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Do YOU see Portland St as a RIVAL?

BLACKFALKIN1

BLACKFALKIN1

Active member
I've only been a fan of Eastern Washington Football since 2003, and I've never seen Portland State as our rival. When the conference expanded, it seems like they just 'made up' a rivalry/rivalry name. When I was a player we hated Montana, not PSU. So does that mean Eastern doesn't have a rival? I'm wondering what you guys who have been Eastern fans longer than I have think.
 
I guess PSU is a rival of sorts, but it's mostly a fabricated one. Montana is the closest thing we have to a true rival, but that's mostly due to how close they are and the fact that most years the big sky seems to run through either Cheney or Missoula. I actually see Idaho and MSU as bigger rivals than PSU.
 
Give Portland State the credit they deserve; they are the only Big Sky team except Montana with a winning record against Eastern. Granted, several of those wins cames a long time ago, but we're only 3-2 against them since trouncing them in 2010. And all of those games were close.
 
They're definitely a team that has had our number quite a few years. We owe them for ending our playoff hopes last season. I view them as a rival in the same sense as an Idaho State or MSU.
 
BLACKFALKIN said:
I've only been a fan of Eastern Washington Football since 2003, and I've never seen Portland State as our rival. When the conference expanded, it seems like they just 'made up' a rivalry/rivalry name. When I was a player we hated Montana, not PSU. So does that mean Eastern doesn't have a rival? I'm wondering what you guys who have been Eastern fans longer than I have think.
Click to expand...

I see them as much of a rival as any other Big Sky team.
 
Montana and Montana St for football, soon to be joined by idaho
..those are the only legit rivalries.

That said im thankful for the guaranteed game against a locationally close PSU.
 
BLACKFALKIN said:
I've only been a fan of Eastern Washington Football since 2003, and I've never seen Portland State as our rival. When the conference expanded, it seems like they just 'made up' a rivalry/rivalry name. When I was a player we hated Montana, not PSU. So does that mean Eastern doesn't have a rival? I'm wondering what you guys who have been Eastern fans longer than I have think.
Click to expand...

When I was a player, we had a really hard time beating them. I view them as a rival, sure.

I hated everyone. Still do.
 
As a fan, I never looked at PSU as a rival...however, I think they definitely view EWU as a, if not the rival for football. And, for that reason, they always seem to be a very tough game for the team.
 
Seattle Eagle said:
I guess PSU is a rival of sorts, but it's mostly a fabricated one. Montana is the closest thing we have to a true rival, but that's mostly due to how close they are and the fact that most years the big sky seems to run through either Cheney or Missoula. I actually see Idaho and MSU as bigger rivals than PSU.
Click to expand...
Totally agree...as anyone even heard a mention of that "DAM CUP" and the standings?
 
tomq04 said:
Montana and Montana St for football, soon to be joined by idaho
..those are the only legit rivalries.

That said im thankful for the guaranteed game against a locationally close PSU.
Click to expand...

Interesting that you say Montana State. I'm not seeing them as a rival. Maybe for a short period 5 years ago when they had a glimmer of success, but they're more of a whipping post than a rival.

I'd say Montana is #1, Idaho will be #2 when they come back, Portland State is a distant #3, and the only other schools would be UW and WSU because they're in state and we play them somewhat regularly.
 
No. Rivalries require both teams to be playing for something meaningful, not one team finishing either 2-9 or 3-8. I'll also add that rivalries require both fan bases to care. PSU has abysmal fan support.
 
EdubU10 said:
No. Rivalries require both teams to be playing for something meaningful, not one team finishing either 2-9 or 3-8. I'll also add that rivalries require both fan bases to care. PSU has abysmal fan support.
Click to expand...

Yeah, if you were going to give me a good argument for them not being a rival, this is it. I think our fans can get on board with it, but clearly their fans don't care. Seriously, I bet we'll see less than a thousand Portland State people in the stadium on Friday night.
 
I can't imagine a rivalry more intense than Eastern and Whitworth back in the Evergreen Conference days including much petty, good natured campus pranking. Currently it's Montana; future may be Idaho.
 
I started following Eastern in 2005, when I went to school there, and I've just never seen them as our rival. I'm more tempted to say that Montana State is our #2 rival (until Idaho shows up) behind Montana. When you think of a rivalry game, you think of an electric atmosphere. PSU's non-existent fan base doesn't help add anything. Eastern fans far outnumbered PSU fans in the 2012 and 2014 matchups. I expect the same on Friday night. PSU/UNC had around 1,000 fans a few weeks ago.

There's so little buzz about the game from their side. Have they given us fits in the past? Yes, I partially chalk that up to being our last game of the regular season for a while. We're usually playing for playoff spots and conference champions while they're usually out of all postseason discussion. I'd expect to get the same fits from Idaho State, Sac State, or Davis if we had them as our last game of the season.
 
I have seen flashes of what appeared to be a growing fan base and good football after Bruce Barnum took the reigns at Portland State. However, this year has certainly put a damper on last year's momentum. It is pretty cool that DeShawn Shead of the Seahawks came from PSU though.

Eastern's administration is pretty clear on the fact that the Dam Cup was artificially created to increase fan attendance for both teams. It seems as though EWU comes out on bottom with this, dare I say, fake rivalry deal though. In any case, whether or not it is an artificial rivalry created to increase profits, I personally do enjoy Portland State games because they are so close in proximity to EWU and they always have our number. Excited to make the trip to Portland this weekend. We are staying right next to the stadium in one of those hotels.
 
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