College Football Rivalries

Written by Ben Pogany

If there's one thing thats truly great about college football, its the rivalries. Nothing ignites the fervor like playing that old nemesis across the way. Often stretching back over a century or more, these age-old antagonisms are as deeply rooted in the culture of fandom as cheering for the team itself. With Rivalry Week upon us, here is a look at the most intense and enduring college football rivalries of all time.

Name of Rivalry (if applicable)--Trophy Awarded (if applicable)--Team vs Team (Date of Original Matchup)

The Game--Ohio State vs Michigan (1897)
Iron Bowl--James E. Foy, V-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy--Alabama vs Auburn (1893)
The Game--Harvard vs Yale (1875)
Army–Navy Game--Army vs Navy (1890)
Red River Rivalry--Golden Hat--Oklahoma vs Texas (1900)
Michigan - Notre Dame Rivalry --Michigan vs Notre Dame (1887)
Deep South's Oldest Rivalry--Auburn vs Georgia (1892)
Florida State-Miami rivalry --Governor's Cup--Florida State vs Miami (1951)
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate-- Governor's Cup--Georgia vs Georgia Tech (1893)
Big Game--The Stanford Axe--Stanford vs California (1892)
Border War--Indian War Drum & Lamar Hunt Trophy--Kansas vs Missouri (1891)
Lone Star Showdown--Lone Star Showdown trophy--Texas vs Texas A&M (1894)
Holy War --BYU vs Utah (1896)
Commonwealth Cup--Virginia vs Virginia Tech (1895)
Bedlam Series--Bedlam Bell--Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State (1900)
South's Oldest Rivalry--North Carolina vs Virginia (1892)
Magnolia Bowl--Magnolia Bowl Trophy--LSU vs Ole Miss (1894)
Civil War --Platypus Trophy--Oregon vs Oregon State (1894)
Duel in the Desert--Territorial Cup--Arizona vs Arizona State (1899)
Seminole War Canoe Trophy--Florida vs Miami (1955)
The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party--Okefenokee Oar--Florida vs Georgia (1915)
Backyard Brawl--Pittsburgh vs West Virginia (1895)
Victory Bell--Duke vs North Carolina (1948)
Tiger Bowl--Auburn vs LSU (1901)
Heartland Trophy--Iowa vs Wisconsin (1894)
Missouri–Nebraska Rivalry--Victory Bell--Missouri vs Nebraska (1892)
Sunflower Showdown--Governor's Cup--Kansas vs Kansas State (1902)
Sunshine Showdown--Florida vs Florida State (1958)
Battle of the Brazos--Baylor vs Texas A&M (1899)
Battle of the Brothers--Utah vs Utah State (1892)
The Battle for the Mitten--Paul Bunyan Trophy--Michigan vs Michigan State (1953)
Little Brown Jug--Michigan vs Minnesota (1903)
Apple Cup--Apple Cup--Washington vs Washington State (1900)
Indiana–Purdue rivalry--Old Oaken Bucket--Indiana vs Purdue (1925)
Old Wagon Wheel--BYU vs Utah State (1948)
Rio Grande Rivalry--The Maloof Trophy--New Mexico vs New Mexico State (1894)
Holy War --Baylor vs TCU (1899)
Little Brown Stein--Idaho vs Montana (1903)
Southwest Classic --Arkansas vs Texas A&M (1903)
Third Saturday in October--Alabama vs Tennessee (1901)
Holy War --Frank Leahy Memorial Bowl and Ireland Trophy--Boston College vs Notre Dame (1995)
Oregon-Washington rivalry--Oregon vs Washington (1900)
Paul Bunyan's Axe, Slab of Bacon--Minnesota vs Wisconsin (1890)
Battle for the Rag--Tiger Rag or Victory Flag--LSU vs Tulane (1893)
Border War--Bronze Boot--Colorado State vs Wyoming (1899)
CMU–WMU Rivalry Trophy--Central Michigan vs Western Michigan (1907)
Arch Rivalry--Illinois vs Missouri (1896)
