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More Than Just a Game

While the landscape of the sport has been changing at a dizzying rate, many of the biggest college football rivalries have indeed remained. They have endured just about as long as the college game has been played, well over a century, through wars and peacetime, through phony grass and conference realignments, paying the players (legally) and transfer portals. 

We’re not sure if there’s the same amount of disdain, but these games between long-time foes continue. They have produced some terrific games over the seasons, along with some less- than-wholesome behavior among players, fans, boosters and even mascots. 

Just about every school has at least one such “save-the-date” game on its schedule each season, and the definition of “biggest rivalry” probably depends on where you live. 

Here’s a look at some of the best college football rivalries…

What is the Biggest Rivalry in College Football?

Seemingly a good place to start is with the oldest rivalry in college football, with no surprise it in the Ivy League. In the nascent days of college football, Princeton and Yale were the best in the sport (21 national titles between 1869 and 1894). They’ve met since 1873, or two seasons before Harvard and Yale initiated “The Game.”

Since a rivalry is usually defined by geography (either intra- or interstate), you won’t go wrong with Alabama-Auburn in the Iron Bowl, Florida-Georgia (“World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party’), Michigan-Ohio St. (another version of “The Game”), California-Stanford (“The Big Game”), Penn St.-West Virginia (“Backyard Brawl”), Oklahoma-Texas (“Red River Rivalry”). Iowa St.-Iowa (“The Cy-Hawk Trophy”), Ole Miss-Mississippi St. (“Egg Bowl”), Oregon-Oregon St. (“Civil War”) and Washington-Washington St. (“Apple Cup”), among others. 

There’s also a non-proximity rivalry in Notre Dame-Southern California, and those service- academy grudge matches between Air Force, Army and Navy.

Grab a map of the United States, stick a pin anywhere and you’re bound to stumble across an area complete with a rivalry.   

Who is the Greatest Rival in Football? 

You’re not going to find a consensus about which teams have the biggest college football rivalries. There’s just too many factions with too many opinions and biases, but the game between the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio St. Buckeyes is as heated as any, deciding the Big Ten title on plenty of occasions (now the conference has 18 teams, but that’s another story).   

Whether it’s at the Big House in Ann Arbor or the Horseshoe in Columbus, both sides are always well-represented. Michigan had won the last four meetings (through 2024). 

What is the Oldest College Football Rivalry Trophy?

According to the NCAA, it’s the Arizona-Arizona St. Territorial Cup (1899), even before Arizona became a state. Others on the list include the Michigan-Minnesota Little Brown Jug (1904), Indiana-Purdue Old Oaken Bucket (1925) and Mississippi-Mississippi St. Golden Egg (1927).

Any Final Thoughts?

Discussing cfb rivalries is not going to result in a consensus, since none of the rabid fan camps figure to agree. Then again, that’s what’s helped fuel football’s surge in popularity all across  America. Add in the challenge of trying to find winners against the NCAA football point spreads.