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College Football's Very Best Rivalries
In order to be one of the very best college football rivalry games, a few conditions need to be met. First, the games between the teams should have been played for many years. Second, there should be some strong feelings, not necessarily hatred, but strong feelings between the schools and their fans.
To be one of the few select rivalries, there should be some semblance of parity between the teams. Either team should have a chance to win the game in any given year regardless of where the game is played. Finally, the rivalry should have national prominence - many people should care about the game and want to watch it even if they have not association with the schools involved. In our opinion, the following rivalries are the best in college football.
The Iron Bowl - Alabama vs. Auburn
The Iron Bowl is arguably the most important and best rivalry in college football. It is the type of game that can cause divorces, turn best friends into enemies and cause family feuds. In Alabama you are either an Auburn fan or a 'Bama fan. There is no in between. The hatred, and yes it is real hatred when dealing with these schools, runs so deep that it actually spills over into state politics. When it comes to college football rivalry games, it all starts with Auburn vs. Alabama.
The Army-Navy Game - Army vs. Navy
The annual Army-Navy game is played by the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy. The game is played at the end of the college football season at a neutral location. Each of the military academies also plays Air Force each season. The school with the best record against the other service academies wins the coveted Commander-In-Chief Trophy.
The Game - Harvard vs. Yale
There are several college rivalries referred to as The Game. The most prominent of these is the annual tilt between the Harvard Crimson and the Yale Bulldogs. Sure it is a Division II match up, but it is still one of the most fierce and traditional rivalries in college sports.
Michigan vs. Ohio State
ESPN has called the rivalry between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes the best sports rivalry. Not the best college football rivalry, but the best sports rivalry. That is saying a lot. There are no trophies involved in this rivalry series, but there are usually Rose Bowl or national championship implications.
The Big Game - California vs. Stanford
The Big Game between the California Golden Bears and the Stanford Cardinal is contested for The Stanford Axe. One of the most memorable plays in college football history occurred in the 1982 edition of the Big Game. In what has since come to be known as The Play, California used multiple laterals during a kickoff return as time expired to beat Stanford.
UCLA vs. USC (Southern Cal)
The UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans vie for The Victory Bell. The bell was originally the property of UCLA, but was stolen by the USC student body. Eventually, an agreement was made that the winner of the annual rivalry game would get to keep the bell and paint it in their school's colors.
| Find Out About the Best College Football Rivalries |
College Football's Very Best Rivalries - Some college football rivalries stand above the rest. Our top rivalry games include a mix of in-state and interstate college football rivalries. Their common theme is that the teams and schools hate each other.
College Football's Next Best Rivalries - Some rivalries seem to always generate a great game and have lots of history, but lack the pure hatred of the opponent necessary to make the top of our rivalry list. These rivalries involve great teams and great schools.
College Football's Best In-State Rivalries - In-state college rivalry games sometimes involve a trophy, but always involve bragging rights. State rivalry games are wonderful in that they are both entertaining and important even if one team, or both teams, is having poor seasons. State rivalry games also have great names like the Apple Cup and Civil War.
College Football's Best Interstate Rivalries - Interstate rivalries are part of what makes college football such a great sport. Our great interstate college football rivalries include Notre Dame-USC and Boston College-Notre Dame.
Lesser Known College Football Rivalries - Every college football rivalry game has an interest to some fans, even if it is only to the fans of the school involved in the rivalry game. Just because a rivalry game does not capture national attention, doesn't mean that it can't be a great game.
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