**POLL** Do you consiser this game a rivalry?

[Kiyoat Husker]

I know this topic has been debated in several threads, but I really want to get the board's pulse on this. As you may have noticed, I love posting polls, but I try to only do it when there is some serious debate on a single issue popping up a lot.

My opinion is that the game is not currently a rivalry, but is pretty much inevitable. Sooner than later. I'm not saying that Iowa is Nebraska's equal. Especially Historically. Just that it will be a rivalry.

Have at it.

 

[Mierin]

Iowa isn't a rival because we haven't played enough games and it's too lopsided.

Colorado, Kansas State, and Missouri were not rivals because the W-L record was too lopsided.

This is sort of a reply to a comment in another thread about it.

No, KSU wasn't our rival. Not because we're being snooty but because they beat us 1 time in the 90s. Even if you start at 1998 (the year of their first win against us since 1968) our record against them was 8-5.

No, Colorado wasn't our rival. Not because we're being snooty but because they beat us 1 time in the 90s. Even if you start at 1986 (the year of their first win against us since 1977) our record against them was 18-7.

No, Missouri wasn't our rival. Not because we're being snooty but because they beat us 0 times in the 90s. Even if you start at 2003 (the year of their first win against us since 1978) our record against them was 4-4.

Disliking a team or their fans is not enough to make it a rivalry. It's only a part of it.


Oklahoma was a rival because we played a lot of important games and the W-L was pretty even.

 

[TGHusker]

Agree wt Moiraine. Not enough time for any Big 10 to be a real rival yet. I think Wisc has more of a potential than Iowa to being a rival IF we hold up our end of the deal and actually win some games against them - what are we 1-4 wt 3 big blowouts (Thanks Bo). I also thought PSU could have been a rival due to some bad blood - they won the NC behind a bad ref call - catch out of bounds in 1982 - our best team in the 1980s and its only blemish, We win the 94 NC and leave them out in the cold wt their undefeated season. But due to how the Big 10 is set up, that won't develop into a rivalry either. To me it feels like we our still wandering around the desert in the Big 10 - no one team that we can really call a rival. The Big 12 sure screwed things up and it hasn't been the same since.

 

[Pwnyboy]

Colorado was definitely our Rival. But only because their fans are absolute garbage.

 

[zoogs]

The Thanksgiving Friday game is always special. We're lucky to have this annual dance in the national spotlight every year, and it's cool that we are facing the same opponent every year, too. I'm not sure how Nebraska got this position, but I'm very glad we have it.

I grew up on Big 12 football, so I don't really have the Oklahoma days to remember. I'm sure they were something. For me growing up, those Colorado matchups were really something (not the least because I spent part of my childhood in Boulder). Not only were there a lot of really close, tense games, but that program and those fans are just the worst.

Alas, it is no more. All things pass. If I had my way, I'd have picked Michigan or Wisconsin for this game, but I expect our derision-worthy neighbors will do just fine, in time. There's that same little brother dynamic that CU had and it's almost endearing. A few more good games and Iowa will cement their place for the next generation.

There's a difference between "rivals" and "peers". Not every rivalry has the benefit of an even match. Guess it's been our lot, of late, to dominate

 

[Mierin]

The Thanksgiving Friday game is always special. We're lucky to have this annual dance in the national spotlight every year, and it's cool that we are facing the same opponent every year, too. I'm not sure how Nebraska got this position, but I'm very glad we have it.

It's becoming less special though. Oregon is playing Friday, Washington-Washington State is Friday, Baylor-TCU is Friday. Hmph.

 

[RunMickeyRun02]

I voted for the No, but it is very likely to develop into one. within the next few years.

The key word being "likely" as in not 100% certain. The timeline to a rivalry will greatly effected by what does or does not happen tomorrow.

The only box I didn't check was the "Both teams have to be title contenders."

To this day my parents cringe when "Boomer Sooners" plays even though we don't play them anymore and aren't nationally relevant. I would still want to paste Colorado even though they've been struggling very badly in recent years. It's a personal preference thing. And it was awful sweet last year beating Miami and sucked losing to them this year even though both weren't national title contenders.

I think we're closer to rivals with Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Michigan State (esp. after this year) then Iowa.

I think it also depends on what part of the state you are in. In Omaha their are a lot of Hawkeyes and a lot of Huskers and Hawkeyes share offices together so it's a bigger deal there then say....North Platte, or even Lincoln.

