Rivals or lack there of

[auburnatl1 5,727]

With realignment into the sec and/or schools that are the only major university in the state, I count 4 schools that don't have true rivals (where BOTH sides would agree its passionate and a top 2 "I hate those guys" team).

1) Arkansas

2) TAMU (Texas rivalry is gone)

3) Mizzou

4) LSU

*I might be able to include Kentucky or Vanderbilt but what's the point.

Personally, I love having UAT and UGA as rivals, and even will throw in UF and UT when we play them. I think it adds to season and draws great publicity to us that helps in recruiting. It's one of the 10 things that makes AU special. I also notice it's several of those "non-rivaled" schools that tend to troll the most and almost seem to be frantically trying to stir the pot and create a rivalry.

Thoughts?

[Rednilla 5,406]

I love the AU-LSU rivalry (though I will probably always think of UF as a bigger rival, making the Bayou Bengals fourth on our list), but I think they might well make your case best specifically because they ARE big rivals with several teams, even though the only team that would be likely to put them in the top 2 is Arkansas...who would probably be fourth on LSU's list....and them Cajuns are the only fans in the country that I honestly think might be worse than the Updykes. The caveat is that there has to be a group of 3 or more, and there generally must be alcohol involved (I realize the last statement is almost inherent in the word "Cajun", but I think I know 3 or 4 LSU fans who aren't drunkards... ).

Arkansas fans do a pretty good job of it too, but then they have reason to hate us, considering the amount of talent we've taken from their state over the years...not to mention that our current head coach is arguably the best that Arkansas high school football has ever seen, and I know for a fact that there is a large contingent of Razorback fans who were giddy with the prospect of Malzahn taking over for Petrino back before the motorcycle wreck, when they thought they'd have Bobby long enough for Gus to gain the proper experience (even if neither Malzahn nor the Arky administration would never have agreed to it), and I'd be willing to bet there were plenty who wanted/want him instead of Bielema.

[auburnatl1 5,727]

and I know for a fact that there is a large contingent of Razorback fans who were giddy with the prospect of Malzahn taking over for Petrino back before the motorcycle wreck, when they thought they'd have Bobby long enough for Gus to gain the proper experience (even if neither Malzahn nor the Arky administration would never have agreed to it), and I'd be willing to bet there were plenty who wanted/want him instead of Bielema.

I read a post on another board that said Arky had a secret search underway to replace CBB with any coach, any where named Gus Petrino.

[cptau 169]

Of the in conference rivalries, only Auburn, UAT, LSU, have any rival level game that have mattered nationally.

There are left over rivalries when the teams were better off or in other conferences.

Of note is USC continues to hold a bitter rivalry from ACC days with Clemson.

UGA still has Ga Tech and UK is developing one with UL. UF has FSU.

Those are all in state rivalries which makes it easy to hold on to.

TAMU basically got dumped by Texas, otherwise that one would be high on the list.

Arkansas has Texas too, but got dumped when they left for the SEC 22 years ago.

Missouri had Kansas, but that fell apart when they left for the SEC 2 years ago.

Rivalry Match ups

AU - UAT, LSU, UGA

Ole Miss - Miss St

Miss St - Ole Miss

LSU - UAT, AU

UAT - AU, LSU

Arky none

TAMU none

UF - UGA, FSU

UGA - AU, UF, GaTech

UT - was UK or Vandy but those were lacking, so they adopted UAT. That attempt has been lacking in the last 10 years. one sided in UAT's favor

UK has none in conference. The UL rivaly has been growing the last 10 years and due to basketball

USCe non in conference matches the one with Clemson

Vandy, really none

Missouri none

[DKW 86 7,727]

I think LSU has the best of all worlds. Basically a whole state to themselves to recruit, no instate rival, rabid fans.

If you did a list of great/traditional rivals of the Top 9 Teams in the SEC., what do you see?

Alabama: Auburn, LSU, Tennessee, maybe TAMU?

Auburn: Bama, UGA, Gators, LSU, Tennessee, maybe TAMU?

Florida: UT, UGA, Auburn, USC, and LSU by decree & FSU.

UGA: UT, UF, AU, USC

LSU: Bama, AU, UF

Mizzou: UGA, UT, UF, USC

USC: UGA, UF, UT, Tamu

TAMU: Bama, AU, LSU, USC

Tennesse: UF, UGA, Bama, USC

Notice anything in my yearly list?

If you have the right rivals, you could easily almost be a shoo-in for SEC title Game,

How has Alabama not won even more?

[t_wingo 1]

I think LSU has the best of all worlds. Basically a whole state to themselves to recruit, no instate rival, rabid fans.

If you did a list of great/traditional rivals of the Top 9 Teams in the SEC., what do you see?

Alabama: Auburn, LSU, Tennessee, maybe TAMU?

Auburn: Bama, UGA, Gators, LSU, Tennessee, maybe TAMU?

Florida: UT, UGA, Auburn, USC, and LSU by decree & FSU.

