Top 100 College Football Best Rivalries -The Athletic

[SNAFU]

#80- Tennessee - Vandy
What to know: The in-state aspect and total number of games put this series in the top 80. But if both teams weren’t located in Tennessee, it might not crack the top 100. From 1965 to 2004, Tennessee was 37-2-1. The series has become more competitive in recent years with Vandy winning five of 13 to give it some more flavor.

1. In true rivalry fashion, the teams can’t agree on the total number of games. Vandy lists 119 while Tennessee has 118. It all stems from Vanderbilt counting a 76-0 win against Tennessee in 1918, while the Vols suspended varsity football in 1917-18 during World War I and fielded two unofficial teams.
2. Vandy won 18 of the first 22 games, which also included two ties. The Vols have compiled a 79-14-2 mark since 1928.
3. Separated by 180 miles along I-40 from Knoxville to Nashville, the teams have played 65 times on the season’s final weekend.

Biggest game: Both clinched bowl bids by their 1982 finale, but Vanderbilt was seeking its first home win against Tennessee since 1964. Commodores QB Whit Taylor was brilliant in passing for 391 yards and engineering a 28-21 win. Vanderbilt fans stormed the field and tore down the goal posts. The next time Vandy beat Tennessee at home was in 2012, 30 years later.

#75- Tennessee - Kentucky
What to know: Results matter in rivalries, but so do proximity, longevity and other factors. There’s a sizzle between the fan bases that belies Tennessee’s lopsided advantage. It spills over to other sports, too.

1. They once competed annually for the Beer Barrel from 1925-97. Painted orange on one side, blue on the other with white separating the colors, it was started by Kentucky students who labeled it “ice water” because of Prohibition at the time. It was discontinued after a fatal alcohol-related car accident involving Kentucky players in 1998.
2. The win disparity (59) ranks ninth among power-conference series and second in SEC history behind Alabama-Mississippi State (71).
3. The Vols and Wildcats are tied for third among SEC programs in games played. Only Auburn-Georgia (129) and Ole Miss-Mississippi State (121) have competed more often.

Biggest game: The hammer-vs.-nail history doesn’t leave much for great games, but their 2007 edition was a classic. The Wildcats featured one of their best teams and Tennessee was in position to claim the SEC East crown with a win. Kentucky QB Andre’ Woodson threw six TDs to erase a 17-point deficit. Trailing 52-50 in the fourth OT, Woodson’s 2-point run fell short and the Vols — behind QB Eric Ainge’s seven TDs — held on.

#53- Tennessee - Georgia
What to know: After they had little shared history before the SEC expanded to 12 teams, this has become one of the league’s most important series. Depending on how often they play in the future, it could soar into a top-30 rivalry or fall back.

1. Barely 200 miles separates Athens from Knoxville, but the teams rarely faced one another before they were paired in the SEC East in 1992. They didn’t even play from 1937-68 and after that met just eight times until divisional play began.
2. The Bulldogs and Vols have still met 19 times as ranked opponents. That’s tied for 20th among FBS series.
3. The teams claim a combined 13 national titles (Georgia 7, Tennessee 6) but they met in only four of those seasons, all from 1980 onward.

Biggest game: In the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in Sanford Stadium history, the top-ranked defending national champion Bulldogs and second-ranked Vols met while 8-0 in 2022. Georgia’s all-world defense produced six sacks and held Tennessee’s high-flying offense to 289 yards in a 27-13 rout. The Bulldogs later won their second straight national title.

#36- Tennessee - Florida
What to know: Tennessee and Florida barely resonated for either fan base until they were forced to play one another every year in the SEC East. Once they did, the series sizzled and became the SEC’s most competitive rivalry in the 1990s. It doesn’t measure up when compared alongside these teams’ historical feuds, but it’s on the map.

