1.Alabama (Biggest rival we have ever had.Beat us like 9 years in a row covering parts of the 80's and 90's when we had a better team and talent about half of those games. Will Claim a National Championship if they beat us and Auburn in the same year and even sometimes when they split. Known for their glory years while being led by a glorified drunk named "Bear". Now are led by a lowdown punk who values money over honesty and integrity. He's a pretty good coach too,I must say.)
2.Florida (Biggest rival of the past 15 years or so. Always
full of talent and arrogance and it's very difficult to get a "W" no matter where this game is played.Had a smart_ss coach i the 90's who could get under your skin. Currently has a smart_ss coach who can get under your skin. Their QB is not too shabby either.)
3.Notre Dame (Historically ranked in the top 10 no matter what their record is. They could cancel their program and ESPN would try to rank them in the top 25. Fielded a coach for years who not only looks like Granny Clampett and sounds like he's drunk when he babbles but also leaves a trail of contoversy and scandle wherever he coaches.)
4.Ohio State ( Always gets a ridiculously high preseason ranking no matter how good they are supposed to be. Only has to win one or two tough games a year and they are guaranteed a shot,and I stress the word shot, at a NC. They bragg about their involvement in the so called best rivalry in college football. See the Auburn/Alabama game if you want to know the best rivalry in college football.)
5.USC ( Are guaranteed a heisman winner every decade if not two a decade. Only have to win one tough game a year to be a shoe in for the NC game. The one tough game a year that they play is usually out of conference. A team which flys above or below the radar when it comes to getting punished by the NCAA for violations.See Reggie Bush and a running back who will be a sophomore this year for them. They figure out a way to get the state of Tennessee's top talent. See Patrick Turner and soon to be Marlon Brown. OUCH!!! Have a head coach who couldn't cut it in the pros and would be very easy to punch in the face if you saw him out somewhere.)
Honorable mentions- Georgia, Michigan, Texas, Miami.
Although my first two are SEC teams, I will be the first to say that when they are playing out of conference games, I root for them. I love the Vols first and then the SEC.