New Sports Illustrated poll on top rivalries in college football (merged)

[1998_OSU_Grad]

amen Martin. F michigan, bring on The Game...

I root Big Ten during the bowl season too. As much as I love watching UM go down in flames, I like the conference to be well-represented.



ps High lonesome, horns down.

 

[bvibuck]

Martinoss01
You nailed it. Perfect definition of the game.

 

[zincfinger]

<st1:state>ohio</st1:state> is a MASSIVE sports state. not just college football, not just pro football, not just baseball, not just basketball. there are very few pro sports that you won't find in <st1:state>ohio</st1:state>. we are very passionate fans who love our teams and follow them religiously. we have "rivalries" all over the place. browns vrs. bengals, browns vrs ravens, browns vrs. broncos, bengals vrs. ravens, reds vrs indians, cavs vrs. bulls, and then you can toss in teams like UC xavier and <st1:state>kentucky</st1:state> for college basketball. and those are just the teams that people outside <st1:state>ohio</st1:state> would instantly recognize.<st1:state><st1:state>

Arguabley the greatest rivalry in the NFL is Brown/Steelers; I was surprised that you mentioned those other ones (Browns/Broncos? On what basis, "The Drive"?) and not the real rivalry.

As far as the rest of it, you may be going a bit overboard. Pro sports teams don't simply locate to where the fans are most passionate, they locate to where the markets/money are. Would anyone argue that Charlotte N.C. is more of a hockey town than Winnipeg? Of course not, yet Winnipeg no longer has a hockey team, despite their passion, because they just don't have the economy to support one. Hell, is Columbus much of a hockey town for that matter? Ohio is a huge footbal state, no question about that. Beyond that, Ohio has a decent number of sports teams principally because it's got an above average number of good-sized urban markets.

Sorry for spraying off so severely from the original intent of this thread.
</st1:state></st1:state>