It ebbs and flows. There used to be a time when our college paper could scoop the local press. I think those days are well and truly gone here. From what I've met of collegians in general and OSU folk specifically (and professional journalists, for that matter), I'm convinced your top-tier college papers are comparable to -- sometimes superior to -- "real-world" papers, especially those in their home town.

And I've got a t-shirt given to me by robing as a birthday present celebrating the proposed NHL franchise Columbus Mad Cows, as proposed by The Other Paper. That's my Columbian publication of choice.