Sparty at OSU – The Pain of Rooting for THE Buckeyes

Submitted by Mike Damone on November 16th, 2021 at 6:56 PM

Going to be a fun game to watch this Saturday.  I really, really hate having to root for those asswipes in the Scarlet and Grey.  However, I see no other option as a Michigan fan seeking a BIG championship – cannot count on Penn State to take down Sparty in East Lansing next week.

The point spread is currently -19.   Do find that level of Disrespekt to the #7 team in the country quite funny.

Certainly some potential Sparty pain and tears is always welcome -  but cheering for THE Suckeyes makes me want to throw up in my mouth. 

Am I looking at this matchup correctly?  Interested in the intellectual, philosophical and always humorous thoughts from the posters here.

Go Blue!!!

DennisFranklinDaMan

November 16th, 2021 at 7:01 PM ^

The nice thing is, either way, one of those fan bases will be seriously devastated. A loss by MSU makes them irrelevant to the Big Ten title race, and a loss by OSU knocks them out of any chance for the football final four.

I know, I know, we need to cheer for OSU to win. I can't (ever) bring myself to do that, so I'll settle for finding pleasure in the tears of the losing team's fans, whoever they are.

Bo Harbaugh

November 16th, 2021 at 7:10 PM ^

I hate OSU but respect the powerhouse program they have built and wish UM could become more competitive with them.

MSU is a fraudulent, regional program that lucks into some good years and absolutely flukish wins against us in their annual Super Bowl.

I hope for them both to lose every game every season, but I generally hate Sparty more as they are a fraud - so not hard for me to pull for OSU here...especially since it benefits us this particular year.

XM - Mt 1822

November 16th, 2021 at 7:24 PM ^

i do not respect the powerhouse ohio team because it's power came/comes from the worst form of SEC, school-is-a-joke, pay-to-play, no-crime-too-much-if-your-40-is-fast, coaches-just-as-sleezy-as-pimps production.  

will root for ohio to beat sparty. would like both of those teams dispirited after that game, and both heading toward season ending losses. 

Bo Harbaugh

November 16th, 2021 at 7:41 PM ^

That's fair, but even when cheating it's hard to sustain the success that OSU has.

BAMA, LSU, UGA, A&M, UF, etc all not playing school, but seems only BAMA and UGA have really sustained success over the past 5 years - with LSU having 1 magical season.  So while OSU is a a soulless football factory, they have also managed to sustain success despite other other NFL-lite football factories trying to build the same type of death star.

XM - Mt 1822

November 16th, 2021 at 7:54 PM ^

obviously ohio certainly has excellent players.  they have no in-state rivals nor even worthwhile CFB teams (no, cincy doesn't count) in their state.  the other teams in their conference are relatively 'clean' from a cheating stand point so no in-conference competition for the most likely kids that could/would be swayed by such things, either.  but all things come to an end and at some point ohio is going to regress.  might be next week, might be next century, but equilibrium will overcome them at some point.  

Caesar

November 16th, 2021 at 7:10 PM ^

Even if MSU wins, PSU is no pushover (unless Michigan broke them). I could see MSU going for broke against OSU and losing to PSU in the same way they lost to Purdue. 

That said, MSU isn't going to get the calls they got against Michigan. So I could also see MSU going all out against OSU, losing anyway, and then getting lost in that PSU defense while PSU finds ways to get Dotson the ball and he, nearly single-handedly, lights them on fire. 

But the optimal isn't just an MSU loss, it's one that forces OSU to open up their playbook and/or exposes a serious weakness in OSU. Lordy, that would be mint. 

wolve1972

November 16th, 2021 at 8:35 PM ^

Doesn't matter. MSU is ranked 130th out of 130 - dead last - in passing yards /game at 329.  That is just beyond scary for them having to go against Stroud and all of those NFL receivers. Talk about a quick strike game ! Also read today on one of the national polls (on Eleven Warriors) that Stroud has moved in front for the Heisman.  This game has massacre written all over it

Berger04

November 16th, 2021 at 7:10 PM ^

Its like having diarrhea and throwing up at the same time.

But the truth is (as I cringe my teeth as I type this) It's the only time I will root for that evil empire.

rice4114

November 16th, 2021 at 7:17 PM ^

If you could write out the entire finish here it would be Osu losing to Sparty, Sparty losing to Penn state, and us winning it all and going to the playoffs. 

Msu would still finish with a whimper but OSU might start to crack if that happened. And after Michigan winning this is what I want the most. There is only so much oxygen in a room (Auburn during Alabamas run, UM during OSUs run, the ACC during Clemsons run) and I want to see OSU suffocate until they choke out and die.

Yeah Ill take OSU losing 3 and us riding off into the sunset.

carolina blue

November 16th, 2021 at 7:38 PM ^

This is actually the dream scenario. Can you imagine an OSU team going 9-3 and losing two in a row?  The meltdown would be epic. Sparty gets to bump its chest out (which is it’s favorite thing to do) only to get its dreams destroyed the following week. All that AND we go to the BTCG and, God willing, the playoff?  Sign me up. 

snarling wolverine

November 16th, 2021 at 9:18 PM ^

But there is one difference: the 2015 OSU team had only one loss, so it was still in the playoff hunt (although it went on to get snubbed).  This time, if OSU loses they are definitely done, playoff-wise.  Then they might actually be flat.

But we still need Sparty to lose and I don't trust PSU, so it's got to happen this weekend.

S.G. Rice

November 16th, 2021 at 7:44 PM ^

#teamMeteor

Best possible solution.

Yes, just kidding, but rooting for Ohio State is not happening.  It will be helpful if they win, but I'm not actively rooting for either one.

StellaBlue

November 16th, 2021 at 7:46 PM ^

I think the best outcome is a very hard fought OSU win, where they leave as worn out and close to banged up as is respectable to wish upon college athletes. Couple that with an easy UM win over Maryland where the starters get lots of rest, and then let's see what happens on the 27th.

3PG

November 16th, 2021 at 7:57 PM ^

The point spread is currently -19.   Do find that level of Disrespekt to the #7 team in the country quite funny.

 

While this may be funny, assuming they win by 19 and we have an Indiana-like performance against Maryland (boring win), I am wondering what the spread will be against us? Hopefully under double digits?

Soulfire21

November 16th, 2021 at 8:06 PM ^

I have zero qualms with “rooting for” OSU when there is a direct and tangible benefit to Michigan, though as others have said it can be classified as simply rooting against MSU.

However the game goes, one of the fanbases will be mad, so that’s always nice.

butuka21

November 16th, 2021 at 8:25 PM ^

Just don’t watch it and you don’t have to root for them it’s inevitable that spartys pass D is just going to get destroyed.  The game is over before it even begins, unless a sparty magical storm comes in that only blows 50 mile per hour winds in Ohio’s face all game that goes in Ohio’s direction no matter which way they are going on the field.