ESPN's Best college football rivalries

[DKW 86 7,726]

http://www.greatsportsrivalries.com/college_teams.html

http://www.1122productions.com/rivalries/a.html#a2

http://www.ncaa.org/stats/football/footballMenu.html

ESPN's Best college football rivalries

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1. Alabama vs. Auburn

Alabama leads the series, 38-32-1. Delta is 6 Games

2. Ohio State vs. Michigan

Michigan leads the series, 56-40-6. Delta is 16 Games

3. Oklahoma vs. Texas

Texas leads the series, 58-38-5.Delta is 20 Games

4. Army vs. Navy

Navy leads the series, 51-49-7. Delta is 2 Games

5. Texas vs. Texas A&M

Texas leads the series, 73-35-5. Delta is 38 Games

6. Florida vs. Georgia

Georgia leads the series, 45-39-2. Delta is 6 Games

7. USC vs. UCLA

USC leads the series, 41-28-7 Delta is 13 Games

8. Nebraska vs. Oklahoma

Nebraska leads the series, 40-37-3. Delta is 3 Games

9. Harvard vs. Yale

Yale leads the series, 64-46-8. Delta is 18 Games

11. USC vs. Notre Dame

ND leads series 42-30-5 Delta is 12 Games

UGA vs AU

AU leads 52-49-8 Delta is 3 Games

LSU vs Auburn

LSU leads 19–21–1Delta is 2 Games

Alabama vs Tennessee

Alabama 44-38-7 Delta is 6 Games

Alabama vs LSU

Alabama leads 43-22-5 Delta is 21 Games

Seems like the SEC Rivalires are at least rivalries.

Some of these are just silly even getting fired up about the game.

Texas-Texas A&M? 38 games?

Michigan-Ohio State? 16 games?

Texas-Oklahoma? 20 games?

Notre Dame-USC? 12 games?

These are Rivalries?

Alabama-LSU? 21 games? Maybe Saban's hiring and the recruiting war has finally made this one long term interesting.

[quietfan 233]

Although I suppose for national interest it helps if a rivalry remains pretty close over time, I don't think that's necessarily the biggest criterion. I'd say history and fan intensity are more important.

For example, I think USC-Notre Dame will always be a big rivalry, despite their current 12 game difference (partly because they don't have significant intra-conference or intrastate teams as traditional rivals). The fact that Notre Dame leads the series although USC has been on top for the last few years just shows that any rivalry goes through streaks. I don't think UGA-Ga Tech fans will ever accept that their rivalry is insignificant despite Georgia's recent dominance.

Heck, in the best rivalry in college football, Alabama had an eleven game lead at the end of Bryant's tenure (28-17-1), but I don't think that diminished the significance of the Iron Bowl in anyone's mind.

[drewau02 0]

I've always wondered how the Auburn-Alabama rivalry would have been different had their not been that 40 year hiatus earlier in the 20th century. Notice how all of the other rivalry teams have more head-to-head games than does Auburn/Alabama.

I didn't know that Michigan had a 16 game advantage over Ohio State. I didn't know that UAT had a 21 game edge over LSU. Georgia used to have a 25 game edge over Florida until Spurrier arrived. If I were a Georgia fan, I would be utterly embarrased by my teams 2-15 record against my arch rival over the past 20 years. Still, the Dawgs hold a six game edge. Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.

[townhallsavoy 2]

WHHHHAAAA??? ESPN DIDN'T PUT OHIO ST - MICHIGAN NUMBER ONE?!?!?!

Now I've seen everything....

[bammanmr 0]

good to see the IB #1.

it's a shame to see the egg bowl left off these lists every year. if you want to see hatred that is taken to another level, go to an egg bowl. those folks hate each other about as much as us and alabama. what makes it even better imo is that the teams don't like one another either. i know that it's usually nonexistant on the national scale, but that really shouldn't matter when you are discussing rivalries.

[SKCAUB 0]

5. Texas vs. Texas A&M

Texas leads the series, 73-35-5. Delta is 38 Games

THIS...is a rivalry???!!!

[DKW 86 7,726]

5. Texas vs. Texas A&M

Texas leads the series, 73-35-5. Delta is 38 Games

THIS...is a rivalry???!!!

Sounds more like a beatdown to me....

[AU_tiger_2000 0]

5. Texas vs. Texas A&M

Texas leads the series, 73-35-5. Delta is 38 Games

THIS...is a rivalry???!!!

