Pairs of schools, colleges and universities, especially when they are close to each other either geographically or in their areas of specialization, often establish a college rivalry with each other over the years. This rivalry can extend to both academics and athletics, the latter being typically more well-known to the general public. These schools place an added emphasis on emerging victorious in any event that includes their rival. This may include the creation of a special trophy or other commemoration of the event. While many of these rivalries have arisen spontaneously, some have been created by college officials in efforts to sell more tickets and support their programs.
Australia
- University of Sydney and University of New South Wales
- University of Technology Sydney and University of Sydney
- Macquarie University and University of Western Sydney
- University of Melbourne and Monash University
- Macquarie University and University of New South Wales(School of economics and Finance)
Canada
- McGill University and Queen's University.
- See main article at Queen's-McGill rivalry. Historically, the two institutions have had intense rivalries in academics, football, hockey, and rowing.
- McGill University and Concordia University.
- McMaster University and Wilfrid Laurier University.
- University of Calgary and University of Alberta
- University of Western Ontario and University of Waterloo
- Dalhousie University and St.Mary's University
- Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia (Football, Shrum Bowl, Basketball, Buchanan Cup)
- University of Toronto and York University
- University of New Brunswick and Saint Thomas University
- Carleton University and University of Ottawa
- University College of the Fraser Valley and Trinity Western University
- Université Laval and Université de Montréal
- Ecole Polytechnique and École de technologie supérieure
China
France
Lycée Louis-le-Grand and Lycée Henri IV in Paris The "Critérium" of the Institut d'études politiques (IEP) is an annual multi-sport competition between the 9 IEPs. It is traditionally held on the last weekend of March with the host city changing every year. It is the occasion for the IEPs located in French regions to challenge the more prestigious IEP Paris (known as "Sciences Po"). A final opposing Paris to, for example, Lyon would see students from all over France cheering for Lyon, especially with the anthem "Province unie, tous contre Paris !" ("Province united, all against Paris !", the "province" being a somewhat pejorative term used to designate any place in France outside of Paris). The Paris students would respond by boasting their status as a Grande école and élite institution.
Ireland
University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin
India
- Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara and Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar
- Dharamsinh Desai Institute of Technology and Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology
- Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
- Nirma University of Science and Technology and L.D. College of Engineering
- St. Stephens College and Hindu College, University of Delhi
Italy
Japan
- Kyoto University and Tokyo University —dating back to 1869, the oldest in the country; primarily an academic rivalry since 1950s.
Tokyo Rivalries
- Keio University and Waseda University —known as Soukeisen, baseball and rugby football rivalry.
- Meiji University and Waseda University —known as Soumeisen, baseball and rugby football rivalry.
- Kanto Gakuin University and Waseda University —rugby football rivalry.
- Hosei University and Kanto Gakuin University —rugby football rivalry.
- Hosei University and Nihon University —American Football rivalry.
- Hosei University and Senshu University —American Football rivalry.
Kansai Rivalries
- Doshisha University and Ritsumeikan University —intracity baseball rivalry.
- Kansai University and Kwansei Gakuin University —baseball rivalry.
- Doshisha University and Kyoto Sangyo University —intracity rugby football rivalry.
- Kwansei Gakuin University and Kyoto University —American football rivalries.
- Kwansei Gakuin University and Ritsumeikan University —American football rivalries.
Malaysia
- Victoria Institution and St. John's Institution
- Kolej DPAH Abdillah and Kolej Tuanku Haji Bujang
Mexico
Netherlands
South Korea
Sri Lanka
- Royal College, Colombo and S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia, the Royal-Thomian annual cricket match.
