Nebraska Rivalry with Wisconsin Must Happen over Time, Not Be Forced

Ask any Nebraska fan who the Huskers' true rival is. I'd be willing to bet that nine out of 10 would say Oklahoma. If you're not familiar with the history of Nebraska and Oklahoma, that may seem like an odd answer.

After all, the two programs stopped meeting annually after the Big Eight became the Big 12 in 1996. After that, the two were scheduled to play twice every two years. It just never was the same.

Since then, Nebraska has been seeking its next rival. While in the Big 12, Colorado was the likely replacement for Oklahoma, but it never felt the same as when the Huskers faced the Sooners. But Nebraska is now a member of the Big Ten, meaning the search for another rival has started all over again.

Finding that rivalry can't be forced, though. That's what made the announcement of the new Freedom Trophy Nebraska and Wisconsin will play for so interesting. Even more interesting was what Wisconsin director of athletics Barry Alvarez had to say about the trophy.

"Trophy games are part of the tradition of college football, and I’m thrilled that we’re going to be introducing one into our rivalry with Nebraska,” Alvarez said, per Huskers.com.

Hearing the word "rival" from Alvarez made many question whether or not it truly was one. Twitter was filled with fans wondering just that.

So, are Nebraska and Wisconsin rivals? The answer is not yet. However, with time, it's possible.

First and foremost, having both programs in the West Division of the Big Ten helps. Playing every year will benefit a potential rivalry. Even former Nebraska head coach and athletic director Tom Osborne acknowledged that.

“If you don't play every year, you probably don't have a true rivalry," Osborne said, per KETV.

And that's not the first time Osborne has been vocal about rivalries. When Nebraska first joined the Big Ten, many assumed Iowa would be the natural rival for the Huskers. Osborne felt it wasn't that easy.

"As far as rivalry, it seems like a lot of people are saying [Iowa] will be a rivalry, this is natural and so on," Osborne said, per The Gazette. "But rivalries usually occur when you don't declare them rivalries. They occur over time."

Time truly is essential. After all, Nebraska and Oklahoma had met for 71 straight years. Within that time frame, some of the biggest games took place, including the "Game of the Century."

It's not just history, either. Both teams in the matchup do have to live up to certain expectations. If one team is constantly better than the other, a true rivalry will be hard to come by.

"There has to be a certain level of excellence on both sides," Osborne said about Iowa, per The Gazette. However, that statement also relates to Nebraska and Wisconsin.

If nothing else, just listening to the players speak proves the Huskers and Badgers aren't rivals just yet. When asked about this very topic, sophomore safety Nate Gerry turned down the idea, per Huskers.com:

"

I personally don’t see any game as a rivalry game. Eleven people are lining up against another 11 people. You just play football. If we put our mind right and apply our rules to what we have to do it will be a good football game. I don’t really see any game as a bigger game than the other.

"

Time and excellence can change that perception. Now that Nebraska and Wisconsin will face off every single year, the likelihood the two will begin building a rivalry is good. However, it's not something that can be forced.

After all, the best rivalries in sports have never been declared. They've been built.