1. From 1916-89, they played only 19 times. Since then, they have played 35 consecutive years and both teams were ranked in the AP poll in 22.
2. Most of their meetings have taken place in September to set the tone in many SEC seasons. Ten times from 1990-2002, both teams were ranked in the top 10.
3. No rivalry was livelier when Peyton Manning led the Vols and Steve Spurrier coached the Gators in the mid-1990s. After four straight series wins, which relegated Tennessee to the Citrus Bowl three times, Spurrier told a room of supporters before their 1997 meeting that “You can’t spell ‘Citrus’ without U-T.”

Biggest game: After five straight top-15 losses to the Gators, No. 6 Tennessee hosted No. 2 Florida in 1998. The Vols picked up a 20-17 OT win when Florida’s game-tying attempt said wide left. The win propelled Tennessee to the first BCS championship.

#11- Tennessee - Alabama
What to know: For more than a century, Alabama-Tennessee has been the SEC’s signature border-state clash. The Crimson Tide and Vols rank first and third in SEC winning percentage and conference titles, respectively. Tennessee’s program woes during Alabama’s unprecedented run under Nick Saban knocks this back a few notches, but it’s still a quintessential SEC rivalry.

1. Christened as the “Third Saturday in October” since 1939, Tennessee and Alabama largely have stayed true to moniker, even as the SEC has taken more control over the schedule. Since 1998, their series frequently has drifted to the month’s fourth Saturday but they haven’t played outside of October since 1913.
2. The teams have competed every season since 1928 except in 1943 amid WWII. It ranks third among Tennessee’s most-played series behind Kentucky and Vanderbilt, and for Alabama, it’s one game behind Mississippi State.
3. The programs have both been ranked in 24 contests with Alabama holding a 13-10-1 advantage. Eleven were top-10 battles. At least one team was ranked in 48 other games.

Biggest game: The rivals entered their 2022 matchup unbeaten for the first time since 1989. The No. 6 Vols built a 28-10 lead, then No. 3 Alabama stormed back and took a 49-42 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Tennessee tied the score on Jalin Hyatt’s fifth touchdown catch. After getting the ball back with 15 seconds left, the Vols picked up a pair of chunk plays, then kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired for a 52-49 victory.

Top 10-

10- Minnesota - Wisconsin
9- UF- FSU
8- OSU - Penn St.
7- Miami - FSU
6- Nebraska - Oklahoma
5- Notre Dame - USC
4- Army - Navy
3- Oklahoma - Texas
2- Bama - Auburn
1- Michigan - OSU

 

[Savannahbayvol]

With all due respect to UM and tOSU nothing tops the Auburn-UAT rivalry.

 

[BigBadVol]

#80- Tennessee - Vandy
What to know: The in-state aspect and total number of games put this series in the top 80. But if both teams weren’t located in Tennessee, it might not crack the top 100. From 1965 to 2004, Tennessee was 37-2-1. The series has become more competitive in recent years with Vandy winning five of 13 to give it some more flavor.

1. In true rivalry fashion, the teams can’t agree on the total number of games. Vandy lists 119 while Tennessee has 118. It all stems from Vanderbilt counting a 76-0 win against Tennessee in 1918, while the Vols suspended varsity football in 1917-18 during World War I and fielded two unofficial teams.
2. Vandy won 18 of the first 22 games, which also included two ties. The Vols have compiled a 79-14-2 mark since 1928.
3. Separated by 180 miles along I-40 from Knoxville to Nashville, the teams have played 65 times on the season’s final weekend.

Biggest game: Both clinched bowl bids by their 1982 finale, but Vanderbilt was seeking its first home win against Tennessee since 1964. Commodores QB Whit Taylor was brilliant in passing for 391 yards and engineering a 28-21 win. Vanderbilt fans stormed the field and tore down the goal posts. The next time Vandy beat Tennessee at home was in 2012, 30 years later.

#75- Tennessee - Kentucky
What to know: Results matter in rivalries, but so do proximity, longevity and other factors. There’s a sizzle between the fan bases that belies Tennessee’s lopsided advantage. It spills over to other sports, too.

