Imagine putting OU in Grove City, establishing it decades after OSU, and leaving OU as an inferior academic institution in virtually every concentration to the Buckeyes. That's the life of Eastern Michigan.
I agree with the general thrust of these remarks, but I should point out that for the first few decades the institution that was to become the University of Michigan was kind of an itinerant school bouncing around from one location to another, not landing in Ann Arbor until 1841, with its first university-level graduating class was in 1845. EMU was founded in 1849.
I agree with you pointing out such important issues in my passing comment, but I should point out that Michigan State Normal School did not evolve into Michigan State Normal College until 1899, 44 years after the first graduating class of the University of Michigan. However, it would not gain university status until 1959, which was actually a century and four years after the University of Michigan's first graduating class.
To further complicate matters, Eastern Michigan University did not become a D1 athletic program until the 1970s, thus killing any comparisons I had for athletics.
Also, upon further review, Grove City to the Ohio State campus is approximately 10 miles by road, going off shortest distance. Meanwhile, Eastern Michigan to the University of Michigan is a mere 6.6 miles, making my whole comment terribly off. A more accurate comparison would have to be the location of Capital University to Ohio State, as the distance and relative location are almost identical. Although now I'm messing up the demographics of the surrounding area, daring to compare Bexley to Ypsilanti.