UGA: UT, UF, AU, USC

LSU: Bama, AU, UF

Mizzou: UGA, UT, UF, USC

USC: UGA, UF, UT, Tamu

TAMU: Bama, AU, LSU, USC

Tennesse: UF, UGA, Bama, USC

Notice anything in my yearly list?

If you have the right rivals, you could easily almost be a shoo-in for SEC title Game,

How has Alabama not won even more?

I don't think TAMU is rivals with literally any of the teams you mentioned, same with Mizzou. And I don't personally consider UTK or UF a rival anymore, but maybe I am in the minority there. I think we have like one loss between those two combined in this century, so that's hardly a rivalry IMO.

[Tiger 8,841]

UT/Vandy?

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

Traditional rivalries makes college football special, compared to the pro game. The history and pagentry of these games makes them fun and interesting for both schools. While it would be near impossible for every school to maintain traditional rivalries as the business side of the game forces scheduling changes, I hope the SEC makes every effor to keep many of these games in place.

Another tradional rival of ours that is rarely played anymore is the game with Georgia Tech, with 92 meetings dating back to 1892

[aujeff11 6,243]

Lsu has a rivalry with Tulane..... Lol! almost 100 meetings between them and I believe lsu has won the past 30. Lsu got lucky. Also, lsu fans would say Arkansas is a big rivalry as well . The Lsu-ark rivalry is the battle for the golden boot after all

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,852]

AU has/had the most heated rivalries.

FSU, UF, UA, LSU, GT

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

Anybody remember Tubby's first year when we blew out LSU and we smoked cigars on the field?

[WarEagle84 0]

Lsu has a rivalry with Tulane..... Lol! almost 100 meetings between them and I believe lsu has won the past 30. Lsu got lucky. Also, lsu fans would say Arkansas is a big rivalry as well . The Lsu-ark rivalry is the battle for the golden boot after all

In order to have a rivalry, both teams need to have their share of wins. including occasional upsets. LSU-Tilane is an annual game, but not a rivalry.

[hutchids 227]

There's not much if any hate between A&M and Arky, but I know they both consider each other rivals from the SWC days/ and even brought the rivalry back right before A&M joined the SEC.

[tiger88 934]

Anybody remember Tubby's first year when we blew out LSU and we smoked cigars on the field?

Years ago we had several rabid corndog visitors here on the site who couldn't seem to let that go.

[DKW 86 7,727]

I think LSU has the best of all worlds. Basically a whole state to themselves to recruit, no instate rival, rabid fans.

If you did a list of great/traditional rivals of the Top 9 Teams in the SEC., what do you see?

Alabama: Auburn, LSU, Tennessee, maybe TAMU?

Auburn: Bama, UGA, Gators, LSU, Tennessee, maybe TAMU?

Florida: UT, UGA, Auburn, USC, and LSU by decree & FSU.

UGA: UT, UF, AU, USC

LSU: Bama, AU, UF

Mizzou: UGA, UT, UF, USC

USC: UGA, UF, UT, Tamu

TAMU: Bama, AU, LSU, USC

Tennesse: UF, UGA, Bama, USC

Notice anything in my yearly list?

If you have the right rivals, you could easily almost be a shoo-in for SEC title Game,

How has Alabama not won even more?

I don't think TAMU is rivals with literally any of the teams you mentioned, same with Mizzou. And I don't personally consider UTK or UF a rival anymore, but maybe I am in the minority there. I think we have like one loss between those two combined in this century, so that's hardly a rivalry IMO.

I was being gracious and allowing for the last 30-40 years, but i do agree with your point.

[aucanucktiger 1,818]

Lsu has a rivalry with Tulane..... Lol! almost 100 meetings between them and I believe lsu has won the past 30. Lsu got lucky. Also, lsu fans would say Arkansas is a big rivalry as well . The Lsu-ark rivalry is the battle for the golden boot after all

The LSU vs Ole Miss game has been looke on by both fan bases as huge over the last decade or more, with both being in the West, OM giving LSU all they can handle on many occasions and upsetting LSU when providin upsets of th corndogs when they've been on top of the world. They're geographically close too.

(btw, I believe Tulane was actually a charter member of the SEC but bowed out of the league after not being competitive for a couple decades. Suwannee too.)

[auburnatl1 5,727]

I agree the uf and ut rivalries have faded and probably are left for the 35+ year olds. Lsu I think of less of a rivalry and more of just a tough team we play every year - I can only handle one unstable fan base and uat has taken that slot. Arkansas is, well, arkansas. Even with cbb's attempts to annoy and get some relevance, I can't get worked up about them. . From what I've seen so far, TAMU has the classiest fans we play in the west. No real rivalry, but I look forward to playing them.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

canuck hit it. Ole Miss is LSU's traditional rivalry game. Ole Miss fans would absolutely put that game as number two on their list, without question. Older LSU fans would probably have Ole Miss number one. In recent years, LSU has viewed itself as a "rival" for the SEC West power de jour, but Ole Miss is the rival they always come back to, the team they least want to lose to.