Rocky Mountain Showdown--Centennial Cup--Colorado vs Colorado State (1893)
Battle of the Palmetto State--Clemson vs South Carolina (1896)
Battle of the Palouse--Idaho vs Washington State (1894)
Commander-in-Chief's Trophy--Air Force, Army, Navy (1972)
Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe--Oklahoma vs Missouri (1929)
UCLA-USC rivalry--Victory Bell--UCLA vs USC (1929)
Cy-Hawk Trophy--Iowa vs Iowa State (1977)
Third Saturday in September--Florida vs Tennessee (1916)
Crab Bowl Classic--Maryland vs Navy (1905)
Battle for the Palladium--The Palladium Trophy--Troy vs Middle Tennessee (1936)
Boise State-Idaho rivalry--Governor's Cup--Idaho vs Boise State (1972)
Battle for the Schwartzwalder Trophy--Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy--Syracuse vs West Virginia (1993)
Houston–Rice rivalry--Bayou Bucket--Houston vs Rice (1971)
Beehive Boot--BYU, Utah, Utah State, and Weber State (1971)
Black and Blue Bowl-- Memphis vs Southern Miss (1935)
Egg Bowl--Golden Egg Trophy--Ole Miss vs Mississippi State (1901)
Floyd of Rosedale--Iowa vs Minnesota (1891)
Maryland-Penn State rivalry--Maryland vs Penn State (1917)
Maryland-Virginia rivalry--Maryland vs Virginia (1919)
Maryland-West Virginia rivalry--Maryland vs West Virginia (1919)
The Battle of I-10 --Silver Spade--New Mexico State vs UTEP (1935)
Battle of I-75--Peace Pipe--Bowling Green vs Toledo (1919)
Florida Cup--Florida, Florida State, Miami (2002)
Friends of Coal Bowl--Governor's Cup--West Virginia vs Marshall (2006)
Fresno State-San José State Rivalry--Fresno State vs San José State (1926)
Golden Screwdriver--Fresno State vs Hawaiʻi (1996)
Governor's Cup--Kentucky vs Louisville (1994)
Governor's Victory Bell--Minnesota vs Penn State (1993)
Illibuck--Illinois vs Ohio State (1925)
Jefferson-Eppes Trophy--Florida State vs Virginia (1995)
Notre Dame-USC rivalry--Jeweled Shillelagh--Notre Dame vs USC (1926)
Keg of Nails--Cincinnati vs Louisville (1929)
Land of Lincoln Trophy--Illinois vs Northwestern (2009)
Legends Trophy--Notre Dame vs Stanford (1988)
Megaphone Trophy--Michigan State vs Notre Dame (1949)
Michigan MAC Trophy--Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan (2005)
O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy--Boston College vs Clemson (2008)
Old Brass Spittoon--Indiana vs Michigan State (1950)
Purdue Cannon--Illinois vs Purdue (1943)
Ram-Falcon Trophy--Air Force vs Colorado State (1980)
River City Rivalry--Paddlewheel Trophy--Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh (2005)
Saban Bowl--Alabama vs LSU (2007)
Shillelagh Trophy--Notre Dame vs Purdue (1957)
Shula Bowl--Don Shula Award--Florida Atlantic vs Florida International (2002)
Telephone Trophy--Iowa State vs Missouri (1959)
Textile Bowl--Clemson vs North Carolina State (1981)
The Battle of the Land Grants--Land Grant Trophy--Michigan State vs Penn State (1993)
Battle for Nevada--Fremont Cannon--Nevada vs UNLV (1969)
Battle for the Bone--Fresno State vs Louisiana Tech (1986)
Battle for the Golden Boot--Golden Boot--Arkansas vs LSU (1996)
Battle for the Milk Can--Milk Can--Boise State vs Fresno State (2005)
Battle for the Iron Skillet--Iron Skillet--TCU vs SMU (1925)
Battle for the Mayor's Cup--Mayor's Cup--Rice vs SMU (1989)
Victory Bell--Cincinnati vs Miami (OH) (1888)
Wagon Wheel--Akron vs Kent State (1946)
Gansz Trophy--Navy vs SMU--(2009)
Battle for the Bones--The Bones--UAB vs Memphis (2006)