Sounds more like a beatdown to me....

I knew it would come around to this. We really need a beatdown smiley.

[Tigerbait2010 0]

'LSU leads 21-19'

[ontovictory 0]

Why is Auburn-LSU on that list?? We didn't even start playing them every year until 1992!!! They used to play bama every year but not us.

[vatz22au 142]

Why is Auburn-LSU on that list?? We didn't even start playing them every year until 1992!!! They used to play bama every year but not us.

I'm glad it's on the list. The intensity of this game is definitely sky high. Sure, they aren't a historic rival but who would you rather consider a rival.... a team who wins 6 games or one of the elite in the nation?

Dont get me wrong though, Bama is definitely number 1 with Georgia at 2 in my books.

[Tigerbait2010 0]

Why is Auburn-LSU on that list?? We didn't even start playing them every year until 1992!!! They used to play bama every year but not us.

I'm glad it's on the list. The intensity of this game is definitely sky high. Sure, they aren't a historic rival but who would you rather consider a rival.... a team who wins 6 games or one of the elite in the nation?

Dont get me wrong though, Bama is definitely number 1 with Georgia at 2 in my books.

Because it's been the most intense rivalry in the SEC for the past 4-5 years. Cigar smokin, band fights,5 missed field goals, and interesting calls on BOTH sides. You name it, and this rivalry has probably had it over the past few years.

[ontovictory 0]

I guess you could add earthquakes and arena fires!!!

[DKW 86 7,726]

Hell, - is FAR more interesting than most of those 'rivalries' will ever be. - means something.

[TexasTiger 13,557]

Fear the big toe! 11 straight, and we're tied up...

[bammanmr 0]

I guess you could add earthquakes and arena fires!!!

don't forget whistles...

[WAR EAGLE!!! 0]

I guess you could add earthquakes and arena fires!!!

don't forget whistles...

...and the greatest football game I have ever witnessed in person in my life...3 interceptions returned for Td's in the final 9 minutes of the game with a 4th interception to seal it...un-freakin-believable!!!

[Tigerbait2010 0]

I guess you could add earthquakes and arena fires!!!

don't forget whistles...

...and the greatest football game I have ever witnessed in person in my life...3 interceptions returned for Td's in the final 9 minutes of the game with a 4th interception to seal it...un-freakin-believable!!!

Damn, how could I forget about the earthquake game?

[SouthLink02 8]

As a fan of a team that has lost 25 of the last 26 games to their "main rival" according to most fans....I can attest that just because the series record may be lop-sided...it doesnt mean it is any less of a "rivalry"

[WAR EAGLE!!! 0]

I guess you could add earthquakes and arena fires!!!

don't forget whistles...

...and the greatest football game I have ever witnessed in person in my life...3 interceptions returned for Td's in the final 9 minutes of the game with a 4th interception to seal it...un-freakin-believable!!!

Damn, how could I forget about the earthquake game?

Not sure if you were refering to the game I mentioned as the earth quake game but it is not. The earthquake game happened in Tiger Stadium where the crowd was so loud it measured on the Richter Scale, and the game I mentioned was in Jordan Hare, and doesn't need a name because it was bad ass!!!

[DKW 86 7,726]

As a fan of a team that has lost 25 of the last 26 games to their "main rival" according to most fans....I can attest that just because the series record may be lop-sided...it doesnt mean it is any less of a "rivalry"

Slink, 25/26? Are you for real? Why bother to play them anymore? Seems they have already made the point ad nauseum. That isnt a game, it is a beatdown, pure and simple. I still think you lead tho, so over all, it isnt that bad. But 25/26...man I think I would just take whatever tatters of my manhood I had left and give it up.

[ECEstudentUA 9]

WHHHHAAAA??? ESPN DIDN'T PUT OHIO ST - MICHIGAN NUMBER ONE?!?!?!

Now I've seen everything....

Yea, I was thinking to the same thing.

I figured it would be something like

O State Michigan #1

And then something stupid like

UM FSU

[SouthLink02 8]

Slink, 25/26? Are you for real? Why bother to play them anymore? Seems they have already made the point ad nauseum. That isnt a game, it is a beatdown, pure and simple. I still think you lead tho, so over all, it isnt that bad. But 25/26...man I think I would just take whatever tatters of my manhood I had left and give it up.

It is getting to that point