Rivalry Weekend...Tons of Tradition.

PSUForever

All-Conference
Feb 17, 2007
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When the Big Ten decided that PSU had no "rival", nor "rivalry game", that created a really sub-optimal situation. Especially for the end-of-year game.

How PSU leadership allowed that to happen? Who knows, but that was a very goofy thing to allow. Certainly, the fans see games with OSU and Michigan as the most interesting among the conference opponents - but PSU doesn't even play them every year anymore. And, obviously, not as an end-of-year game.

Having the end-of-year game rotate between the likes of Maryland or Rutgers is pathetic - and only assures one thing: a near empty stadium for the season finale each year, with zero fan interest (and, for the bean-counters and future revenue, very few TV viewers).
At the very least PSU should have, I believe, told the Big Ten to schedule them so as to have the final weekend NOT be a conference game (many schools in other conferences, obviously, do exactly that), and use that last weekend to schedule "old rivals" - Pitt being the obvious prime option, but could also rotate in a WVU on occasion, and seek out options with other partners (Notre Dame would be an ideal, but probably unlikely option, for an occasional match up - and there are a few Big 12 and ACC schools without a good end-of-season game that could also be possibilities for an occasional 2 game series, if desired).
In any event, any number of programs - including Pitt - would be 1000% more interesting and attractive than the current situation.
A Penn State vs ND season ending rivalry game every year would be great. One can dream.
 
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Blair10

All-Conference
Dec 30, 2002
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Why try to fix a problem that does not exist? Penn State is guaranteed to play either Ohio State or Michigan every year for the foreseeable future. In addition, big time programs like Oregon and USC will rotate on the schedule. These will be exciting and interesting games attractive to a national audience.

Pitt is irrelevant and has been irrelevant for the past 40 years. The vast majority of Penn State fans have zero interest in playing lower level programs like Pitt.

Let’s focus on beating the current big boy programs in the B1G conference.
 
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retsio

Senior
Feb 18, 2003
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Your dream girl is in - 'The Hot Spot ' - all of her is in this movie. And so is - Jennifer Connelly - all of her !
 
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Alphalion75

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Oct 24, 2001
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I'm so excited. While Georgia plays Georgia Tech....Texas plays Texas A&M....Ohio State plays Michigan.....Bama plays Auburn etc etc.....we play the mighty Rutgers in New New Jersey.
 

KingLando

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Nov 29, 2021
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No need to turn back time. Play the game and the interest will return. When you have kids from the same high schools and neighborhoods going to opponents, the rivalry will heat up
I disagree...with us in the Big Ten if we play anyone with a pulse in the nonconference I want it to be someone good. Not Pitt. Beating Pitt does nothing for us. Recruiting is also no longer local but playing Pitt only helps their ability to recruit not us. Doesn't make me right...I just completely disagree. I don't see a single benefit to us.
 
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KingLando

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Nov 29, 2021
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I'm so excited. While Georgia plays Georgia Tech....Texas plays Texas A&M....Ohio State plays Michigan.....Bama plays Auburn etc etc.....we play the mighty Rutgers in New New Jersey.
But playing the mighty Pitt Panthers is better. Come on
 

Alphalion75

All-Conference
Oct 24, 2001
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I disagree...with us in the Big Ten if we play anyone with a pulse in the nonconference I want it to be someone good. Not Pitt. Beating Pitt does nothing for us. Recruiting is also no longer local but playing Pitt only helps their ability to recruit not us. Doesn't make me right...I just completely disagree. I don't see a single benefit to us.
So playing Nevada, FIU, Villanova and Rutgers are beneficial. Thanks for explaining that for me.
 

KingLando

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Nov 29, 2021
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So playing Nevada, FIU, Villanova and Rutgers are beneficial. Thanks for explaining that for me.
No...they aren't and those games are garbage but they need to be replaced with legit games.
If you're argument is playing Pitt is better than those first 3 you're right but there's an ton of better options than Pitt. ND, any SEC team, Georgia Tech, BYU, Miami, Clemson, FSU, Louisville...
Pitt and WVU aren't good games...just nostalgia
Rutgers or Pitt is a wash
 
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Alphalion75

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Oct 24, 2001
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No...they aren't and those games are garbage but they need to be replaced with legit games.
If you're argument is playing Pitt is better than those first 3 you're right but there's an ton of better options than Pitt. ND, any SEC team, Georgia Tech, BYU, Miami, Clemson, FSU, Louisville...
Pitt and WVU aren't good games...just nostalgia
Rutgers or Pitt is a wash
So a game against Pitt is simply "a wash" with absolutely no significance?
 

Alphalion75

All-Conference
Oct 24, 2001
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Why try to fix a problem that does not exist? Penn State is guaranteed to play either Ohio State or Michigan every year for the foreseeable future. In addition, big time programs like Oregon and USC will rotate on the schedule. These will be exciting and interesting games attractive to a national audience.

Pitt is irrelevant and has been irrelevant for the past 40 years. The vast majority of Penn State fans have zero interest in playing lower level programs like Pitt.