Taiwan
Philippines
University Athletic Association of the Philippines
- Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University-Manila (Mother of All Rivalries)
— All UAAP sports, started in NCAA Men's Basketball. - Ateneo de Manila University and University of the Philippines, Diliman (The Battle of Katipunan)
— UAAP Men's Basketball. - Far Eastern University and University of the East (The Battle of the East)
— UAAP Men's Basketball - University of the Philippines, Diliman and University of Santo Tomas (The Cheerdance Rivals)
— UAAP Cheerdance Competition - De La Salle University-Manila and University of Santo Tomas
— UAAP Women's Volleyball, UAAP Men's Basketball
National Collegiate Athletic Association (Philippines)
- Current rivalries
- Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Mapúa Institute of Technology (The "New" Battle of Intramuros)
— NCAA Men's Basketball
— NCAA Cheerdance Competition - Colegio de San Juan de Letran and San Sebastian College - Recoletos (The Letran-Baste rivalry)
— NCAA Men's Basketball - De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and San Beda College
— NCAA Soccer
- Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Mapúa Institute of Technology (The "New" Battle of Intramuros)
- Old rivalries
- Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle College
— currently in UAAP Men's Basketball. - Ateneo de Manila University and San Beda College
— previously in NCAA Men's Basketball. - Ateneo de Manila and University of the Philippines, Manila (The Old Battle of Intramuros)
— previously in NCAA Men's Basketball - Colegio de San Juan de Letran and De La Salle College
— previously NCAA Men's Basketball - Mapúa Institute of Technology and San Beda College
— NCAA Juniors Basketball
- Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle College
Other leagues
- AMA Computer University and STI Colleges, NAASCU's cyber war.
Turkey
United Kingdom
- Oxford and Cambridge, dating back to the 13th century; see Oxbridge rivalry, the Boat Race, The Varsity Match and the Ice Hockey Varsity Match
- Colleges within each University are also known to nurture keen rivalries, such as that between Oriel College, Oxford and Pembroke College, Oxford centred around rowing, that between Exeter College, Oxford and Jesus College, Oxford, both being directly opposite each other on Turl Street, or that between Brasenose College, Oxford and Lincoln College, Oxford, 1 of 2 pairs of "semi-detached" colleges in Oxbridge - the other being Balliol College and Trinity College in Broad Street, Oxford. In Cambridge, rivalries exist between Trinity College, Cambridge and St Johns College, Cambridge, being the richest colleges of the university (Trinity the richer, with an endowment of about £700 million, more than 3 times that of St Johns). Rivalries have also been established between Colleges in Oxford and Cambridge, such as that between Robinson College, Cambridge and St Catherine's College, Oxford.
- London School of Economics and Saïd Business School, the annual LSE/SBS Challenge Cup
- Hatfield College and University College, Durham University
- Eton College and Harrow School, an annual cricket match held at Lord's Cricket Ground
- Stonyhurst College and Ampleforth College anuual cricket, rugby union matches and other sports. Stonyhurst is a Jesuit school and Ampleforth is a Benedictine school the rivalry probably originally came into being through the rivalry between the two roman catholic orders.
- York and Lancaster, the Roses Tournament, in honour of the War of the Roses between the Houses of York and Lancaster. The University of York also has a rivalry with York St John University
- Cardiff University and Swansea University, the Welsh Varsity
- King's College London and University College London
- Norwich School and Gresham's School
- Ampleforth College and Sedbergh School
- University of Bath and Loughborough University, the The Real Varsity Match
- Newcastle University and Northumbria University - The Stan Calvert Cup
- Stamford School and Uppingham School
- Warwick University and Coventry University
- University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moore's universityandLiverpool Hope University
- Glenalmond College and Strathallan School
United States
School rivalries are important in the United States, especially in intercollegiate sports. See Also List of trophies awarded in U.S. college football.
Art School Rivalries
- Savannah College of Art and Design and Academy of Art University, in strictly nonathletic fields (academics).
- Rhode Island School of Design and Cooper Union
- Parsons School of Design and Fashion Institute of Technology
America East Rivalries
Basketball is typically the hot-button sport in the America East conference, though most rivalries bridge across all sports. The most notable rivalries include:
- UAlbany and Binghamton University, also known as the I-88 Rivalry because of their geographic proximity.