That game also gave LSU their most significant moment (Billy Cannon's punt return TD). Further note, the two teams played twice that season. Cannon won the game in Baton Rouge (7-3) then Ole Miss beat the crap out of LSU in the Sugar Bowl (21-0).

And, even recently, the Ole Miss-LSU games have been impressively close. Six of the last ten games have been decided by 7 or less, and they've split the last six meetings.

Ole Miss is LSU's rival game.

[JasonsDad 0]

Don't forget Arkansas and LSU play for the boot. This is a really big deal in Arkansas even if LSU has gotten the better of them over the last few years.

[cptau 169]

Lsu has a rivalry with Tulane..... Lol! almost 100 meetings between them and I believe lsu has won the past 30. Lsu got lucky. Also, lsu fans would say Arkansas is a big rivalry as well . The Lsu-ark rivalry is the battle for the golden boot after all

The LSU vs Ole Miss game has been looke on by both fan bases as huge over the last decade or more, with both being in the West, OM giving LSU all they can handle on many occasions and upsetting LSU when providin upsets of th corndogs when they've been on top of the world. They're geographically close too.

(btw, I believe Tulane was actually a charter member of the SEC but bowed out of the league after not being competitive for a couple decades. Suwannee too.)

Tulane was in the SEC until 1966. The Sugar Bowl was even played in their old home stadium. In 1966 the administration decided to reduce the emphasis on athletic and dropped out of the SEC. They missed out on the explosion in revenue from TV. Vandy says thanks!

GaTech left in 1964 because they were ticked off at UAT's unethical behavior in recruiting and over-signing. Somethings never change. They also had a Tech player severely injured by a bama player. There was bad blood between Dodd and Bryant over all that.

[CJBas 4]

With realignment into the sec and/or schools that are the only major university in the state, I count 4 schools that don't have true rivals (where BOTH sides would agree its passionate and a top 2 "I hate those guys" team).

1) Arkansas

2) TAMU (Texas rivalry is gone)

3) Mizzou

4) LSU

*I might be able to include Kentucky or Vanderbilt but what's the point.

Personally, I love having UAT and UGA as rivals, and even will throw in UF and UT when we play them. I think it adds to season and draws great publicity to us that helps in recruiting. It's one of the 10 things that makes AU special. I also notice it's several of those "non-rivaled" schools that tend to troll the most and almost seem to be frantically trying to stir the pot and create a rivalry.

Thoughts?

MO has a natural rivalry with Kansas. There's been a bitterness between those two states for 160 years now.

As for Ark; I have wondered is Bielema's antics in regards to Auburn have not been an attempt to generate some sort of rivalry between Ark and AU that has never really been there before.

Also a lot of A&M people consider LSU to be an old rival and were glad to be in the SEC so it could be renewed. I don't know how LSU people feel about it.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

Different subject but didn't know where to ask, do TAMU fans seem a little too happy? I've come in contact with a couple of their fans and they're weirdly happy about everything. It's like nothing can bring them down but I just get a different vibe from TAMU's fans.

[AU64 10,122]

Arky and TAMU are former SWC opponents.....and back in the day, LSU and TAMU played some heated games so seems that one set or the other of those should be able to restore the rivalries that used to exist. of course the division line-ups are a problem for them and they are too far away from any major East team to have a real rivalry.

[Dom1ni0n 51]

With realignment into the sec and/or schools that are the only major university in the state, I count 4 schools that don't have true rivals (where BOTH sides would agree its passionate and a top 2 "I hate those guys" team).

1) Arkansas

2) TAMU (Texas rivalry is gone)

3) Mizzou

4) LSU

*I might be able to include Kentucky or Vanderbilt but what's the point.

Personally, I love having UAT and UGA as rivals, and even will throw in UF and UT when we play them. I think it adds to season and draws great publicity to us that helps in recruiting. It's one of the 10 things that makes AU special. I also notice it's several of those "non-rivaled" schools that tend to troll the most and almost seem to be frantically trying to stir the pot and create a rivalry.

Thoughts?

MO has a natural rivalry with Kansas. There's been a bitterness between those two states for 160 years now.

As for Ark; I have wondered is Bielema's antics in regards to Auburn have not been an attempt to generate some sort of rivalry between Ark and AU that has never really been there before.

Also a lot of A&M people consider LSU to be an old rival and were glad to be in the SEC so it could be renewed. I don't know how LSU people feel about it.

Probably more so with older LSU fans. The early 90's edition of SEC expansion and the inauguration of the Big XII put that rivalry on ice for a while.

[AU64 10,122]

Proximity has a lot to do with developing a good rivalry where fans of both teams interact regularly. It' hard to just 'create' a rivalry between distant teams....at least it takes a while for that to happen like ND and USCw. LSU can cry about playing UF but they are well matched with intense fan bases and make for a good game every year. I'm sure LSU would like a cream-puff like UK but what's the point?

TAMU and UTx would be great for college football but too much ego on both sides at the moment. IMO, UTk could easily develop a hot rivalry with Va Tech for an OOC game.