hope to see this series get more attention in the future.

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PSU & Northwestern for sure, for the reasons you mentioned. The fumble controversy and hail mary added some serious spark, respectively. all the games we've played with both teams have gone down to the wire.

 

As for Wisconsin, from what I've gathered, Wisconsin fans couldn't care less about Nebraska. Mutual interest has to be there. and Iowa is just forced. Thought it would be a good idea before we joined the BIg 10 but all three games have lacked juice, so I don't really care much about a rivalry with Iowa at this point.

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My vote is Wisconsin. When we play Wisconsin again, I feel like it will be a revenge game, and wish that if we only blowout one team in 2014, it would be the Badgers. I think many Huskers fans would feel similarly. This mid-November game could also have major division title implications this year, if both teams hold up their end early in the season. This might not be a rivalry yet (especially if the Badgers fans are not into it), but if we embrass them on their own field while knocking them out of B1G title chances, this could pull the Badger faithful into this rivalry.

 

For Northwestern, I always like watching the Real NU Game each year, since it has been so close. However, I have too much fun watching the game to think of it as a rivalry.

 

Iowa is a joke (not the team, but the forced rivalry).

 

Penn St vs Nebraska could have been a epic rivalry, based on the winning traditions and prestige of each school (though it did not feel like it the first three years), but being on different division, that does not seem likely now.

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I gotta emphasize this since I see and hear so many Nebraska fans talking about a rivalry with Wisconsin.

 

Wisconsin fans do not care about us or having a rivalry. And I don't blame them, they've taken us to the woodshed 2 out of 3 times, and almost made it a third. Us declaring them a rival or clamoring for a rivalry with them reeks too much of Colorado declaring us rivals back in the day. A buddy of mine who is from Madison and a raging badgers fan has a major superiority complex when we talk football. He was pretty surprised that alot of us think UW-NU is or could be a rivalry. He basically said we're not on their radar since we haven't caused them much problem, and said most wisconsin fans feel this way. Minnesota and MSU, as of late, draws more juice for them than we do.

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Solid write up redux. +1.

 

I most wanted Nebraska to develop a rivalry with Penn State but these things take a while, decades really, to develop and I don't see it happening now that you're in separate divisions. I don't know the Nebraska/Iowa dynamic so I have no idea if you will become rivals. Border =/= automatic rivals.

 

As far as Wisconsin goes I'm not sure that a rivalry will develop. If anything it will be like the Michigan State - Wisconsin relationship. It took decades and decades to get the Badgers where they are with Iowa and Minnesota. But hey if you really want to jump in our hate triangle go right ahead. :cheers. We can make it a quadrangle of hate but you have to agree to hate Minnesota to fit in.

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You guys are seriously forgetting our longtime rival Illinois? HLN remembers....

 

 

 

Lincoln, Nebraska

October 4

Lincoln, Nebraska, for the Illinois Fighting Illini vs. the Nebraska Cornhuskers! The HLN Rivalry Express bus will be there to bring the spirit of this longstanding rivalry to the nation starting at 6 a.m. ET. Get up with us and get game weekend started early on Morning Express with Robin Meade! Follow @CarlosHLN on Twitter for details! Use #RivalryExpress in a tweet to let us know you'll be there!

 

http://www.hlntv.com/interactive/2013/09/05/rivalry-express-route-map

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I would hope as the yrs clamor on that NWU series will show them to be the new CU: wherein we beat them and they hate us. It could be their rivalry.

 

In my gut I feel Wisconsin will be our rival for implications and bad blood. I feel like they just swiped us early and they will hate us knocking them around every year, hopefully.

 

Iowa is a "meh" for me. Proximity plays into it, but they are like Kstate to me.

 

So, I'd personally like to see us develop some rivalry w Wisconsin

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As we creep closer to our 4th year in our new home some things to ponder: Taylor Martinez is in the NFL, There will be no new NCAA game this year, and for the first time in history the highest plethora of college football will crown a champion via playoff. Times they are a changing. Also, we will be conference mates with Maryland so there's that. Three years is nowhere long enough to establish a rivalry but how are our potential bad blood series developing? Who are the contenders?