- University of New Hampshire and University of Maine
Big Ten Rivalries
Universities in the Big Ten Conference in the Midwest have nearly as many rivalries as schools in the Southeast. In football, these rivalries are usually marked by traveling trophies, which are indicated in the list below:
- Indiana University and Michigan State University—The Old Brass Spittoon
- Michigan State University and Pennsylvania State University—The Land Grant Trophy
- Northwestern University and University of Illinois—Sweet Sioux Tomahawk
- Ohio State University and University of Illinois—The Illibuck (a statue of a turtle)
- Ohio State University and University of Michigan[1]—ESPN once called the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry the greatest sports rivalry of the 20th century[1]. According to legend, its history can be traced back to the Toledo War.
- Purdue University and Indiana University—The Old Oaken Bucket (football), The Crimson & Gold Cup (all sports), (see Indiana-Purdue rivalry)
- University of Illinois and Purdue University—The Purdue Cannon
- University of Iowa and University of Minnesota—Floyd of Rosedale (a bronze statue of a pig)
- University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin—Heartland Trophy (a bronze statue of a bull)
- University of Michigan and Michigan State University—Paul Bunyan Trophy
- University of Michigan and University of Minnesota—The Little Brown Jug
- University of Michigan and Pennsylvania State University—There is no trophy rivalry here, but the teams have been rivals since Penn State joined the Big Ten due to their similar football histories.
- University of Minnesota and Pennsylvania State University—Governor's Victory Bell
- University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin—Paul Bunyan's Axe This is the oldest and most played rivalry in the College Football Subdivision (NCAA Football Division 1A).[2]
Big 12 Rivalries
- Baylor University and Texas A&M University—College football's Battle on the Brazos.
- Iowa State University and University of Missouri—— Since 1959, the Telephone Trophy has been awarded to the annual winner of this football game.
- University of Kansas and Kansas State University—The Sunflower Showdown includes all athletic events between the two schools. The Governor's Cup is awarded to the victor of the football game.
- University of Kansas and University of Missouri—The Border War includes all athletic events between the two schools. The rivalry ostensibly traces its roots to the 1850s, when skirmishes – widely known as "border wars" – between the two states marked the beginning of the Civil War. See Jayhawkers for more information.
- University of Nebraska and University of Kansas—— A very old football rivalry (it's the nations 3rd oldest college football rivalry). Big Red has won 80% of the games played between the two universities Nevertheless, Kansas extracts some measure of blood when the two schools faceoff in basketball.
- University of Nebraska and University of Oklahoma— This rivalry was once one of the most storied rivalries in the history of college football, highlighted by the 1971 "Game of the Century" between #1 Nebraska and #2 Oklahoma.[2]
- University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University—The Bedlam Series encompasses all athletic contests between the two schools.
- University of Texas and Texas A&M University[1]—The Lone Star Showdown involves all athletic contests between the two schools.
- University of Texas and University of Oklahoma[1]—College football's Red River Shootout. The two teams play annually at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, with the fans of each side divided by the 50-yard (46 m) line. The "Golden Hat" trophy is awarded to the winner.
Other Texas Rivalries
These rivalries involve Texas schools that are not members of the Big 12 Conference. In two of these rivalries, both sides involved were members of the old Southwest Conference, which included four Texas schools in today's Big 12. The other rivalry involves an old SWC team against an Oklahoma rival.
- Rice University and University of Houston — Compete for the Bayou Bucket in both football and basketball
- Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University — College football's Battle for the Iron Skillet
- Rice University and University of Tulsa - Compete for the Williams Trophy
- Stephen F. Austin State University and Northwestern State University — football rivalry that plays for the largest trophy in college athletics; Chief Caddo, a large, 7.5ft tall 320 lb (150 kg) wooden Indian statue.
Colonial Athletic Association Rivalries
- University of Delaware and Villanova University. Football rivalry dates to 1895.
Northeast/Ivy League and Service Academy Rivalries
- Columbia University and Fordham University; New York City's Division I-AA football programs compete annually for the Liberty Cup
- Manhattan College and Fordham University; Primarily a basketball rivalry, between these two New York City catholic Schools. Also known as the Battle of the Bronx. Its 100th basketball game will be played November 28, 2007.
