Big Ten Fan Bases

[RockyMountainOySker]

Wisconsin has two types of fans.

Some Wisconsin fans are fickle. They will leave a game if they are down by a lot. They will also leave if they are up by a lot. They come sometime in the 2nd quarter after a morning/afternoon of hard drinking. There is a bar about 10 steps from the stadium that is packed on gameday.

Some Wisconsin fans are great fans. They stay through the whole game (but still may come late due to drinking). They even stay for the band's "fifth quarter" performance. They pack the Kohl Center for basketball games. They flood to hockey games.

They don't really show up for Volleyball though. We got some tickets for a few bucks to watch them play Penn State (they barely lost).

It's an issue with the fundamentals of the state. It has a very big demographic of people similar to Nebraska. It also has a huge colony of liberals centered in Madison who are far to the left. It also has the inner-city mentality found in some parts of Madison and Milwaukee.

I went to the Wisconsin-Penn State game two years ago and your comment about some leaving early made me think of it. At the start of the 4th quarter, the stadium blasts Jump Around....it is 100% awesomeness. The entire stadium goes crazy and looks very neat with everyone jumping around. That being said, as soon as the song was over...entire student body disappeared. It should be noted that as this point Wisconsin was down something like 40-0.

 

[Saz]

I have had many interactions with a number of Big 10 schools living in Chicago. Here are my opinions:

Penn State - good fans. know their stuff and come out in droves. very loyal.

Wisconsin - good fans but care as much about drinking as their team. I actually love Wisconsin fans. I've had great times during my trips to Madison and the Wisconsin women in Chicago are amazing.

Iowa - very passionate but seem to think they are better than they really are. good fans though.

Northwestern - who cares really

Minnesota - very passionate and hope to god their team is good even though deep down they know they suck. good fans.

Michigan State - great fans that love to drink. similar to Wisconsin fans. I've been to East Lansing a few times now and I love how they come out for games. They only really care about beating Michigan.

Illinois - not really a big fan of these guys. Not terrible but they seem to have this sense of entitlement - more so in basketball than football. Tend to think they are better and other people care about more than they really are/do.

Indiana - very passionate but their team sucks and probably always will.

Purdue - not much experience with Purdue "fans." I know a bunch of Purdue people but no cares that much about any sport...a little basketball but that was just b/c there were very good this year.

The following two fanbases suck:

Ohio State - there are so many of these efers in Chicago and they are so fricking annoying. The most passionate fans tend to be the ones that didn't go to the school. Ohio, Miami of Ohio, Marshall, etc. all bleed Ohio State crimson. I get text messages from some every Saturday saying how their team is so good. Every single one has a bs sense of entitlement...I hate them the most (sorry Manhattan).

Michigan - smug, arrogant, think they know it all from politics to water polo to football. Not really much else to say.

This is pretty much my opinion.

I live in cbus so i can give my view of tOSU. Ohio state fans vary. There are the "fashion fans" that follow Ohio state when they are winning or so they can wear buckeyes to work. Next are the "tailgate fans" these are the ones that could never tell you what OSU's record is, who they are playing or even what the current score of the game is, but they can tell you where the best food/beer locations are for every home game (its handy to know one of these people). Then there are the "normal fans" They love tressel, but want him fired after every bowl game. They also have a love hate with tresselball....they love it cause it wins most games, they hate it because its so damn boring. I hate to say it but I think Ohio State and Nebraska fans are alot alike....(I think the stadiums were made by the same person). Columbus media views OSU, Penn St, Michigan, Wisc, and sometimes Iowa as the only real football programs.

 

[Enhance]

I'm sure other people mentioned this, because Ohio State is consistently voted (by CFB fans everywhere) as the WORST fan base in college football. Why? I'm not sure. But, they show up at the top or near the top of those lists very, very often.

 

[HUSKER 37]

So..

Near as I can figure it:

Purdue=aTm

Ohio State=Texas

Michigan State=Oklahoma State

Wisconsin=Texas Tech

Illinois=Missouri

Minnesota=Kansas

Northwestern=Baylor

Michigan=Kansas State

Indiana=Kansas

Iowa=Iowa State

Penn State=Colorado

They have no OU or UNL?

 

[In the Deed the Glory]

Am I completely bat Mod Edit - Language crazy or did somebody comment that Kinnick Stadium is comparable to Memorial Stadium on game day??