Northwestern upset us, we beat them by hail mary, seems like it's almost always a close game. The Chicago Alumni etc.

Michigan State's had the clapping accusations lofted at them by Pelini and staff and then the ineligible receiver controversy that derailed their title hopes. I'm guessing their fans and their team will be super juiced the next time they play us. Unfortunately their will be years that we won't play them because they're in the other division. So long term that could effect our rivalryness with them.

Wisconsin has a long ways to go, we've only beaten them I think once? Since we joined the B1G so we need to hold our end up, but I think down the road the division will go to that games winner. As long as Alvarez is there they'll be a connection.

 

[zoogs]

The Thanksgiving Friday game is always special. We're lucky to have this annual dance in the national spotlight every year, and it's cool that we are facing the same opponent every year, too. I'm not sure how Nebraska got this position, but I'm very glad we have it.

It's becoming less special though. Oregon is playing Friday, Washington-Washington State is Friday, Baylor-TCU is Friday. Hmph.

Oh. I actually didn't realize that. I just remember when it used to be only NU/CU, and Texas/A&M (I think...)

I think something not listed in the poll that is defining for a rivalry game to me is being played at around the same time every year. No matter what other teams we play, we close out with Iowa (and CU before that) every year. The Red River Shootout is always in early October (or was?...) Things like that.

 

[Mierin]

The Thanksgiving Friday game is always special. We're lucky to have this annual dance in the national spotlight every year, and it's cool that we are facing the same opponent every year, too. I'm not sure how Nebraska got this position, but I'm very glad we have it.

It's becoming less special though. Oregon is playing Friday, Washington-Washington State is Friday, Baylor-TCU is Friday. Hmph.

Oh. I actually didn't realize that. I just remember when it used to be only NU/CU, and Texas/A&M (I think...)

I think something not listed in the poll that is defining for a rivalry game to me is being played at around the same time every year. No matter what other teams we play, we close out with Iowa (and CU before that) every year. The Red River Shootout is always in early October (or was?...) Things like that.

I think a couple of those games are new this year. It annoyed me when I saw. For a long time Texas/Texas A&M was on Thanksgiving. By a long time it might've just been 5 years. I just know I hated it because I wanted to watch a good college football game with my family and we were stuck with a game nobody cared about.

 

[Bowfin]

Let's see: Iowa is hoping to win a National Championship, Nebraska want to get to .500, and rivalries should be between two equally matched teams...

...so no, this isn't a rivalry game.

 

[Mierin]

Let's see: Iowa is hoping to win a National Championship, Nebraska want to get to .500, and rivalries should be between two equally matched teams...

...so no, this isn't a rivalry game.

IMO that has nothing to do with whether it's a rivalry game or not. Was the Michigan Ohio State game less of a rivalry when OSU was good and Michigan down on their luck? I believe it was 2 years ago when OSU was undefeated and they beat Michigan something like 49-48. One team being considered bad leading up to the game is irrelevant. It's the body of work between the two teams that matters. A rivalry doesn't go away even if one team is undefeated and the other is winless. If it did we'd just have brand new "rivalries" each season.

 

[TITANIC VS LUSITANIA]

Put it this way, in years past, I didn't care. This year, it feels like an EVENT!

Iowa sux

 

[Kiyoat Husker]

Thanks for the comments!

So far it is looking like an even split. kind of a polarizing topic! If I had to guess, A big split would be by age. Fans born in the 90's or later have less of an attachment to the Oklahoma Rivalry.

To be fair, OKLAHOMA has less of an attachment to the Oklahoma Rivalry.

 

[NUance]

Yeah, I'd peg Iowa as a rival. Also Wisconsin. In future years I could see the B1G West generally being decided by the three annual games between the Huskers, Badgers and Hawkeyes.

That said, I dunno why it matters whether Iowa is a rival. Or Wisconsin. Or Northwestern for that matter. We need to beat all of them to get to Indy, and then to Pasadena.

 

[Redux]

I'm sorry but gow can anyone say that this will verbatim never be a rivalry? The top 3 qualities voted on above are:

-Geography

-Series Length

-Fan dislike of eachother

We have all 3 already with them. That of course doesn't mean this series IS a rivalry. But if Nebraska at 5-6 beats 11-0 Iowa and ruins their undefeated season, that is a pretty big ingredient. As was them coming here 2 years ago and smacking us around only for us to go there the following year and kncok them off at home.

It has the elements, it just isn't there yet.