- Cornell University and Harvard University, primarily a men's ice hockey rivalry
- Cornell University and Hobart College— the oldest rivalry in college lacrosse. Cornell leads a 78-47-4 record in the all-time series.
- Cornell University and Princeton University— men's lacrosse rivalry dating to 1922; the two school have won at least a share of 42 Ivy League titles; Princeton holds a 35-30-2 advantage in the all-time series.
- Cornell University and University of Pennsylvania— football rivalry dating to 1893; for a time played on Thanksgiving; since 2000, the winner has been awarded the Trustees Cup.
- Harvard University and Yale University the season-ending football contest is simply called The Game, dating back to 1875.
- Lehigh University and Lafayette College have the most played U.S. College football rivalry, going back to 1884; as of 2006 The Rivalry has been played 142 times and every year since 1896. In addition, The Rivalry extends to all varsity sports through a separate annual trophy.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech), in pranks and academics
- Penn State University and Syracuse University; Penn State University and West Virginia University; Penn State University and University of Pittsburgh, Three heated northeastern football rivalries that are now played infrequently with Penn State joining the Big 10 Conference.
- Princeton University and Syracuse University— the two teams have clinched 14 NCAA men's lacrosse div. I champions in last two decades; two powerhouses ties NCAA div. I championship series, 2-2.
- Princeton University and University of Pennsylvania— (men's basketball, football). Either Penn or Princeton has won the Ivy League championship in men's basketball every year since 1989.
- Princeton University and Rutgers University, Despite their long-standing football rivalry dating back to the first intercollegiate football game in 1869, these two schools have not met on the gridiron since 1980. They continue to compete in every other sport.
- Rutgers University and University of Connecticut, a growing rivalry (especially in football) by the two Big East Conference schools.
- Rutgers University and Seton Hall University, a rivalry played out solely between the two institutions' men's basketball teams.
- United States Merchant Marine Academy and United States Coast Guard Academy— (football) in the Secretaries Cup.
- United States Military Academy (Army) and United States Naval Academy (Navy)[1]— (football) in the Army-Navy Game (itself part of the Commander in Chief's Trophy competition with the United States Air Force Academy (Air Force)
Notre Dame Rivalries
The University of Notre Dame has numerous football rivals, the most notable of which include:
- Boston College—A game between the only two Catholic colleges that have Division I-A football programs. They compete for the Ireland Trophy. The rivalry has also been dubbed "The Holy War"
- Michigan State University—a series that includes one of several "Games of the Century", the 1966 matchup that ended in a 10-10 tie. The teams play for the Megaphone Trophy.
- Northwestern University—a rivalry that had its heyday in the 1920s and 1930's and even featured a Shillelagh trophy much like the ones that go to the winner of the Notre Dame-USC and Notre Dame-Purdue games. This rivalry game has been played infrequently in recent years.
- Purdue University—The Shillelagh Trophy
- University of Miami—initially an easy win for the Irish, became a rivalry that was at its peak in the 80's and often held national title implications, until Notre Dame chose to end the series. See also: Catholics vs. Convicts.
- University of Michigan—a game between the two winningest college football programs of all time. This rivalry started when Michigan came to South Bend en route to Chicago and showed Notre Dame students how to play football. Michigan won the impromptu contest 8-0. This incident is considered the first football game for Notre Dame.
- United States Military Academy (Army)—a rivalry that used to be held almost every year in the 1940s and 1950's.
- United States Naval Academy (Navy)—an annual event that almost always results in a Notre Dame win, but is one of the longer-running series in college football and is always hard-fought on both sides.
- University of Pittsburgh—longtime rivals that share Big East conference affiliations (except in football). Many of Notre Dame's most famed talents such as Joe Montana, Lou Holtz and Johnny Lujack hail from Pittsburgh. The "public vs. private" aspect as well as always having opposing team members that have played with or against each other since grade school has given the contest a unique distinction of dividing neighborhoods or even families during a fall Saturday.
