2nd best college football rivalry

[BigMac12]

I think all sports fans worth his salt will tell you that the Army-Navy game (I go 1 futher and say the Air Force-Army-Navy games) is the best rivalry in college football.

Now, which rivalry is #2?

Michigan-Ohio State?

Georgia-Georgia Tech?

USC-Nortre Dame or UCLA?

Which is second best?

[illwauk]

I think all sports fans worth his salt will tell you that the Army-Navy game (I go 1 futher and say the Air Force-Army-Navy games) is the best rivalry in college football.

Now, which rivalry is #2?

Michigan-Ohio State?

Georgia-Georgia Tech?

USC-Nortre Dame or UCLA?

Which is second best?

That depends on what you mean by "best." The Army-Navy game hasn't had any type of effect on the national title picture in over a half-century. And if we're going solely on tradition, then Harvard-Yale needs to be considered too.

[The_Admiral]

I like the one where football performance is extrapolated to prove superior academic standards, beauty of female students, and undergraduate drinking prowess.

[Gary]

1. Michigan-Ohio State

2. Territorial Cup(Arizona-Arizona State)

3. Iron Bowl(Bama-Auburn)

4. Harvard-Yale

5. Army-Navy

[tBBP]

I think all sports fans worth his salt will tell you that the Army-Navy game (I go 1 futher and say the Air Force-Army-Navy games) is the best rivalry in college football.

Now, which rivalry is #2?

Michigan-Ohio State?

Georgia-Georgia Tech?

USC-Nortre Dame or UCLA?

Which is second best?

That depends on what you mean by "best." The Army-Navy game hasn't had any type of effect on the national title picture in over a half-century. And if we're going solely on tradition, then Harvard-Yale needs to be considered too.

Can we include Grambling and Southern in that, too?

I would try to argue a case for Florida State/Florida here, but that'd be akin to throwing darts at a brick wall around these parts. Having said that, does anyone know if any other archrival pairing have ever actually played in a National Title game? These two did...the '96 Sugar Bowl. (Of course, the sugar wasn't close to sweet for Seminole Nation that night...sure was for Florida, though.)

[oddball]

1. LSU-Arkansas

2. Alabama-Auburn

3. Utah-BYU

4. Harvard-Yale

To me what makes a rivalry isn't the amount of years a games been played or what's on the line for one team, but the competition level between the two teams. The ones I listed are year in and year out some of the most exciting games during the year. USC vs. Notre Dame is a media rivalry, it's just never had that on field passion and way too many blowouts. USC-UCLA... I can't remember the last time I wanted to watch a USC-UCLA game... just a bunch of blowouts and that kills a rivalry and throw in the fact that both teams have coaches I can't wait for them to get fired, I could care less about that game. Ohio State-Michigan, well when Michigan decides to show up and play again, I'll rank that on the list, but Ohio State-Akron is a better rivalry right now. As far as Army-Navy, that's another media driven rivalry that never lives up to it's billing. It's the first time in I have no idea how many years that both teams are good, so I'll watch, but 9 times out of 10 it's one of the worst games of the year. And the horrible thing is that it's the only game on at the time, so it's either watch that or some stupid cartoon.

[The_Admiral]

This is kind of pointless because not even the biggest college football rivalry has the national relevance of the NFL's rivalries. Like, everyone gets that Packers-Bears games or Patriots-Colts games are big deals. Listening to someone prattle on about the time Woody Hayes or Bo Schembechler wouldn't go to a gas station in another state without punching a coach on the day he died or whatever should make you smile politely and slowly walk toward the closest door.

[infrared41]

In terms of tradition Army - Navy is probably tops. Unfortunately, it's also meaningless. Here are my "favorites." Which ones are "best" are open to debate.

1. The Iron Bowl: This may seem like an odd choice coming from an Ohio State alum but in my opinion Auburn - Alabama is easily the biggest rivalry in college football. I was between flights at the airport in Charlotte a year or so ago. I had some time to kill so and I headed over to the sports bar. I was talking with this lady and I said "where are you from?" She says "Alabama" so I say "Roll Tide." She hissed back at me "I'm an Auburn fan." Honest to God, you would have thought I'd offered her money for sex or something. You just don't see that kind of reaction from most rivalries. The Iron Bowl may not mean much outside of Alabama but it sure looks like the most intense rivalry out there.

