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College football rivalries matter. Nothing fuels the months of college football offseason like the thought of a big rivalry battle. Ohio State fans are dreaming of besting Michigan just as Auburn fans are hoping to upset Alabama.
Whether its a geographic issue, a conference issue, or just the product of competitive animosity, college football rivalries are big. Here are ten of the biggest.
10 biggest college football rivalries fans shouldn't miss in 2024
10. Army vs. Navy
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It's not a big game in terms of national prestige. But the history behind this series of 124 matchups makes it irresistible. There's no game that means more to any of the service academies than the chance to beat each other, and that's particularly true in Army vs. Navy. Navy won 14 in a row in the early 2000s and holds the 62-55-7 all-time edge. But Army has won the last two meetings.
9. "The Egg Bowl," Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State
These two teams have battled for state pride for 120 meetings, with Ole Miss holding a 65-46-6 all-time record. No game may be crazier than the 2019 one, when Ole Miss scored a potential game-tying touchdown in the final seconds only for Rebel receiver Elijah Moore to feign urinating as a dog in the Bulldog end zone. The penalty on that act led to a missed extra point and a Bulldog victory.
8. Florida vs. Florida State
This rivalry dates only back to 1958, but when Steve Spurrier (Florida) and Bobby Bowden (FSU) battled, it got serious. Florida has a 37-28-2 all-time advantage in the series. In every 1990s meeting, both teams were in the top ten at the time of the game. In 1996, the teams met as No. 1 and No. 2 in the regular season and then played again for the national title a few weeks later.
7. Alabama vs. Tennessee
This border war has always been an intense college football rivalry. They've played 106 times and Alabama claims a 59-39-7 edge. In recent years, Alabama had dominated the series, winning 15 times in a row from 2007 to 2021. Tennessee's 2022 victory caused Vol fans to storm the field. Nick Saban was 16-1 against Tennessee, while UT's Phil Fulmer went 11-4 against the Tide.
6. Clemson vs. South Carolina
The Palmetto state rivals have met 120 times. Clemson holds the 73-43-4 edge all-time. Among the wilder matchups was the 2004 game. Clemson won 29-7, but an ugly brawl caused both teams to withdraw from bowl consideration. That was Lou Holtz's final game as a head coach.
5. Formerly "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party," Florida vs. Georgia
This rivalry is so disputed nobody knows how many times they've played. In either 101 or 102 matchups, Georgia holds a 55 or 56-44-2 edge. The teams have played in Jacksonville, a neutral site, since 1933, except for two years in the 1990s when Jacksonville's stadium was under renovation. Georgia has won six of the last seven games.
4. USC vs. Notre Dame
It's an odd rivalry, as it's not based on geography or a conference battle. But two of the nation's top historical programs have faced off 94 times. Notre Dame has a 49-37-5 edge. The Irish have won five of the last six battles between the teams.
3. "The Iron Bowl," Auburn vs. Alabama
Alabama's battle for football supremacy has produced more than its fair share of big moments. In 88 all-time games, Alabama leads 50-37-1. The battle usually has national title as well as SEC relevance. Perhaps the most exciting moment was Auburn's "Kick Six" missed field goal return to win in the final seconds in 2013. It's an all-time college football rivalry moment to remember.
2. "Red River Shootout," Oklahoma vs. Texas
The Longhorns and Sooners will have their first SEC battle in 2024. The teams have played each other 119 times. Texas has the edge, 63-51-5. Only once have the teams battled as No. 1 and No. 2. Texas (then No. 2) won 28-7. Oklahoma has won five of the last six meetings.
1."The Game," Ohio State vs. Michigan
With 119 annual meetings, the Big Ten's dominant college football rivalry has to be Ohio State and Michigan. The Wolverines hold a 61-51-6 edge all-time. Among many indicators of the relevance of this game is U.S. President Gerald Ford. Ford, who played for Michigan, was gifted a ball from Ohio State coach Woody Hayes with the scores of his three UM/OSU games (OSU won two).
The last three matchups have been top 5 battles. Only once, in 2006, have the teams played as No. 1 and No.2. Ohio State (then No. 1) won 42-39.
What are your favorite college football rivalries? Weigh in with our comments section below!
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