- University of Southern California[1]—Playing for the Jeweled Shillelagh, it is a game between two of the three teams with the most Heisman Trophies.
Pac-10 Rivalries
Each of the schools in the Pac-10 conference shares an official rivalry with its in-state rival (in fact, one is an intracity rivalry, and a second is within the same metropolitan area). There are some additional unofficial or non-conference rivalries (the most famous of which is the USC-Notre Dame rivalry), which can be found in other sections of this article.
- Arizona State University and University of Arizona— (football) for the Territorial Cup in the Duel in the Desert or to a lesser extent The Big Game. This is the rivalry with the oldest prize given as a reward to the victor of the game.[3]
- University of California (Cal) and Stanford University— in the Big Game (football) for The Stanford Axe. The 1982 incarnation of this matchup involved the celebrated ending known simply as “The Play.”
- University of Oregon and Oregon State University— (football) in the Civil War. This is the seventh longest rivalry game in college football history.
- University of Oregon and University of Washington— (football) an unofficial rivalry that has grown up between the two of the four programs in the Pacific Northwest
- Oregon State University and University of Washington— (football) similar to the Washington-Oregon rivalry, this game has become more important with Oregon State's recent resurgence in the college football world.
- University of Southern California (USC) and University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) (all sports) In (football): The Crosstown Showdown for the Victory Bell[1] (See UCLA-USC rivalry)
- University of Washington and Washington State University— (football) for the Apple Cup
- University of California, Berkeley (Cal) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (all sports) - The schools are the highest rated universities in the University of California system and compete in the biggest "intra-university" rivalry in the nation.
Southeastern Rivalries
Universities in the Southeastern U.S., including those in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Southeastern Conference, Southern Conference, and Sun Belt Conference, have perhaps the most complex jumble of rivalries, many associated with annual football games, and often with colorful nicknames:
- Sewanee: The University of the South and Rhodes College, The longest running (continuously played) college football rivalry in the South, starting in 1899. Since 1954 the winner of this game has been awarded the Orgill Trophy.
- University of Alabama and Auburn University[1]—the “Iron Bowl,” formerly played in Birmingham, Alabama, but now played alternately in Tuscaloosa and Auburn
- College of William & Mary and University of Richmond— known as the "Oldest Rivalry in the South"[3], this is the fourth oldest rivalry in college football, with the Tribe first battling the Spiders in 1890. The Tribe is up all-time, 59-52-5
- University of Alabama and University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) — a one-sided football rivalry, dominated by Alabama.
- University of Alabama and University of Tennessee— The "Third Saturday in October" game. An already heated rivalry hit fever pitch after Alabama went on NCAA probation in the early 2000s for recruiting violations reported by Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer.
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and University of Memphis— the "Battle for the Bones"
- Alabama State University and Alabama A&M University — "The Magic City Classic", played annually in Birmingham. ASU also has a long running rivalry with nearby Tuskegee University, "The Turkey Bowl" played each Thanksgiving Day.
- University of Arkansas and Louisiana State University — the "Golden Boot" game. This game is played on the Friday after Thanksgiving
- Auburn University and University of Georgia — "The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry"
- Auburn University and Louisiana State University (LSU) — budding SEC Western division rivalry
- Auburn University and University of Florida — historically one of the Southeastern Conference's longest rivalries, these SEC opponents were removed from annual competition during the 2002 scheduling decision to reduce permanent division opponents to one team. Auburn continued to play Georgia, while Florida kept LSU, much to the chagrin of older fans.
- Belmont University and Lipscomb University — two colleges in Nashville, Tennessee separated by 3 miles (5 km) of the same road; their basketball rivalry is known as the Battle of the Boulevard
- Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University — the two MEAC schools compete annually in football in the Florida Classic.
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte) and Davidson College, the only two Division I schools in North Carolina's most populous county, Mecklenburg County, compete each year in basketball for the Hornet's Nest Trophy.
- The Citadel and Virginia Military Institute— (football)The Military Classic of the South "The battle for the Silver Shako."
