Culture and Lifestyle School Our Favorite College Football Rivalries By Bradley Smith Bradley Smith Bradley Smith is a highly-regarded sports journalist who has covered The Masters, the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup and many other top events. He has over 20 years of experience and longs to attend a Pittsburgh Pirates World Series parade. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on September 2, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Southern Living, September 1968 It doesn't matter if a conference title is at stake or your school is just trying to make a bad season a little better, these rivalry games are always circled on the calendar as soon as the schedule comes out. 01 of 08 Alabama vs. Auburn Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images AKA: THE IRON BOWL Arguably the greatest rivalry in all of college football. The Iron Bowl not only settles state bragging rights, it usually determines a spot in the SEC Championship as well. Since 2009 these schools have combined for seven national championships, including four in a row from 2009-2012. The Crimson Tide's title in 2009 followed by the Tigers in 2010 marked the first time two different schools from the same state won consecutive national titles. 02 of 08 Texas vs. Oklahoma Manny Flores/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Brett Deering/Getty Images AKA: RED RIVER RIVALRY Played annually at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas during the State Fair of Texas, The Red River Rivalry is named after the Red River which serves as part of the border between the two states. One or both of the teams have been ranked in each of the past 19 matchups. 03 of 08 Grambling State vs. Southern Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images AKA: BAYOU CLASSIC Most college football fans know of legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson, he of the 408 career wins and 45 winning seasons, but you probably don't know he was briefly a student at Southern University. The game is annually held at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, except in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina forced the game to be played in Houston. The rivalry is so strong, both teams often forgo FCS playoff eligibility in order to place in the Bayou Classic. 04 of 08 Clemson vs. South Carolina Ron Jenkins/Getty Images; Streeter Lecka/Getty Images AKA: PALMETTO BOWL SEC meets ACC every Thanksgiving weekend when the two biggest schools in South Carolina meet. The schools didn't play in 2020 due to the pandemic, marking the first time in over a hundred years. When they do resume play this season, South Carolina will have some catching up to do. Clemson has won the six straight against the Gamecocks. 05 of 08 Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images AKA: FLORIDA CLASSIC Maybe the only rivalry where winning the halftime show is just as important–maybe even more important–than winning the actual game. That's right, don't dare leave your seat at the half. The BCU Marching Wildcats and the FAMU Marching 100 have been known to entertain fans for up to 90 minutes at halftime. Florida A&M dominated the early years of the rivalry on the field, including a 97-point win in 1960, but the Wildcats currently have a 9-game winning streak over the Rattlers. 06 of 08 Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State Stacy Revere/Getty Images AKA: EGG BOWL Thanksgiving in the state of Mississippi isn't as much about turkey and dressing as it is a golden egg. Since 1901, Ole Miss and Mississippi State have been battling for possession of the Golden Egg Trophy over Thanksgiving weekend. It's the 10th longest uninterrupted series in college football. Ole Miss leads the overall series but can only claim three wins over the Bulldogs in the past 13 years. 07 of 08 Tennessee vs. Kentucky Donald Page/Getty Images AKA: BEER BARREL Basketball might be the preferred sport in the Bluegrass State, but these SEC East foes compete in one of the oldest rivalries in all of college football. They first met in 1893 and have met every year since 1919. The Vols have dominated the series of late, but the barrel currently resides in Lexington. 08 of 08 Georgia vs. Florida Doug Benc/Getty Images AKA: WORLD'S LARGEST OUTDOOR COCKTAIL PARTY With the exception of two years in the mid-90s, Jacksonville has been the host city of this party since 1933. While the vibe along the St. John River might be a party, it's serious business inside the stadium. The Dawgs dominated the early years of the rivalry, so much so, the Gators didn't even score until the sixth time they met. But things changed when the Head Ball Coach took over. Steve Spurrier stressed to his players this was "the most important game of the year." They clearly listened. Spurrier went 11-1 vs. UGA and the balance of power began to shift south. The winner of this game has the inside track to Atlanta and a spot in the SEC Championship. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit