I'm a huge fan of NCAA Football. Probably a bigger fan of it then the NFL. One of the main reasons why I love watching college football: the rivalries. In the NFL, unless you're in the same division, rivalries might only happen sporadically. In the NCAA, however, colleges play each other every year for trophies, champonships, or maybe even good ol' bragging rights. There are well over 100 rivalries in NCAA Football, with every college (usually) having at least 1. Here are what I think are the top 5 rivalries (in no specific order) in all of College Football.
Army-Navy One of the oldest rivalries in the game, it has been going on since 1890. There were a few years were they didn't play each other until about the late 1920's, so they've been playing this game annually since 1930, which is 80 years. Before Conference Championship games were brought in, this was the only game played on the last week of the Division-I season. There isn't a trophy to this game, just bragging rights for the winner. Both teams have had extended winning streaks on the other, with Navy currently having won 11 of the past 13 games, and Army having a streak of 9-1-2 from 1922-1935. Navy currently leads the series 54-49-7.
Michigan-Ohio State The clear-cut most famous rivalry game out in the Midwest. If you walk up to someone from anywhere from the Midwest and ask them what 'The Game' is, there's a 95% chance they'll tell you it's Michigan-Ohio State. It's been played as the last game of each teams regular season since 1935, and it has somehow impacted the Big 10 Championship race a total of 47 times. Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes have been noted to have brought this rivalry as one of the 'top' must see games of each season, with the rivalry having the famous 'Ten Year War' from 1969-78. During those times Michigan was 5-4-1 against Ohio State, and the two teams shared the Big 10 title 6 times in that 10 year span. Michigan currently leads the series 57-43-6, but Ohio State has won the last 6 contests.
Oklahoma-Texas The Red River Rivalry, this is played annually during the Texas State Fair since 1932. The series had already been going on for 32 years prior to that, with their first meeting in 1900. This game, like Michigan and Ohio State, have had many national implications to the game. Since 1945, in 60 of the 65 games, one or both of the teams have been nationally ranked. That further helps explain the big implications of this game. It is set nearly equal distances from both college's campuses, and the stadium is split 50/50 for both teams fans. Texas leads the series 59-40-5. Texas has two separate eight game winning streaks and a ten game stretch where they went 9-1. Oklahoma has a ten game stretch where they went 9-1 aswell, with some 4 and 5 game winning streaks as well.
Miami-Florida State While this series only has about half of the amount of games played as the 3 series above, since the 1980's, I would argue that this has been the best rivalry in all of college football. The game had major national implications for a good 20 year stretch, and may again now that Miami seems to be back on the upswing. There had been many memorable games, including Wide Right's I, II, and III, Wide Left, and their game last year, which was the 2nd highest rated College Football game in the history of ESPN. (Their game in 2006 was the highest). Miami leads the series 31-23, and had won 8 of the first 9 games of the series. Florida State's best run was from 1963-74, where they won 8 of 9 aswell.
Harvard-Yale While it isn't Division I rivalry, it is far and away the most famous rivalry featuring any Ivy League schools. It is the 3rd longest continuing rivalry ever, with their first meeting coming in 1875. The two teams have also been quite even with each other, and one team hasn't had a winning streak longer then 8 games, which has only happened once. Only two other times in the 116 game series has either team won 5 straight games. One of the main reasons why I put this game up here is because of the full blown rivalry experience. Not only are there games, but there have been many notable instances of pranks pulled between both colleges. Yale leads the series 65-53-8, and have both a 6 game and 8 game winning streak. Harvard's longest streak is 5 games, although they have won 8 of the last 9 games.
These are, in my opinion, 5 of the biggest rivalries in all of College Sports. Honorable Mentions go out to USC-UCLA, Florida-Georgia, Oregon-Oregon State, West Virginia-Pittsburgh, and USC-Notre Dame. So what are your top 5?
Army-Navy One of the oldest rivalries in the game, it has been going on since 1890. There were a few years were they didn't play each other until about the late 1920's, so they've been playing this game annually since 1930, which is 80 years. Before Conference Championship games were brought in, this was the only game played on the last week of the Division-I season. There isn't a trophy to this game, just bragging rights for the winner. Both teams have had extended winning streaks on the other, with Navy currently having won 11 of the past 13 games, and Army having a streak of 9-1-2 from 1922-1935. Navy currently leads the series 54-49-7.
Michigan-Ohio State The clear-cut most famous rivalry game out in the Midwest. If you walk up to someone from anywhere from the Midwest and ask them what 'The Game' is, there's a 95% chance they'll tell you it's Michigan-Ohio State. It's been played as the last game of each teams regular season since 1935, and it has somehow impacted the Big 10 Championship race a total of 47 times. Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes have been noted to have brought this rivalry as one of the 'top' must see games of each season, with the rivalry having the famous 'Ten Year War' from 1969-78. During those times Michigan was 5-4-1 against Ohio State, and the two teams shared the Big 10 title 6 times in that 10 year span. Michigan currently leads the series 57-43-6, but Ohio State has won the last 6 contests.
Oklahoma-Texas The Red River Rivalry, this is played annually during the Texas State Fair since 1932. The series had already been going on for 32 years prior to that, with their first meeting in 1900. This game, like Michigan and Ohio State, have had many national implications to the game. Since 1945, in 60 of the 65 games, one or both of the teams have been nationally ranked. That further helps explain the big implications of this game. It is set nearly equal distances from both college's campuses, and the stadium is split 50/50 for both teams fans. Texas leads the series 59-40-5. Texas has two separate eight game winning streaks and a ten game stretch where they went 9-1. Oklahoma has a ten game stretch where they went 9-1 aswell, with some 4 and 5 game winning streaks as well.
Miami-Florida State While this series only has about half of the amount of games played as the 3 series above, since the 1980's, I would argue that this has been the best rivalry in all of college football. The game had major national implications for a good 20 year stretch, and may again now that Miami seems to be back on the upswing. There had been many memorable games, including Wide Right's I, II, and III, Wide Left, and their game last year, which was the 2nd highest rated College Football game in the history of ESPN. (Their game in 2006 was the highest). Miami leads the series 31-23, and had won 8 of the first 9 games of the series. Florida State's best run was from 1963-74, where they won 8 of 9 aswell.
Harvard-Yale While it isn't Division I rivalry, it is far and away the most famous rivalry featuring any Ivy League schools. It is the 3rd longest continuing rivalry ever, with their first meeting coming in 1875. The two teams have also been quite even with each other, and one team hasn't had a winning streak longer then 8 games, which has only happened once. Only two other times in the 116 game series has either team won 5 straight games. One of the main reasons why I put this game up here is because of the full blown rivalry experience. Not only are there games, but there have been many notable instances of pranks pulled between both colleges. Yale leads the series 65-53-8, and have both a 6 game and 8 game winning streak. Harvard's longest streak is 5 games, although they have won 8 of the last 9 games.
These are, in my opinion, 5 of the biggest rivalries in all of College Sports. Honorable Mentions go out to USC-UCLA, Florida-Georgia, Oregon-Oregon State, West Virginia-Pittsburgh, and USC-Notre Dame. So what are your top 5?