Keith Jenkins
Aug 18, 2024, 07:12 PM ET
College sports fans are passionate. College football brings out a unique level of enthusiasm. The rich traditions, iconic venues and intense rivalries within college football have provided many memorable moments over the years. Here's a look at some of the sport's biggest rivalries.
Michigan-Ohio State
Total meetings: 119
Series record: Michigan leads 61-51-6 (Ohio State's win in 2010 was vacated.)
First meeting: Oct. 16, 1897; Michigan 34, Ohio State 0
Last meeting: Nov. 25, 2023; Michigan 30, Ohio State 24
Longest win streak: Michigan, 9 (1901-09)
Current win streak: Michigan, 3 (2021-2023)
Known simply as "The Game," this rivalry transcends college football as one of the biggest and most heated matchups in all of American sports. With Ohio State leading Michigan 50-14 late in their 1968 matchup, the Buckeyes unsuccessfully went for two. When asked why he did it, Ohio State coach Woody Hayes said, "Because I couldn't go for three." That statement perfectly sums up the animosity between the two Big Ten powerhouses.
Alabama-Auburn
Total meetings: 88
Series record: Alabama leads 50-37-1
First meeting: Feb. 22, 1893; Auburn 32, Alabama 22
Last meeting: Nov. 25, 2023; Alabama 27, Auburn 24
Longest win streak: Alabama, 9 (1973-81)
Current win streak: Alabama, 4 (2020-2023)
The "Iron Bowl" has birthed some of the most memorable moments in college football history. In 2013, Auburn's Chris Davis returned a missed Alabama field goal more than 100 yards for a game-winning touchdown as time expired. In 2011, Alabama fan Harvey Updyke served prison time for poisoning Auburn's iconic oak trees at Toomer's Corner. The Tide and the Tigers almost never disappoint.
Oklahoma-Texas
Total meetings: 119
Series record: Texas leads 63-51-5
First meeting: Oct. 10, 1900; Texas 28, Oklahoma 2
Last meeting: Oct. 7, 2023; Oklahoma 34, Texas 30
Longest win streak: Texas, 8 (1940-47, 1958-65)
Current win streak: Oklahoma, 1 (2023)
The "Red River Rivalry" is a border war. Every October, fans from both Oklahoma and Texas evenly fill the stands at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas to cheer on one of college football's most intense and storied rivalries. The fervor will only grow as the rivalry moves from the Big 12 to the SEC, the country's toughest, deepest and most successful football conference.
Florida-Georgia
Total meetings: 101 (or 102)
Series record: Georgia leads 55-44-2 (according to Florida); Georgia leads 56-44-2 (according to Georgia)
First meeting: Oct. 15, 1904, Georgia 52, Florida 0 (according to Georgia); Nov. 6, 1915, Georgia, 37, Florida 0 (according to Florida)
Last meeting: Oct. 28, 2023; Georgia 43, Florida 20
Longest win streak: Florida, 7 (1990-96); Georgia, 7 (1941-48)
Current win streak: Georgia, 3 (2021-2023)
You know it's a fierce rivalry when the schools don't even agree on how often they've played. According to Georgia, the Bulldogs lead the all-time series 56-44-2 (102 meetings). According to Florida, the Bulldogs lead the series 55-44-2 (101 meetings). Florida insists that the 1904 meeting between the two schools -- a 52-0 Georgia win -- doesn't count. The reason? The school didn't formally become the University of Florida until 1905. The football team wasn't established until 1906.
Florida State-Miami
Total meetings: 68
Series record: Miami leads 35-33
First meeting: Oct. 5, 1951; Miami 35, Florida State 13
Last meeting: Nov. 11, 2023; Florida State 27, Miami 20
Longest win streak: Florida State, 7 (1963-72, 2010-16)
Current win streak: Florida State, 3 (2021-2023)
Though relatively young, this rivalry pits two programs with supremely rich traditions against one another. Stakes are especially high on the recruiting trail. Florida State and Miami have a combined eight national championships and six Heisman Trophy winners. The 2006 meeting between the two teams broke ESPN viewership records.