2. "THE Game": As an Ohio State fan my goals each season are as follows; 1. Beat Michigan 2. Beat Michigan 3. Win the Big Ten. 4. Beat Michigan. Anything after that is gravy. That said, I really believe that this game isn't quite as important to Michigan fans as it is Ohio State fans. I've heard more than a few people say that Michigan's "real rival" is Michigan State.

3. "The World's Largest Cocktail Party": I don't know how much it means to the fans of the respective teams but it sure looks like fun from my perspective.

4. "The Backyard Brawl": I look forward to this game every year. It seems to be a pretty intense rivalry.

5. Michigan State - Michigan:

One other note; back in the day, Oklahoma - Nebraska used to be a pretty great rivalry. Then the Big XII screwed it all up and the two teams no longer play each other every season. That was a serious dumbass move by the Big XII and the teams.

[NEW.ERA]

1. Iron Bowl, Bama v Auburn

2. The Game, Ohio State v Michigan

3. Red River Rivalry, Oklahoma v Texas

4. The Civil War, Oregon v Oregon State

5. Backyard Brawl, Pitt v West Virginia

[OUSooners]

Oklahoma-Texas

[Billy B]

My favorite team vs. My favorite team's rival

But really, I'd have to pick the Iron Bowl. Like infrared said, it looks like the most intense rivalry in the country. And I just remembered, my friend that goes to Auburn and I never got a response when we texted our Bama friend "Roll Tide" after the game.

[illwauk]

I think all sports fans worth his salt will tell you that the Army-Navy game (I go 1 futher and say the Air Force-Army-Navy games) is the best rivalry in college football.

Now, which rivalry is #2?

Michigan-Ohio State?

Georgia-Georgia Tech?

USC-Nortre Dame or UCLA?

Which is second best?

That depends on what you mean by "best." The Army-Navy game hasn't had any type of effect on the national title picture in over a half-century. And if we're going solely on tradition, then Harvard-Yale needs to be considered too.

Can we include Grambling and Southern in that, too?

I would try to argue a case for Florida State/Florida here, but that'd be akin to throwing darts at a brick wall around these parts. Having said that, does anyone know if any other archrival pairing have ever actually played in a National Title game? These two did...the '96 Sugar Bowl. (Of course, the sugar wasn't close to sweet for Seminole Nation that night...sure was for Florida, though.)

I prefer Hampton-Howard, if only because (a.) I used to date a girl at Hampton and got to experience it first hand and (b.) I'm a fan of A Different World, which took place at a ficticious mash-up of the two. Basically, I chose Harvard-Yale to make my point because they're not even eligible for the FCS Championship (due to the Ivies prohibiting their schools to participate) and therefore, less relevant to the modern college gridiron scene.

One other note; back in the day, Oklahoma - Nebraska used to be a pretty great rivalry. Then the Big XII screwed it all up and the two teams no longer play each other every season. That was a serious dumbass move by the Big XII and the teams.

Ironically, the Huskers move to the Big Twen might be the best thing to happen to this rivalry in years since now they're free to schedule each other on their own.

[ElwoodCuse]

That depends on what you mean by "best." The Army-Navy game hasn't had any type of effect on the national title picture in over a half-century. And if we're going solely on tradition, then Harvard-Yale needs to be considered too.

Honestly, Smithers, I don't know why Harvard even bothers to show up. They barely even won.

Their cheating was even more rampant than last year, sir.

Well, I say let Harvard have its football and academics. Yale will always be first in gentlemanly club life.

[Norva]

Harvard-Yale, Lafayette-Lehigh are two of the oldest rivalries in college sports. Period. They should be up there.

Iron Bowl for sure.

Georgia-Aubrun has to be up there too. The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry!

Michigan-Ohio State.

Army-Navy is pretty good.

