This weekend is one of my favorite weekends in college football as it is “Rivalry Weekend” and many teams are preparing to face their most hated opponents. Rivalry games are so special because there is so much more on the line than a win or a loss. Rivalry games are about pride and who gets bragging rights for the year. There are a countless number of rivalry games around the country, but here are a few of my personal favorites:
1. “The” Ohio State University vs. Michigan- In my mind this is easily the best rivalry in all of college football and maybe even sports in general. This rivalry has everything including history, significance, and intensity. The teams have played an astonishing 104 times with the first contest being played in 1897. Michigan leads the overall series 57-41-6, but recent trends have favored Ohio State as they have won six of the last seven games. So many great players and coaches have been involved in this rivalry including Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, Eddie George, and Charles Woodson, just to name a few. One reason this game is so special is that year in year out it has so much riding on the line. This game alone has helped decide the Big Ten Champion 46 times since 1935. No other game can boast of a stat like that and it seems like every year this is the most important game in the Big Ten. Another reason this game is so special is the intensity. These states hate each other so much they even went to war against each other. Ohio and Michigan are the only two states to go to war against each other as they duked it out in the Toledo War. Seriously, that’s how much these teams hate each other.
2. Army vs. Navy- The battle for the Commander in Chief’s Trophy may be the most historic rivalry in all of college football. The military branches have played 108 times with the Midshipmen leading the overall series 52-49-7. In recent history Army and Navy have not had winning football teams, but the game remains on national television because of its history and tradition. The game is special because these players are not playing for a chance at the NFL, they are playing for the love of the game. The rivalry is especially important for seniors as it is the last game of their careers and if the country is at war, these seniors will be deployed just months after the game. This game has its share of hatred, but what makes this rivalry stand out is just the opposite, respect. After the game is over both teams join and the Army and Navy alma maters are played and sung to the crowd. This is a sign of respect and is one of the greatest traditions in all of college football.
3. Red River Shootout (Oklahoma vs. Texas)- This rivalry is so old the first game was played in 1900, before Oklahoma was even considered a state. The name of the rivalry comes from the Red River, the river that separates the two states and supposedly, the winning state gets ownership of the river until the teams meet again. Texas leads the overall series 58-40-5 and this rivalry game is one of the few played at a neutral site. The game is played in Dallas, which is halfway between the two schools. Also, this is the only rivalry that is so big it has its own sponsor. Since 2006 the game has been referred to as the “AT&T Red River Rivalry” as AT&T bought the naming rights. Often this game has national championship implications as 60 of the last 65 meetings have featured at least one team being ranked in the top 25.
Honorable Mention- Florida State vs. Miami, Harvard vs. Yale, Stanford vs. California, Georgia vs. Florida, Indiana vs. Purdue
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