However, I feel like the fact that they don't hate us is because we havn't screwed either one of them over in awhile.  Beating OSU in 2005 didn't sink their season, losing to Texas did.  Michigan hasn't lost to us in eternity, so they have no reason to hate us either.  I feel the root of their indifference toward us comes from them not perceiving us as any more of a threat than Michigan St. or Iowa.  Thats not a good thing.

Yeah, these are a valid points.  Funny how the Penn State / Pitt game never got a name.  [Did it?]  Of course, I don't know what that name could have been.

OK, here are some thoughts.  I was bored this morning, so I decided to write some stuff out.  If you aren't interested, don't read.  It's just my theory on rivalries and rivalry-building...

I think rivalries, to be genuine, have to grow organically over time.  As suggested, among other things, they have to result from teams taking the opportunity to screw each other in important situations.  The competition also has to be highly competitive.  It's hard for a rivalry to be considered genuine when one teams wins the majority of the games.  As Fugi noted, that's why Michigan has no reason to either hate us or consider us a rival.  It's not at all unreasonable to suggest that the PSU/OSU series has been rather competitive, despite the fact that OSU's record of wins against us is growing more and more lopsided.  Unfortunately, they already have Michigan, so the PSU/OSU series will always be a one-sided rivalry.

So, we don't have a rival right now.  Sad (to some people), but true.  If we actually thought it were reasonable to "search for a rival", what would we have to consider?  In addition to potential competitiveness, I think the most essential components of a good rivalry include, in relative order: geographic proximity, degree of program success, fanbase commitment, breadth and depth of football tradition, and type of institution.  With these things in mind, I can think of two institutions with the real potential to work as rivals:  West Virginia and Virginia Tech.  Other options (including Maryland, Rutgers, Syracuse, Boston College, and even Pitt) all fail to meet at least one of these criteria.  Pitt actually fails to meet most of them.

I'll leave it at that.  Of course, as others have noted, including Jesse, we should REALLY be concentrating on beating Ohio State and Michigan.  If we start giving them headaches and actually lay claim to being one of the Big Three in our conference, we won't have to speculate on potential rivals.  We'll have acquired two of them, organically.    

   

I think it was called "The Beast of the East".

I have heard it called the battle of Route 22

I'm guessing you've heard what I've heard... that Delany's interested in the NYC area.  Since Rutgers is on its way up (or so it seems) and Syracuse is decidedly on its way down, you'd think he'd target the former.

Personally, I'd love to see Maryland get into the conversation.  They have the Baltimore and D.C. markets cornered.  Boston College would be intriguing as well... though they're so far northeast that I'm guessing most Big Ten athletic directors and coaches would have a heart attack over the very thought of inviting them.

I realize adding them has no substanitive benefit, but it seems to make sense on a geographical and personality level.

West Virginia is, like most Big 10 schools, is a hub for the state.  The entire state of West Virginia hovers over WVU religiously. They're a football school with a solid basketball program to go along with it.  I think they'd be a good fit, except for the fact that they'd open no new markets.

That said, I'd like to see another team out of the midwest join up.  Mizzou and Nebraska jump out at me, and Texas, though likely a pipe dream, would be awesome.  The Big 10 has a lot of cash to throw around, and I think they could make a tempting offer to just about anyone.

Yeah, I've heard Missouri's name as the most likely Big 12 candidate as well... and it would make some sense if the Big Ten wanted to expand westward.  However, I'd be surprised if that was the case.  There are higher population densities in the mid-atlantic and northeast... and thus more money to be made.  Hence, we have the rumor (fact?) that, if Delany indeed pushes for a 12th team, it would likely come from the NYC area... or at least somewhere east of State College.  

I really don't know enough about Rutgers alumni, or New Yorkers in general, to be able to choose and defend a position in that debate.  All I know is that, as a Penn Stater, I'd much rather add Rutgers or Maryland to the Big Ten than Iowa State or Missouri, for obvious reasons.  Though, I'm guessing that sentiment is probably shared by most of us.