 

Penn State - Upon entering the league the Nittany Lions were paired with the Huskers as cross division foes for a yearly match-up. In 3 tries PSU has come up short in its efforts to knock off Nebraska, including twice in their own stadium. If a casual fan is channel surfing for a game I think its safe to say seeing these two teams on the field will get them to stop and take notice. This had some serious potential until division realignment placed Penn State in the newly crowned East division. With the series only resuming play every few years it takes a crushing blow to the potential rivalry.

 

Wisconsin - The fans choice. Similar traditions, style of play, color scheme, and even their heralded former coach Barry Alvarez played for Nebraska. All the pieces are in place for this to turn into something special. Now that both teams are in the same division the yearly matchup will have serious implications, to the winner go the spoils of a potential title game spot in Indianapolis. The only problem? The Huskers have yet to truly be competitive with the Badgers as conference foes. The series is tied 4-4 all time. However the Huskers 1-2 record against the Badgers as conference mates isn't what you would hope for. In Madison Nebraska was blown out. In Lincoln Nebraska needed a 17 point comeback to eek out a win. And the Title Game in Indy was all Wisconsin. Hopefully with the new division alignment a stronger showing from both sides will level the playing field and produce more unpredictable outcomes.

 

Iowa - The conferences choice. Iowa replaced Colorado on Black Friday, who replaced Oklahoma. For some fans Iowa is third generation don't give a crap. For others Iowa is a perfect fit. An actual border state with a similar geographical setting. Iowa has loathed Nebraska for ages for its success and it finally culminated in 2013's contest where the Hawkeyes earned a much needed win against Big Red. As conference foes Nebraska leads it 2-1 and has a chance to seek revenge in Kinnick and take back the Heroes trophy. After two straight unexciting Husker wins, the Hawkeyes breathed new life into the potential rivalry. I get the feeling the 2014 edition will take a big step forward in the rivalry department.

 

Northwestern - On paper nobody expected this to develop into much more as an inevitable W for Big Red. In the first meeting between the two as league brethren, Northwestern came into Lincoln and knocked off highly ranked Nebraska. The Huskers returned the favor in Evanston the following year with a comeback win where purple clad fans complained the traveling Husker faithful were too loud for even their QB resulting in a silent count on snaps. The third edition was nothing short of incredible. The Wildcats again came into Lincoln banged up but still managed to lead Nebraska late into the game almost sealing it away with an interception. It took a last second Hail Mary pass to give Nebraska the win. So far the battle to be the real NU has been decided by a total of 7 points NW 28 - NU 25, NW 28 - NU 29, NW 24 - NU 27. Personally I think its more of Northwestern playing up to Nebraska as opposed to Nebraska playing down to Northwestern. Every game has been a nail biter, there's no reason to believe that will change moving forward.

 

 

If I had to choose which team fits the bill as rival the best after only 3 years of Big Ten play, my vote easily goes to Northwestern. The close competitive games are exactly what rivalries should look like when both teams take the field. As added incentive the teams get to play every year for the right to call themselves NU. I hope to see this series get more attention in the future.

Excellent post, Redux! Sums it all up perfectly. It will take time for a rivalry to develop. And the outcome of our first few games will have a great affect on which team becomes a natural rival. I think Iowa makes the most sense. But the first few games with Northwestern have been epic. With Wisconsin, it's been *us* who hasn't been competitive so far, sadly. We might end up with a couple rivals. Like Oklahoma had through the 90s with both Texas and Nebraska.

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I dont see Iowa moving up on the schedule so I really hope it does develp into a decent series. Our interest has been lacking in the 3 games thus far and it really showed last year. If Nebraska can win and rush their side of the field to take back the trophy, it will go a long way towards building that hate. We should enjoy beating Iowa, not just be happy with another win.

 

I still wouldnt mind seeing this game played the second week into the season. Gives both teams a breather late in the year plus a conference win or loss early goes a long way.

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