Written by: Emily Joswiak • September 13, 2022• Lifestyle

The Most Heated College Football Rivalries

You can circle these games on your calendar because the most heated college football rivalries are sure to provide quality entertainment fueled by “hatred.”

It’s September, so college football season is ready to hit the ground running. However, most of the game’s biggest showdowns don’t come until later in the season, when the most heated college football rivals square off.

Florida State vs. Miami

The battle between these two Florida bluebloods was must-see TV during each program’s heyday. The Miami Hurricanes are on the up and up, with Mario Cristobal taking over for “The U,” sitting at 16^th in the season’s first poll. On the other hand, Florida State has been a shell of itself since Jimbo Fisher bolted for Texas A&M but seeing these two helmets crash into each other still gets the juices flowing.

Florida vs. Georgia

The “World’s Biggest Cocktail Party” still has luster with two schools that constantly butt heads. In what is a ranked vs. ranked showdown between these two SEC rivals, Florida vs. Georgia usually has postseason implications on the line. With the Bulldogs being defending champions with a roster full of the best players this season, Florida will have some extra motivation to take them down.

Notre Dame vs. USC

The “Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh” hasn’t been relevant since Reggie Bush assisted Matt Leinart over the goal line in 2005, considering both teams have been up-and-down since then. However, with the historic Notre Dame and USC, it still has that special feeling whenever they battle.

Oklahoma vs. Texas

If you enjoy a lot of points and four hours of drama, the “Red River Rivalry” game between the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns is the game for you. Defense has been optional in these contests in recent years, with the last two scores being 53-45 and 55-48 in favor of the Sooners. The Longhorns’ last win was in 2018 with a 48-45 final score.

Army vs. Navy

This game may not affect the CFB postseason picture, but no list of college football rivalries is complete if Army and Navy are not on it. This game is on a stage all by itself before the season ends, and it usually takes a couple of hours, with each team running the football nonstop. If there’s one thing you can count on in life, thanks to the excessive running plays and a continuously winding clock, it’s that the under will hit.

Alabama vs. Auburn

At its peak, the Iron Bowl contest between these two in-state rivals is as good as college football is going to get. The kick-six will live forever, shocking Nick Saban and propelling the Tigers into the National Title game. However, since then, the Crimson Tide has dominated, winning six of the last eight matchups.

Ohio State vs. Michigan

When schools cross out letters representing the opposing school, you know there’s a lot of animosities. Ohio State vs. Michigan is a rivalry full of history and heated confrontations. While the Buckeyes have thoroughly decimated the Wolverines over the last ten years, Michigan’s win in 2021 en route to a College Football Playoff appearance has added fuel to the fire for this year’s showdown in Columbus.

You can always count on the most heated college football rivalry games to be competitive and exhilarating, particularly if postseason births are hanging in the balance. Certainly, one of these games will make a massive difference to the playoff landscape by year’s end.

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Last modified: September 13, 2022