Rivalries were a big part of life for most students at the University. The University prided itself as being one of the best public schools in the nation, and in order to defend the title, students were willing to go to great lengths to keep other universities from challenging the University’s reputation. During the week of the Michigan-Michigan State football game, the Theta Xi fraternity spent four days camping out on the Diag, in order to ensure that the sacred ‘M’ was not tampered with by the Spartans. They said that the only reason they needed to protect their school pride was that “State sucks.”

Schools within the Big Ten conference saw the University as the team to beat.

“Every body hates you,” said Eric Wolfinger, a sophomore at Penn State. “Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue, Penn State, Ohio State -- for all those schools, Michigan is their biggest game of the year. We all despise your school, I think because your teams always do well and your students always just assume you’re the best.”

Spirit was prevalent all over campus, but mainly at sporting events. In athletics such as hockey, basketball, and football, Wolverine fans were fiercely loyal to their school. Everyone seemed to break out their maize and blue apparel for game days, and some went even so far as to paint their bodies as well. Lackluster “booing” was the norm for games against schools like Bowling Green, Illinois, and Wisconsin, but against bigger rivals like Michigan State, Ohio State, and Penn State, fans got even crazier. First-year engineering student Julie Quasarano said, “It’s fun to dress up and show lots of spirit. I totally love my school, and getting all pumped up and wild for a game day is definitely part of the college experience for me.”

The rivalries did not stop with sports. The annual “blood battle” between the University and Ohio State was a perfect example of using school rivalries to benefit a greater cause, as students came together to fight the Buckeyes in a blood drive. Regardless of which team won the football game, the school with the most donated blood won the battle and extra bragging rights for an entire year.

In general, rivalries took on many forms, from painting one’s body maize and blue to donating blood on a stretcher. The willingness of students to go the extra mile for the University did not only define the love of their school, but also the fierce competitive spirit at the University.

by Jennie Putvin