1. They once competed annually for the Beer Barrel from 1925-97. Painted orange on one side, blue on the other with white separating the colors, it was started by Kentucky students who labeled it “ice water” because of Prohibition at the time. It was discontinued after a fatal alcohol-related car accident involving Kentucky players in 1998.
2. The win disparity (59) ranks ninth among power-conference series and second in SEC history behind Alabama-Mississippi State (71).
3. The Vols and Wildcats are tied for third among SEC programs in games played. Only Auburn-Georgia (129) and Ole Miss-Mississippi State (121) have competed more often.

Biggest game: The hammer-vs.-nail history doesn’t leave much for great games, but their 2007 edition was a classic. The Wildcats featured one of their best teams and Tennessee was in position to claim the SEC East crown with a win. Kentucky QB Andre’ Woodson threw six TDs to erase a 17-point deficit. Trailing 52-50 in the fourth OT, Woodson’s 2-point run fell short and the Vols — behind QB Eric Ainge’s seven TDs — held on.

#53- Tennessee - Georgia
What to know: After they had little shared history before the SEC expanded to 12 teams, this has become one of the league’s most important series. Depending on how often they play in the future, it could soar into a top-30 rivalry or fall back.

1. Barely 200 miles separates Athens from Knoxville, but the teams rarely faced one another before they were paired in the SEC East in 1992. They didn’t even play from 1937-68 and after that met just eight times until divisional play began.
2. The Bulldogs and Vols have still met 19 times as ranked opponents. That’s tied for 20th among FBS series.
3. The teams claim a combined 13 national titles (Georgia 7, Tennessee 6) but they met in only four of those seasons, all from 1980 onward.

Biggest game: In the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in Sanford Stadium history, the top-ranked defending national champion Bulldogs and second-ranked Vols met while 8-0 in 2022. Georgia’s all-world defense produced six sacks and held Tennessee’s high-flying offense to 289 yards in a 27-13 rout. The Bulldogs later won their second straight national title.

#36- Tennessee - Florida
What to know: Tennessee and Florida barely resonated for either fan base until they were forced to play one another every year in the SEC East. Once they did, the series sizzled and became the SEC’s most competitive rivalry in the 1990s. It doesn’t measure up when compared alongside these teams’ historical feuds, but it’s on the map.

1. From 1916-89, they played only 19 times. Since then, they have played 35 consecutive years and both teams were ranked in the AP poll in 22.
2. Most of their meetings have taken place in September to set the tone in many SEC seasons. Ten times from 1990-2002, both teams were ranked in the top 10.
3. No rivalry was livelier when Peyton Manning led the Vols and Steve Spurrier coached the Gators in the mid-1990s. After four straight series wins, which relegated Tennessee to the Citrus Bowl three times, Spurrier told a room of supporters before their 1997 meeting that “You can’t spell ‘Citrus’ without U-T.”

Biggest game: After five straight top-15 losses to the Gators, No. 6 Tennessee hosted No. 2 Florida in 1998. The Vols picked up a 20-17 OT win when Florida’s game-tying attempt said wide left. The win propelled Tennessee to the first BCS championship.

#11- Tennessee - Alabama
What to know: For more than a century, Alabama-Tennessee has been the SEC’s signature border-state clash. The Crimson Tide and Vols rank first and third in SEC winning percentage and conference titles, respectively. Tennessee’s program woes during Alabama’s unprecedented run under Nick Saban knocks this back a few notches, but it’s still a quintessential SEC rivalry.

1. Christened as the “Third Saturday in October” since 1939, Tennessee and Alabama largely have stayed true to moniker, even as the SEC has taken more control over the schedule. Since 1998, their series frequently has drifted to the month’s fourth Saturday but they haven’t played outside of October since 1913.
2. The teams have competed every season since 1928 except in 1943 amid WWII. It ranks third among Tennessee’s most-played series behind Kentucky and Vanderbilt, and for Alabama, it’s one game behind Mississippi State.
3. The programs have both been ranked in 24 contests with Alabama holding a 13-10-1 advantage. Eleven were top-10 battles. At least one team was ranked in 48 other games.