- Clemson University and University of South Carolina— this in-state rivalry has political and cultural origins and is one of the oldest rivalries in the South. See Carolina-Clemson Rivalry and South Carolina-Clemson brawl.
- Clemson University and Florida State University — The annual football matchup between the two schools has been known in recent years as the Bowden Bowl because Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden is the son of longtime Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden.
- Clemson University and University of Georgia — A rivalry between nearby schools that had national title implications in the early 1980s, but has been played less often since the SEC went to an eight-game conference schedule.
- Clemson University and North Carolina State University — The Textile Bowl.
- Duke University and University of North Carolina — The two schools are only 8 miles (13 km) apart; the football teams play for the Victory Bell, which the winning team paints in their school's shade of blue. The basketball rivalry is one of the most high-profile in all of sports (see Duke-UNC rivalry).
- East Carolina University and North Carolina State University — Two of the largest universities in the state of North Carolina. The football series between these schools was temporarily discontinued in 1987 after ECU played the game at NCSU's home field for 18 consecutive seasons. At the time, almost all of the attendance records for NCSU's Carter-Finley Stadium were set by games between the Wolfpack and Pirates. East Carolina offered to extend the contract on the condition some future games be played at the Pirates' home field. NCSU refused and contract negotiations were at an impasse. With the series set to potentially expire, East Carolina fans celebrated the 1987 victory by tearing down the NCSU's goal posts. A post-game altercation ensued between some fans on the field. NCSU privately attempted to renew the series despite the post-game incident, but ECU rejected the offer since it did not include any games in Greenville, NC. The series was canceled, which NCSU attributed to the poor behavior of ECU fans at the 1987 game. The rivalry resumed when both teams were invited to the Peach Bowl played on January 1, 1992. In an exciting game, East Carolina overcame a 17-point deficit in the 4th quarter to defeat NCSU 34-31. The financial success of the Peach Bowl spurred members of the North Carolina legislature to pressure both schools to resume the regular season football series with games to be played at both teams' home stadiums and neutral locations in North Carolina such as the stadium used by the NFL's Carolina Panthers in Charlotte. East Carolina defeated NC State 50-29 in the first game of the revived rivalry on November 30, 1996, in Charlotte, NC.
- Elon University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro — A long-standing Southern Conference rivalry that was recently dubbed "The Faceoff on 40: The Fight and Fire Classic" due to the schools' proximity and situation along Interstate 40.
- Florida International University (FIU) and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) — A Miami-area rivalry that plays itself out annually in football's Shula Bowl and conference basketball games.
- Florida State University and University of Florida[1]—Has lost some of its luster since Steve Spurrier exited the rivalry for other coaching ventures. In the mid-1990s, this game almost always had national championship implications.
- Grambling State University and Southern University — The Bayou Classic in football is the most famous HBCU rivalry, and the only such matchup televised annually by one of the country's four major over-the-air television networks.
- North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina
- University of Maryland and North Carolina State University-- Rivalry has increased in football during recent years. 2003 defeat of NCSU while in the road resulted in Maryland players being pelted by bottles and trash following the game.
- University of Florida and University of Georgia[1]—"The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" in Jacksonville, Florida
- University of Florida and University of Tennessee — the Third Week of September game
- University of Georgia and Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)— Described as "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" by author Bill Cromartie.
- University of Kentucky and University of Louisville — the "Governor's Cup (Battle for the Bluegrass)" game in football, but even more significant as a basketball rivalry known as the Battle for the Bluegrass. See Kentucky-Louisville rivalry.
- University of Kentucky and Indiana University, locally significant in football and nationally important in basketball sometimes referred to in football as the Bourbon Barrel Trophy.
- University of Kentucky and University of Tennessee — Largely a non competitive border war, UT historically dominates in football and UK in men's basketball. In addition to the important ball games, blood banks in the home cities of each university (Lexington, Kentucky and Knoxville, Tennessee) compete to see who can raise the most units of blood. This is known informally as the Blue-Orange Crush.
- Louisiana State University (LSU) and University of Mississippi ("Ole Miss")
- Louisiana State University (LSU) and Tulane University — the "Battle for the Rag"
- University of Louisville and University of Cincinnati — long running rivalry known as the battle for the "Keg of Nails"
- University of Louisville and West Virginia University - the Louisville-West Virginia rivalry is a newer rivalry in the Big East
- Marshall University and Ohio University — (football) the Battle for the Bell
- Marshall University and West Virginia University — Also known as the Friends of Coal Bowl; due to the vast mining industry in the state of West Virginia
- University of Maryland and West Virginia University
- University of Memphis and University of Southern Mississippi--The Black and Blue Bowl
- University of Miami and Florida State University[1] -- Since the 1980s, the match-up has often held national championship implications. See Wide Right.
- University of Miami and University of Florida -- Formerly played for The Seminole War Canoe Trophy. The Gators dropped the series due to the addition of an extra conference game, and have not beaten Miami since 1985. Since then, only Miami has won the Florida Cup with wins over the Gators and FSU in the same season through sporadic regular season and bowl meetings.
- University of Mississippi ("Ole Miss") and Mississippi State University--the "Egg Bowl"
- University of North Carolina and University of Virginia--"The South's Oldest Rivalry"
- University of North Carolina and Wake Forest University
- North Carolina A&T State University and North Carolina Central University--the "Aggie-Eagle Classic" was an annual, interdivisional HBCU football until 2005.
- North Carolina A&T State University and Winston-Salem State University--the rivalry between the two Piedmont Triad HBCUs has escalated with WSSU's transition to Division I athletics and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference of which NC A&T is a member.
- Northwestern State University and Stephen F. Austin State University— a heated Southland Conference rivalry, with the winner receiving the largest trophy in all of college football, Chief Caddo.
- University of Tennessee and University of Connecticut (UConn)-- a nationally important rivalry in women's basketball (see UConn-Tennessee rivalry)
- University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt University - General Robert Neyland, the coach who brought a winning tradition to the University of Tennessee, was originally brought in to "beat Vandy", as Vanderbilt dominated the series in the early part of last century. In 2005, Vanderbilt beat the University of Tennessee for the first time in over two decades - one of the then-longest streaks in the NCAA.
- University of Virginia and Virginia Tech (see Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry) -- they play for the Commonwealth Cup in football
- Virginia Tech and West Virginia University-- College football game played annually for the Black Diamond Trophy. Due to Virginia Tech's move to the ACC, this rivalry may lie dormant for the time being.
- Virginia Tech and Radford University-- The rivalry is heated for every sport in which the two New River Valley schools compete, but in soccer one of the largest trophies in the nation is contested when they play annually for "The New River Rock".
- North Carolina State University and Wake Forest University- oldest ACC Basketball rivalry with over 225 played games
- Washington College and Salisbury University— a storied Division III men's lacrosse rivalry, highlighted by the annual "War on the Shore" for the Charles B. Clark Cup, played alternately in Chestertown, MD, (home of Washington College) and Salisbury, MD. The 2006 War on the Shore was held at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The rivalry is also present to a lesser extent in all sports, as the two schools are the only Division III institutions on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Western Rivalries
- University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University— Long standing, fierce rivalry, due to both schools being tier-1 schools and close proximity.
- The College of Idaho and Northwest Nazarene University— A long-standing basketball rivalry, as well as an extensive history of student pranks.
- Boise State University and University of Idaho— (all sports)
- University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Alaska Fairbanks— (Ice Hockey) for the Governor's Cup.