Florida-Florida State
Total meetings: 67
Series record: Florida leads 37-28-2
First meeting: Nov. 22, 1958; Florida 21, Florida State 7
Last meeting: Nov. 25, 2023; Florida State 24, Florida 15
Longest win streak: Florida, 9 (1968-76)
Current win streak: Florida State, 2 (2022-2023)
With 150 miles separating Tallahassee and Gainesville, there is a fervid rivalry between Florida State and Florida, the two oldest public universities in the state. While the animosity between the schools reached its greatest heights during the Bobby Bowden-Steve Spurrier years, emotions still boil over whenever these two teams meet in the "Sunshine Showdown."
Notre Dame-USC
Total meetings: 94
Series record: Notre Dame leads 51-38-5
First meeting: Dec. 4, 1926; Notre Dame 13, USC 12
Last meeting: Oct. 14, 2023; Notre Dame 48, USC 20
Longest win streak: Notre Dame, 11 (1983-93)
Current win streak: Notre Dame, 1 (2023)
The Notre Dame-USC rivalry isn't about proximity. More than 2,000 miles separate the two campuses. That distance was a challenge back when teams were still traveling via train. The marquee matchup, which once drew 120,000 fans when played at Soldier Field, has withstood the test of time. Perhaps the most famous -- or infamous -- play from the series came in 2005. With seven seconds to play and USC trailing 31-28 on the Irish 1-yard line, Trojans quarterback Matt Leinart attempted a sneak but was stopped cold -- until running back Reggie Bush gave him a forceful nudge across the goal line. The "Bush Push" has been sewn into the rivalry's rich history ever since.
UCLA-USC
Total meetings: 93
Series record: USC leads 50-34-7 (USC's wins in 2004 and 2005 were vacated.)
First meeting: Sept. 28, 1929; USC 76, UCLA 0
Last meeting: Nov. 18, 2023; UCLA 38, USC 20
Longest win streak: UCLA, 8 (1991-98)
Current win streak: UCLA, 1 (2023)
The UCLA-USC rivalry, also known as the "Crosstown Cup," is the annual battle for bragging rights in Los Angeles. The winner hoists the Victory Bell trophy, an actual bell from a vintage Southern Pacific locomotive. The rivalry moves to the Big Ten in 2024.
Mississippi State-Ole Miss
Total meetings: 120
Series record: Ole Miss leads 65-46-6 (Ole Miss' wins in 2012 and 2014 were vacated. Mississippi's win in 2018 was vacated.)
First meeting: Oct. 28, 1901; Mississippi A&M (now Mississippi State) 17, Ole Miss 0
Last meeting: Nov. 23, 2023; Ole Miss 17, Mississippi State 7
Longest win streak: Mississippi State, 13 (1911-25)
Current win streak: Ole Miss, 1 (2023)
A mere 75 miles separate the two schools in the "Battle for the Golden Egg." The rivalry between Mississippi State and Ole Miss has had its fair share of drama over the years. In 2017, Bulldogs fan Steve Robertson was involved in exposing phone calls to escort services that ultimately led to the resignation of former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze. The following year, four players were ejected from the Thanksgiving Day matchup after a brawl erupted at the end of the third quarter. In 2019, wide receiver Elijah Moore brought the Rebels to within a point with four seconds left, but drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his unique touchdown celebration. Ole Miss attempted a 35-yard extra point, but the Rebels missed and lost.
Army-Navy
Total meetings: 124
Series record: Navy leads 62-55-7
First meeting: Nov. 29, 1890; Navy 24, Army 0
Last meeting: Dec. 9, 2023; Army 17, Navy 11
Longest win streak: Navy, 14 (2002-15)
Current win streak: Army, 2 (2022-2023)
Every December, the annual matchup between the two service academies features an electric atmosphere beyond compare. While the Army and Navy are typically aligned in defense of the United States, the Black Knights and Midshipmen are bitter rivals for a few hours on game day every year.
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