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

[Comish]

One major difference.

I see a rivalry with Northwestern based more on mutual respect, whereas a rivalry with Iowa would be manufactured by fans intensity of dislike (Hate is such an ugly word to use this early in the day).

[VectorVictor]

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

 

Yeah...Robin Meade should stick with trying to age gracefully.

[corncraze]

Iowa: Our new Colorado. Same type of forced "rivalry." I really don't see myself getting that excited about that game. Instead, just like the CU series, I always just find myself thinking "we better win this game..." Every year we have been physically more talented in this series, but they still play us hard - just like CU usually did.

 

Penn State: I was really excited about our series that was building with them, but as everyone has said, with the realignment that series takes a major step backward. Every one of those games was close and we share such similar histories. Heck, we have even spoiled each other's chances of winning National Titles in the past. It's too bad the B1G got rid of this cross-rivalry game.

 

Northwestern: This series has been a blast so far. They remind me of Missouri. Down-to-the-wire games where we come out with the W - even if we sometimes shouldn't. Thing is, NW fans are nicer than Missouri fans. I look forward to more games with them.

 

Wisconsin: If we beat them this year (which we had trouble doing with Bielema) and have a few close games with them over the next few years, this series could develop into something huge. While Wisky has traditionally had Minny and Iowa, neither has had the historical prestige that we carry. If we can get better than 9-win seasons, this could offer Wisky a chance to gain a series that consistently draws in a large television audience (kinda of like what their series with OSU did the last few years). While Wisconsin does not have the historical success that we have had, they sure have had a leg-up on us over the last few years. If they stay good and we elevate our game, this could be our next big rivalry. However, they do have a new coach now and they could perhaps revert to their old standard of inconsistency, which if that's the case, they could develop into another Missouri or CU matchup for us. If we beat them consistently over the next few years, the game will lose the relevancy it currently holds with Husker fans - just as our series with CU did after they collapsed in the mid 2000s. We're a prideful bunch and won't want to claim a perennial mid-level program as our main rival.

 

Minnesota: Our new K State? Or maybe KU? Still pissed we lost to them last year - unacceptable.

 

Mich State - Really bummed this series won't be every year now too. Thought they were more of a rivalry then Michigan.

[deedsker]

As someone who has lived most his life next to Iowa, I don't care about them. Most Iowa fans don't seem to care much about Iowa, either.

 

The battle for NU has some great games to start the series in conference play.

 

Penn St. had plenty of controversy in the first three years both on and off the field that boiled up from the decades before. Too bad we won't see them for quite a while.

[Ulty]

We can't manufacture a rivalry out of thin air. It has to organically develop over time, a long time, based on shared history, controversy, respect and/or bitterness, a semblance of balance/equality, and importance of games. We don't have that sort of connection with anyone in the Big Ten, and quite honestly we didn't really have it with anyone in the Big XII after Oklahoma fell off the map in the early 90s and then joined the south division. With the way the college football landscape has changed in recent years and is likely to keep changing in years to come, we may never really be able to develop one of those rivalries, or at least not for years and years.

 

I'm personally okay with that. We don't need a true rival. I'd rather NU keep growing on its own to see if we can finally get back to a championship level, and then we can be a thorn in everyone's side again.

[TonyStalloni]

I agree it will take years and maybe a decade or two to develop the kind of deep seeded rivalry we all enjoy and had with the Okies for so many years. It will take 4 or 5 close games in a row where the underdog knocks off the favorite several times. It could be any one of several teams that emerge. I could see it being Iowa, Minny, Wisky or NW.

[papersun87]

I fear we are to Wisconsin what Colorado was to us.

[knapplc]

I fear we are to Wisconsin what Colorado was to us.

 

[TAKODA]

I fear we are to Wisconsin what Colorado was to us.

 

Hope you get to feeling a little better about this!

 

 

[The Dude]

 

 

Northwestern - On paper nobody expected this to develop into much

Except for knapplc. I blame him.

 

I expected this? If so, I've forgotten. Any idea where?

 

I can't say if you expected it to turn into a tough battle every year, but you did call for it to be the trophy game.

 

http://www.huskerboard.com/index.php?/topic/53796-the-battle-for-nu/

[papersun87]

 

I fear we are to Wisconsin what Colorado was to us.

 

I mean, at least Nebraska is SOMEBODY, not like Colorado who built their entire identity as a program around beating Nebraska. But as far as I can tell, we get all riled up about Wisconsin and they would rather play Minnesota.

[knapplc]

 

 

I fear we are to Wisconsin what Colorado was to us.

 

I mean, at least Nebraska is SOMEBODY, not like Colorado who built their entire identity as a program around beating Nebraska. But as far as I can tell, we get all riled up about Wisconsin and they would rather play Minnesota.

 

 

I'm not seeing the "all riled up" about playing Wisconsin. They get the same or less interest as playing Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State or Sparty.

 

The analogy falls apart because Nebraska was somebody when Colorado decided to make us their rival. Wisconsin isn't anyone. Do they have a national championship? They have some conference championships, sure, but who doesn't?

 

Nebraska was a pillar of college football back then. Today, Wiscy is just another team. It's not remotely the same.

[Blackshirts007]

Am I the only one that thinks we won't even have a rival? If anyone it would be iowa but no one will consider us a rival when they have been playing their other rivals for decades.

[TAKODA]

Am I the only one that thinks we won't even have a rival? If anyone it would be iowa but no one will consider us a rival when they have been playing their other rivals for decades.

 

At this point I would agree with this Blackshirts007. I think the Wisc game could (in time) become that rival situation if the teams remained the top two for the West representation in the CCG.

[tmfr15]

Good discussion going here.

 

I agree on the Penn State points. It was potentially a good rivalry that, because of the Big 10 adding Rutgers and Maryland, never got off the ground.

 

Give Iowa some credit. They did beat last year and played LSU tough in the bowl game. Maybe they are about to turn a bit of a corner. They do return a promising young QB.

 

Wisky has to be the most likely to develop into a rivalry. Would help if the game was moved to the end of the season so it could potentially be a defacto division title contest.

 

NW? Maybe. There has been some juice with the Wildcat contests. Will that continue? Anybody's guess. But I like it.

 

And, last point, I think it's OK to have multiple "rivals" until one opponent begins to stand out above the rest.