Let’s focus on beating the current big boy programs in the B1G conference.
Well, for what it's worth...Pitt won the ACC in 2021, played for another championship in 2018 and if they beat Miami today will be playing for another ACC Championship. Its not the SEC nor the Big Ten, but its hardly irrelevant my friend.
 

KingLando

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Nov 29, 2021
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Well, for what it's worth...Pitt won the ACC in 2021, played for another championship in 2018 and if they beat Miami today will be playing for another ACC Championship. Its not the SEC nor the Big Ten, but its hardly irrelevant my friend.
In 2025, the ACC is basically irrelevant which is why the allow ND to do whatever they want.
 

Lion84

Senior
Oct 7, 2021
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Last week, my son was riding in an Uber near Rutgers. The driver was a Rutger's employee, and my son mentioned PSU. The driver said you know that PSU is our most hated rival. Rivalry weekend, bring it on.
Cant really be a rival when the series is so lopsided - butgers should have Rowan as their rivalry game.
 

Ludd

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
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In the 70s and 80s, there wasnt a bigger game in the country than Pitt and Penn State. It was as big as any rivalry game. But was destroyed when we joined the Big Ten.
And Pitt didn’t help by becoming a middle of the road ACC team.
 
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Alphalion75

All-Conference
Oct 24, 2001
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In 2025, the ACC is basically irrelevant which is why the allow ND to do whatever they want.
..which also why the ACC is on life support and will he dissolved soon and against your wishes, Pitt will eventually end up in the Big Ten along with a few others. Clemson, Georgia Tech and others will join the SEC. Eventually there will be only 2 mega conferences.
 

KingLando

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..which also why the ACC is on life support and will he dissolved soon and against your wishes, Pitt will eventually end up in the Big Ten along with a few others. Clemson, Georgia Tech and others will join the SEC. Eventually there will be only 2 mega conferences.
Why is that against my wishes? I pray for that.
I would love to see the ACC and Big Ten destroyed and if Pitt joins the big Ten that's fine with me
I want two superconferences and have for a decade if not longer.
Then the ACC/Big XII leftovers can create and awesome second league with their own playoff and champion--it's perfect.
Really confused why you thought I was against that. It's a dream come true and so long overdue.
 

Alphalion75

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Why is that against my wishes? I pray for that.
I would love to see the ACC and Big Ten destroyed and if Pitt joins the big Ten that's fine with me
I want two superconferences and have for a decade if not longer.
Then the ACC/Big XII leftovers can create and awesome second league with their own playoff and champion--it's perfect.
Really confused why you thought I was against that. It's a dream come true and so long overdue.
I think I conflicted your adversarial view of playing Pitt with them joining the Big Ten. Eventually I believe both will occur. Pitt will be in the Big Ten and we will be playing them on a rotational schedule if not every year.
 

KingLando

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Nov 29, 2021
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I think I conflicted your adversarial view of playing Pitt with them joining the Big Ten. Eventually I believe both will occur. Pitt will be in the Big Ten and we will be playing them on a rotational schedule if not every year.
That I'm fine with but I'm not okay with us scheduling them as an OOC game when they want a 1v1. I'd rather schedule an SEC team or ND. That can't be our big OOC game. Pitt is basically Rutgers in that scenario.

Where we disagree is I dont think Pitt gets in. They'd have to expand to 32 teams in each conference for that to happen.
 
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Alphalion75

All-Conference
Oct 24, 2001
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That I'm fine with but I'm not okay with us scheduling them as an OOC game when they want a 1v1. I'd rather schedule an SEC team or ND. That can't be our big OOC game. Pitt is basically Rutgers in that scenario.

Where we disagree is I dont think Pitt gets in. They'd have to expand to 32 teams in each conference for that to happen.
Eventually there will only be 2 mega conferences with a divisional setup. The cores of these conferences will be the Big Ten and SEC. I don't see Pitt going g to the southern mega conference.
 

NittanyBuff

All-American
Jan 29, 2007
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Most Penn State fans don't care about playing Pitt. Pitt fans are the ones that want it. Everything to gain and nothing to lose from them and Penn State has nothing to gain by playing Pitt.
And a hell of a lot do!
 

CyphaPSU

All-Conference
Oct 25, 2021
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Before the B1G replaced Colorado with Iowa for Nebraska’s season finale rival, I had wished that they would put us together each season after Thanksgiving. Historically, there’s some things to build a rivalry on. But, oh well.

I have to say that I do not like having no traditional rival to end the season with. “Unrivaled” feels kind of lame this time of year.
 
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PSUFTG

All-Conference
Nov 1, 2021
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Could PSU do better than Pitt? Surely they could.

But that is not at issue. At issue is PSU has a complete dud end of season game - and Pitt (or any number of other possibilities) would be a huge improvement. Pitt would be the easiest one to schedule, for as long as PSU would want to. Other possibilities would be nice, but require a bit more effort on the part of PSU ICA.

Maybe the next head coach will not insist on having a cupcake parade for OOC scheduling. That would be nice. Time will tell.
In the meantime, just about anything is better than the current scheduling wasteland. Anyone who can't see that isn't looking very hard.