Wow.....

Please don't circumvent the swearing filters.

 

[Caven]

Am I completely bat * * * * crazy or did somebody comment that Kinnick Stadium is comparable to Memorial Stadium on game day??

Wow.....

Nope - you aren't crazy. I live in Lincoln and go to a couple of games per year here as well as have season tickets at Iowa. Very similar atmospheres. Sometimes Kinnick is better than Memorial, sometimes Memorial is better than Kinnick. It really depends on the opponent and how the team is doing. I have been in both stadiums when you couldn't talk to the person next to you and I have been in both stadiums where you could talk on the cell phone with no problem. In my experience it is easier to take the crowd at Memorial out of the game but when they are in the game they are in it better.

eta: The in-laws have season tickets to UNL games so I am at those games when they don't conflict with an Iowa game.

 

[Foppa]

How can a team be so smug and arrogant when they lose to an NU team while NU is at their worst, and lose at home to Appalachian State?!? Is it possible for your team and fanbase to think you are national champions post-season if Richie boy says you are? What does he come out and say? "Hey guys, we went 5-7, but you know, I know, and our fans know, we are the true national champs!" For being such an academically high-statured university, their fans must be flunks or hypnotized when it comes to football. Ask one NU fan how arrogant they were when Billy C and Silly Pudey Steve was running the program into the ground.

 

[onlyHskrfaninIL]

I live very very close to Champaign so I had to get in on this. I would pretty much agree with what's been said about the IL fans. If they beat you, you'll prolly never hear the end of it even though they've been terrible since the beginning of time. But for the most part there really is no football following. The Husker fans would have a good chance of outnumbering the Illini fans in Champaign and the kids really only care about getting drunk before the game.

I can't really speak for WI fans because I've never been to a game but I have a good friend that lives up there and those folks do drink a lot. I can't really blame em though if I had to deal with that weather I would drink a lot too.

 

[bassbuckeye]

First post.... I am Ohio State alum and decided to venture over to your board since the expansion talks are getting hot.... I can tell you as a graduate and season ticket holder I really want Nebraska in the big ten.... I have tons of respect for your history and future.... that said most of the comments on big ten fans are pretty spot on. Penn State fans are the worst IMO... they are east coast all the way... think philly fan cross bread with "the situation"... Michigan fans are cute... its been fun to see them totally melt down over the last 10 years (I am smart enough to know eventually they will be back at some point).... Wiscy fans are my favorite they can be tough when you go to camp randall but they like to tailgate and they do it right. I would be lieing if I said my own fellow fans have not embarassed me... the ones that travel are cool usually... Columbus is a decent size city and we get turds that never went to the school from the surrounding areas that leave their trash on campus... If and when this (expansion) happens first game in Columbus I cant wait to drink a brew and talk football with some Huskers.... whoever said crimson when talking about Ohio State please wash your mouth its scarlet :lol:

 

[HuskerTrucker]

I have a Penn State fan that is kind of a friend...but not real close. One word to describe him - Arrogant, and he doesn't take losing well. When Penn State loses a football game, he is down in the dumps until they win again, even if it isn't until the next season. Penn State will lose a lot of their "stage presence" when Jo Pa is gone IMHO.

 

[MuskyTCHusker]

With all the talk of conference re-alignment, I started thinking about new rivals and specifically their fan bases. We have all heard stories of the good, bad, and ugly fan bases in the big 12.

But what about the Big 10?

As far as fan bases go, do any of their fans have a reputation that precedes them for things like hospitality, tailgating, rudeness, class, etc? Also, does anyone have any opinions or personal experience with fan bases in the Big 10?

We went to N vs. Mich. State in 95. We thought that their fans were very respectful. But they had just witnessed possibly the best college football team of all time. They could not find words to describe how good we looked...and I'll never forget the "hush" of MSU contingent when Phillips took that direct snap, and our blocking scheme pretty much deleted the middle of the defense...it all happened so fast, I heard a MSU guy behind us say, "what the h was that!," as LP cut to the sideline and bolted into the endzone. It was really cool.

Anyway, I live in Chicago...so that means I go to - NU vs. Northwestern (formerly Dyke Stadium)...20 minutes from my house, NU vs. Illinois...2 hours away, NU vs. Wisconsin...2 hours away, NU vs. Iowa...3 hours away, NU vs. Minnesota (I'll sit this one out). So I say....bring on BIG 10 EXPANSION...it adds 4 games to my schedule.

