There isn’t a college football rivalry in-state talked about more than Alabama and Auburn. The Iron Bowl, which started play in 1893, was so called by past Auburn coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan in the 1960s. It was in reference to the steel industry roots of Birmingham, where the game was often played. This rivalry surpassed a calendar date—it became a cultural movement all across Alabama. It divided families. Towns shut down. Bragging rights were sacred. Phew! That’s a lot.
No other rivalry has made as significant a mark on the college football national landscape as that of Miami and Florida State. Since their first meeting in 1951, the Hurricanes and Seminoles have battled for Florida State pride. And with that, the contests have often been of playoff quality. From the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, the two giants, in essence, decided who won the national title.
While Florida State is competing with Miami to be the best team in Florida, its in-season matchup with Florida carries a different kind of gravity. Called the “Sunshine Showdown,” this rivalry against an in-state opponent began in 1958. Well, in a short time, it became one of the most significant games on the schedule—no longer just in Florida, but in America. It decides bowl placement year after year and controls recruiting situations in the state. The Sunshine Showdown remains one of the most volatile rivalries in college football, with neither team willing to give an inch.
It’s hard to surpass a rivalry with the two schools only 12 miles away from each other. USC and UCLA have been competing since 1929 in what’s popularly referred to as the “Crosstown Showdown.” Los Angeles is transformed into a battlefield every fall when Trojans and Bruins clash over bragging rights. And it was not just on the field but in each corner of the city.
The Egg Bowl is more than a rivalry—it’s a Mississippi tradition. Since 1901, Mississippi State and Ole Miss’s year-round game has won its Golden Egg trophy in 1927. They did it after tensions boiled over into a post-game fight the previous year.
The Oregon-Oregon State rivalry, once called the “Civil War,” is the sport’s oldest, dating to 1894. The name has been retired in recent years, but the ferocity hasn’t waned. The Ducks and Beavers battle annually in a game usually having conference implications and always an emotional subtext.
At Clemson, there is Clemson and the rest—namely, the University of South Carolina. The Palmetto Bowl, starting in 1896, is played on a traditional weekend. It was followed after Thanksgiving and ranks as one of the most historic rivalries of college football.