Biggest game: The rivals entered their 2022 matchup unbeaten for the first time since 1989. The No. 6 Vols built a 28-10 lead, then No. 3 Alabama stormed back and took a 49-42 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Tennessee tied the score on Jalin Hyatt’s fifth touchdown catch. After getting the ball back with 15 seconds left, the Vols picked up a pair of chunk plays, then kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired for a 52-49 victory.

Top 10-

10- Minnesota - Wisconsin
9- UF- FSU
8- OSU - Penn St.
7- Miami - FSU
6- Nebraska - Oklahoma
5- Notre Dame - USC
4- Army - Navy
3- Oklahoma - Texas
2- Bama - Auburn
1- Michigan - OSU

Minn vs Wisconsin? LOL
Nebraska vs Oklahoma? LOL

That’s all!

 

[RockyTopTexas]

I care about Florida most…gets me going

 

[onevol74]

In this age of paid players no rivalry is significant.

 

[Voltopia]

The Athletic: Continuing to validate my decision to cancel my subscription since 2020.

 

[05_never_again]

With all due respect to UM and tOSU nothing tops the Auburn-UAT rivalry.

The Game has significantly more history than the Iron Bowl. Alabama and Auburn didn't play at all between 1907 and 1948.

At a neutral I enjoy the Iron Bowl more than The Game, but The Game has been a bigger fixture in the history of the sport. The Ten Year War was an absolutely insane period of time...you had 2 HOF coaches almost split a series of 10 straight games right down the middle, almost every game was a very close game, and it had national title implications every year.

As good as the Iron Bowl is, and as good as the early 2010s were (IMO, the Kick Six game is probably the best in the history of the sport), it doesn't have a period of time quite like that.

 

[IndianaVol]

Kind of cool to end up with 5 on this list.
TSIO should be higher - definitely at least Top 10 status, if not Top 5...feel like recent, more lopsided, history is dragging us down on that one.

FWIW - each one of the Top 5 can make a solid case for being No. 1.
While not a great fan of the product The Athletic puts out, this one was a pretty good read.

 

[AlsaceFreak]

Tenn- Bama should be top 10. I saw a cartoon in the Sports section of a print newspaper a few years back showing a guy with a Michigan logo on his shirt asking the bartender if his game was on. The bartender in the cartoon replied " I have 52 TV's and on the third Saturday in October all 55 of them are showing the Tennessee/Alabama game"

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

Minn vs Wisconsin? LOL
Nebraska vs Oklahoma? LOL

That’s all!

We have to be above MN-WI that is total crap. Should be ahead of FSU-FL and OSU-PSU. For historical relevance and significance.

Nebraska-Oklahoma I don't have a problem with since they were both great for several decades.

 

[05_never_again]

Kind of cool to end up with 5 on this list.
TSIO should be higher - definitely at least Top 10 status, if not Top 5...feel like recent, more lopsided, history is dragging us down on that one.

FWIW - each one of the Top 5 can make a solid case for being No. 1.
While not a great fan of the product The Athletic puts out, this one was a pretty good read.

TSIO is actually kind of an overrated rivalry. Lots of history, and two iconic SEC programs participate, but games that impact SEC and national title races are kind of few and far between. The 2022 game is an anomaly in that rivalry, not what typically happens. There are long periods of time where one team is good and one team stinks.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

The Game has significantly more history than the Iron Bowl. Alabama and Auburn didn't play at all between 1907 and 1948.

At a neutral I enjoy the Iron Bowl more than The Game, but The Game has been a bigger fixture in the history of the sport. The Ten Year War was an absolutely insane period of time...you had 2 HOF coaches almost split a series of 10 straight games right down the middle, almost every game was a very close game, and it had national title implications every year.

As good as the Iron Bowl is, and as good as the early 2010s were (IMO, the Kick Six game is probably the best in the history of the sport), it doesn't have a period of time quite like that.

I agree and I swear nobody talked about the iron bowl until the 2010's. Now I'm 31...but it seemed to gain singinficant mystique during that period.

The Michigan-OSU rivalry is more vicious to me. Even if you talk to some 20 year old girl that doesn't care about sports they'll still talk about how much they hate OH/MI as a state and that amplifies if they're fans.

Something about AU/AL fans living in the same state, takes some of juics from it. They are typically friends and family. It's not the same as if I go to Alabama wearing orange. They HATE us. We are others and for some old bammers they hate us more than Auburn.

 

[05_never_again]

Minn vs Wisconsin? LOL
Nebraska vs Oklahoma? LOL

That’s all!

They're giving way too much weight to the fact that Minnesota/Wisconsin is the oldest one in FBS.

That is pretty cool that it has been played 134 times (and uninterrupted since 1907), and Paul Bunyan's Axe is a great tradition, but when in the last 70 years has that game had national implications?

 

[05_never_again]

I agree and I swear nobody talked about the iron bowl until the 2010's. Now I'm 31...but it seemed to gain singinficant mystique during that period.

The Michigan-OSU rivalry is more vicious to me. Even if you talk to some 20 year old girl that doesn't care about sports they'll still talk about how much they hate OH/MI as a state and that amplifies if they're fans.

Something about AU/AL fans living in the same state, takes some of juics from it. They are typically friends and family. It's not the same as if I go to Alabama wearing orange. They HATE us. We are others and for some old bammers they hate us more than Auburn.

As a neutral, I've been told that you have to live in Alabama to truly "get it." I (fortunately) have never lived there so I don't know.

Personally, in terms of hate, I think the most complex hate is actually between Texas and Texas A&M. I think that rivalry being so lopsided is why they kept it at #15, and it doesn't have a huge degree of co-dependence, but it probably should still be higher than USC/UCLA, Alabama/LSU, or UGA/UF. The depth of the negative feelings that each school has towards the other exceeds any other rivalry I've been exposed to, and that includes Michigan/Ohio St and Alabama/Auburn. Texas fans regard A&M as Untouchables who aren't worthy to breathe the same air they do, and A&M fans look at Texas with this fascinating mix of hatred, paranoia, and jealousy. It goes way beyond simply disliking the other team.

Also, the most underrated rivalry in CFB is the Egg Bowl. By far.

 

[onevol74]

The Game has significantly more history than the Iron Bowl. Alabama and Auburn didn't play at all between 1907 and 1948.

At a neutral I enjoy the Iron Bowl more than The Game, but The Game has been a bigger fixture in the history of the sport. The Ten Year War was an absolutely insane period of time...you had 2 HOF coaches almost split a series of 10 straight games right down the middle, almost every game was a very close game, and it had national title implications every year.

As good as the Iron Bowl is, and as good as the early 2010s were (IMO, the Kick Six game is probably the best in the history of the sport), it doesn't have a period of time quite like that.

Anyone remember Punt, Bama, Punt?

 

[DaddyChad]

With all due respect to UM and tOSU nothing tops the Auburn-UAT rivalry.

I think it goes by history not hatred.

They don’t care about car burned, tree poisoning, sister humpers that go on a meth fueled rage.

 

[05_never_again]

Anyone remember Punt, Bama, Punt?

Before my time, but I'm familiar with the game. Bo Over the Top is another.

It's a great rivalry, and you can argue that it should have been #1. If you're making the list in 2015 instead of 2025 maybe you put it at #1. Ultimately though it's a little too lopsided (Alabama has won 60% of the games all-time), it lacks some of the co-dependency that The Game does.

 

[Defaultuser]

With all due respect to UM and tOSU nothing tops the Auburn-UAT rivalry.

Viewership numbers say otherwise.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Even trying to stay objective, the TSIO rates higher than:

10- Minnesota - Wisconsin ... may have # games but does not have national implications, since about WW II.

9- UF- FSU ... until the 1980s all the Florida schools were afterthoughts in football.

8- OSU - Penn St. ... this is the little brother of OSU-Michigan. Far less important. I'd have put Penn St - Pitt above Penn St - Ohio St.

7- Miami - FSU ... see comment by #9. Ditto.

5- Notre Dame - USC ... this game is iconic, but I think TSIO has the edge.

That puts Vols-Bama at about #6. That's about right.

Go Vols!