Texas-Texas A&M.

Texas-Okahoma.

Duel in the Desert - Arizona - Arizona St

[The_Admiral]

Notre Dame is working on a pretty good rivalry with Not Killing Or Raping Their Students this year. Looks like Irish football is finally dominating again!

[Sport]

In terms of tradition Army - Navy is probably tops. Unfortunately, it's also meaningless. Here are my "favorites." Which ones are "best" are open to debate.

1. The Iron Bowl: This may seem like an odd choice coming from an Ohio State alum but in my opinion Auburn - Alabama is easily the biggest rivalry in college football. I was between flights at the airport in Charlotte a year or so ago. I had some time to kill so and I headed over to the sports bar. I was talking with this lady and I said "where are you from?" She says "Alabama" so I say "Roll Tide." She hissed back at me "I'm an Auburn fan." Honest to God, you would have thought I'd offered her money for sex or something. You just don't see that kind of reaction from most rivalries. The Iron Bowl may not mean much outside of Alabama but it sure looks like the most intense rivalry out there.

2. "THE Game": As an Ohio State fan my goals each season are as follows; 1. Beat Michigan 2. Beat Michigan 3. Win the Big Ten. 4. Beat Michigan. Anything after that is gravy. That said, I really believe that this game isn't quite as important to Michigan fans as it is Ohio State fans. I've heard more than a few people say that Michigan's "real rival" is Michigan State.

3. "The World's Largest Cocktail Party": I don't know how much it means to the fans of the respective teams but it sure looks like fun from my perspective.

4. "The Backyard Brawl": I look forward to this game every year. It seems to be a pretty intense rivalry.

5. Michigan State - Michigan:

One other note; back in the day, Oklahoma - Nebraska used to be a pretty great rivalry. Then the Big XII screwed it all up and the two teams no longer play each other every season. That was a serious dumbass move by the Big XII and the teams.

Part of that may be true, but I think a lot of it was Michigan fans using it to show their superiority. They loved to say that the thing that Ohio State fans angst about all season wasn't even a concern to them. You used to hear that a lot more when they were ruining OSU's undefeated seasons under John Cooper every year, but I haven't heard that in the last 5 years. Maybe with OSU's recent dominance we can start saying their biggest rival is Ohio U.

Let me ask you this, Michigan fans, who would rather beat next year, Ohio State or Michigan State? I think at this point most of them would pick Ohio State.

[AJM]

1. Michigan-Ohio State

2. Territorial Cup(Arizona-Arizona State)

3. Iron Bowl(Bama-Auburn)

4. Harvard-Yale

5. Army-Navy

Agree here. Ohio State v. Michigan is the best hands down. After that I'd say Bama v. Auburn is 2nd, Oklahoma v. Texas is 3rd, and ASU v. Arizona is 4th.

[knnhrvy16]

I don't mean to be a homer here, but I certainly think Utah-BYU, or "The Holy War" as it's called, is the most underrated rivalry in the nation. It doesn't get a whole lot of coverage because of conference and such, but that rivalry is something else. I went to the 2005 game, and I've never been to anything crazier in my life. It's the sort of rivalry in which you can lose friends and be completely shunned if you're on the other side of the rivalry as somebody. I know, it's happened to me then there's also that aspect where BYU being a private LDS church institution, thier fans act like Utah fans are lowlifes and Satan's minions or something, when really most Ute fans (including me) are also LDS. It's a rivalry you can't understand unless you experience it, and once you do, it totally gets into your blood. Call me a homer, but Utah-BYU really is one of the best.

[McCall]

If you go by college sports in general, or even pure hatred between the two teams, somewhere in there you'd have to include the Border War: Mizzou & Kansas. Oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi river and second oldest overall to Minnesota/Wisconsin.

[Luigi74]

As someone living in Michigan, that has no ties to either school, Michigan v Michigan State is way more fierce with the younger crowd while Michigan v Ohio State seems to be going the way of the dinosaur with Michigan's current woes.

The Pitt-Penn State rivalry is still very very strong even with the teams not playing anymore.