Oh...did see NU vs. Minnesota and we won 48 - 0. Were they good fans??? I don't think there were enough Minnesota fans there to get an accurate sample.

 

[BigRedPowerWagon]

One thing that honestly does concern me. Living in iowa i know what iowa city is like. I know iowa hawkey fans are very loyal but also pound the booze back alot before going into kinnick. I wonder if i wear my red and white i might die there.

 

[Caven]

One thing that honestly does concern me. Living in iowa i know what iowa city is like. I know iowa hawkey fans are very loyal but also pound the booze back alot before going into kinnick. I wonder if i wear my red and white i might die there.

Nah - other than the occasional idiot we are pretty nice. The drunk idiots might spout off just like drunk idiots everywhere (and yes there might be a few more drunk idiots than other places) but they are harmless. I have never heard of anyone getting into a fight other than downtown after the game when both parties were drunk and stupid.

 

[jimindallas]

Haven't spent much time in Big X area, but happened to have been in airports when Wiconsin travelled for bowl games. Looked like they travel very well.

 

[MStateu4evr]

Hey, Michigan State fan here. Here are my views on the Big Ten fan bases, starting with my own.

Michigan State- As one of our other fans have stated, while many people think of MSU as a basketball school, we are really split 50/50. Much of our fanbase views the team as almost a sleeping giant in the Big Ten, and recently we have been "waking up". Due to this, even though we have had many miserable years, our fanbase continues to stay loyal and fill the stadium, along with traveling well. Overall I'd say while we have some downsides, we tend to be a pretty good fanbase, and I have yet to see any major disrespect toward any visiting schools that aren't named Michigan.

Penn State- Penn State fans are known for their partying, but they are also very loyal. A lot of their fans tend to look down on the Big Ten as many still remember when they were independent. Apart from that, I haven't had to many problems with them.

Wisconsin- Fun fanbase (though their basketball fans can be unbearable) and always make their gameday experience exciting. Their tradition of jumping to the song "Jump Around" during the 3rd quarter intermission always leaves the stadium shaking. There is a reason why it is so hard to win there.

Iowa- Michigan State and Iowa have been banging heads for the last couple years after Iowa fans insisted that they should jump Northwestern and Michigan State during the bowl bids simply because they "travel well", ignoring the fact that both teams had a better record and beat them head to head. They managed to jump Northwestern. Their major downside is insisting that they deserve more than they get. Apart from that, their fans are very loyal and make it very difficult to win at Kinnick Stadium. While it can be easy to get into feuds with them, nothing is ever severe enough to completely hate them. Playing their team is always entertaining though, as it always results in a physical game.

Northwestern- I haven't met anyone in their fanbase, but they have never done anything for me to disrespect them. Easily my second favorite team in the conference, and they will beat you if you don't take them seriously.

Minnesota- Being so far away, I really haven't met any Minnesota fans either. Minnesota tends to be anywhere from mediocre to bad in almost any given sport.

Purdue- They usually have a decent showing in football and basketball, but it seems to depend on how well they are doing in each sport. I never hear to much out of them, but the few that I knew were very loyal.

Illinois- All of the fans that I have met where very nice when I traveled to Champaign. They were having a losing season though, so I don't know how much that factored into it. From what I have seen, they have trouble filling their stadium, which is not very large.

Indiana- I wasn't to impressed with Indiana fans when I went down there. They were very obnoxious, especially considering how poor of a showing they were making on the field and filling in the stadium. I would be surprised if Indiana football ever made it into the top half of the conference for more than one or two years straight. Don't expect much out of them.

Ohio State- They tend to be very drunk and obnoxious, but they do travel VERY well, probably the best in the whole conference. Plan on them taking over any given stadium, though it won't be nearly as noticeable for you guys as you wear red too. If you want an idea of how bad it can get, google search images from the 2009 Michigan vs Ohio State game.

Michigan- Unbearable fanbase. Living in the same town as them makes it that much worse. They do believe that they know everything about everything, and they won't waste a second to praise the incredible education at their school...even though most of them do not and never have attended it. They truly believe they are god's gift to college football, and if they lose, it was because the refs, the time of day, the layout of the field, or the game clock screwed them over. Be prepared to hear "You would have lost to Appalachian State too...they won the Division 1-AA championship the year before."