1. Army vs. Navy
Only one college football rivalry brings together so many Americans to serve their country and have the president toss a coin each year. Neither team has competed for a national title in decades, but no other college rivalry is as deep and long-running as Army and Navy.
2. Alabama vs. Auburn
If Alabama fans and Auburn fans had a cigar smoking contest, fans would pay to watch. Typically, at least one of the two teams is competing for a national championship or a top-10 finish for the season. With no professional sports teams in the state, Alabama residents choose a team during childhood and typically remain with that team for the rest of their lives. This series contains perhaps the longest list of sensational final plays in college football rivalries.
3. Ohio State vs. Michigan
The rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan has rekindled itself over the past two decades. Before the 2000s, perhaps the most heated period was the famous coaching duel between Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes from 1969 to 1978. The legend that Woody Hayes pushed his car across the Ohio border to avoid buying gas in Michigan is not true, but it is emblematic of the level of hatred between the programs. Michigan won the series in the ’90s, and Ohio State ultimately fired coach John Cooper in 2000. Cooper had a 111-43-4 record in 13 seasons at Ohio State (1988-2000), but a 2-10-1 record against arch-rival Michigan eventually cost him his job. His most disappointing losses to the Wolverines came in 1993, 1995 and 1996.
4. Oklahoma vs. Texas
Known as the “Red River Rivalry,” the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns have maintained a fierce hatred despite changing conferences multiple times. The game will be held at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Texas and will coincide with the Texas State Fair. Both programs are now members of the ultra-competitive Southeastern Conference, which is even more intense because they cannot afford to lose multiple games in a season if they want to stay in the SEC Conference Championship Game or the College Football National Playoff.
5. Florida vs. Florida State
For 30 of the past 40 years, the University of Florida and Florida State have consistently ranked within the top 10-25 teams, with both teams frequently finishing in the top five in the ’90s. Coaches Bobby Bowden and Steve Spurrier were two of the most iconic in college football history. The Gators had a winning streak under Urban Meyer, but the tide changed after Meyer left and coach Jimbo Fisher led FSU to wins in seven of eight games against UF. Florida has gone through four managers since Meyer and is still looking for a leader to right the ship. FSU won the championship in calendar year 2014 (2013 season), but since Fisher left, the Seminoles have only had two strong seasons under coach Mike Norvell, 2022 and 2023. If both programs can return to their previous status as consistent championship contenders, this competition will only get more intense.
Who can forget “The Chalk at Dork”?
6. Notre Dame vs. USC
Some college football historians would say there was no bigger rivalry than Notre Dame vs. USC when both teams were powerhouses in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. The list of successful players in the NFL is too long to list. If you want to see a clash between giants, watch the Notre Dame vs. University of Southern California game from that era.
7. South Carolina vs. Clemson
South Carolina Gamecock fans accept the role of underdog and spoiler when they face Clemson in the final game of the season. Even if South Carolina loses and Clemson is aiming for the national championship, you never know what will happen in this game.
8. Mississippi State vs. Mississippi State University
College football is an unofficial religion in the Deep South, and Mississippi State is no exception. Even when both teams lived in SEC basements for many years, the intensity of their hatred for each other was always very high. Ole Miss is now a major contender for the conference championship, and the higher stakes make the “Egg Bowl” even more intense and exciting.
9. Alabama vs. Tennessee
The University of Alabama and the University of Tennessee have played on the third Saturday in October for so long that fans of each team have disrupted the weekend for wedding planners. Back when the SEC had the East and West divisions, at least one of the two teams was usually in the top three of their respective divisions. (The district ended in 2023 with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma.) Alabama has been dominant for most of the Saban era, but Tennessee has won two of the last four games.
10. UCLA vs. USC
UCLA is best known as a basketball school, but when these two teams collide, fans can’t contain their passion. I never thought I’d put this game on my top 10 list until I watched it in person, when neither team was even ranked, but the fans in the stands were in a frenzy throughout the game and some of the most memorable jeers I’ve ever heard at a game.
Honorable Mention: Utah State vs. BYU: What happens when a secular university and the largest Mormon school face off? Watch this video to get a glimpse of the rivalry.
