[Bleuachdu]

What makes the UM - OSU rivalry so great is that, with few exceptions, the game has Big10 and bowl game implications every year. Either Ohio State or UMich are at or near the top of the Big10 every year and this game usually seals the fate of one or the other, which in turn has an effect on the Rose Bowl and other BCS games.

So yes, it's one of the greatest rivalries in sports. If two teams hate each other, but their games are completely inconsequential every year, the quality of the rivalry suffers because not very much attention is given to the game.