- University of California, Davis and California State University, Sacramento in the Causeway Classic (football) for the Causeway Carriage
- University of Colorado and Colorado State University—College football's Rocky Mountain Showdown
- Colorado State University and United States Air Force Academy for the Ram-Falcon Trophy
- University of Denver and Colorado College— (Ice Hockey) for the Gold Pan
- Gonzaga University and Eastern Washington University — A longtime men's basketball rivalry, but much less competitive since the rise of Gonzaga's program to national prominence in the early 2000s
- Gonzaga University and University of Washington — an emerging men's basketball rivalry, though it will be dormant after the 2006-07 season
- Gonzaga University and Washington State University — also an emerging men's basketball rivalry
- University of Hawaii and California State University, Fresno (Fresno State)— (all sports)
- University of Idaho and Washington State University — Known as the Battle of the Palouse
- University of Idaho and The University of Montana for the Little Brown Stein
- The University of Montana and Eastern Washington University— (all sports)
- The University of Montana and Montana State University — Brawl of the Wild
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and University of Nevada—in the Battle for Nevada (football) for the Fremont Cannon
- University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University— San Francisco Bay Area Jesuit universities; primarily a basketball rivalry
- San Jose State University and California State University, Fresno (Fresno State)] — very even rivalry in both football and basketball for over 70 years.
- San Jose State University and Stanford University — close proximity in the Silicon Valley lead to a natural rivalry
- Santa Clara University and Saint Mary's College of California—formerly a football rivalry, now a basketball rivalry
- Santa Clara University and San Jose State University— working man's university versus the local rich school; primarily a basketball rivalry.
- University of Utah and Utah State University— (basketball and American football, The battle of the brothers)
- University of Utah and Brigham Young University— (all sports: see Utah-BYU rivalry). The "Holy War" or "Church vs. State" (football) for the Beehive Boot.
- University of Wyoming and Colorado State University— (football) the Border War for the Bronze Boot
- University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University— (all sports) Rio Grande Rivalry
- University of Hawaiʻi and Brigham Young University— (football and Volleyball)
- University of Texas at El Paso and New Mexico State University—The Battle of I-10
Northeastern Rivalries
- See also Big East Conference#Rivalries
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ("RPI") and Union College — (football) for the Dutchman's Shoes — the oldest college football rivalry in New York state
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Clarkson University (ice hockey)
- St. Lawrence University and Clarkson University (ice hockey)
- University at Albany (SUNY Albany) and Binghamton University (most sports, especially basketball)
- Bloomsburg University and East Stroudsburg University—Division 2 football
- Lehigh University and Lafayette College most played and longest uninterrupted rivalry in college football: as of 2005, 141 matchups, and played at least once every year since 1897. See The Rivalry.
- Amherst College and Williams College known as "The Biggest Little Game in America"
- Colby College, Bates College and Bowdoin College one of New England's oldest rivalries, dating to 1889.
- University of Connecticut and Villanova University
- Haverford College and Swarthmore College winner of the most games against each other receives Hood Trophy.
- SUNY Cortland and Ithaca College (football) for the Cortaca Jug
- University of New Hampshire and University of Maine two of the leading NCAA ice hockey powerhouses & season ending football rivalry game for the Brice-Cowell Musket
- Boston University and Boston College (primarily ice hockey but other sports and competitions now included) At one time known as the Green Line Rivalry, also known as the Battle of the Commonwealth and Battle of Commonwealth Avenue
- Syracuse University and Georgetown University traditional basketball rivals, dating to pre-Big East
- St. John Fisher College and Nazareth College East Avenue rivals in Pittsford, New York
- The Beanpot— a college ice hockey tournament involving four Boston-area schools:
- Philadelphia Big 5—annual basketball series involving Philadelphia area teams:
- Buffalo Big 4 Basketball
Midwest Rivalries
- See also Big East Conference#Rivalries
- Michigan
- Western Michigan University and Central Michigan University — often cited as the greatest rivalries in American collegiate football among the mid-majors.
- Eastern Michigan University, Central Michigan University, and Western Michigan University — Intrastate rivalry. Winner of head-to-head round-robin receives the Michigan MAC Trophy for football and men's basketball
- Calvin-Hope rivalry — Notable Division III basketball rivalry
- Hope College and Kalamazoo College — The Wooden Shoe Rivalry
- Nebraska
- Creighton University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln — Battle between the only two Division I schools in the state of Nebraska. This rivalry is exacerbated by the fact that one is a private and Catholic school and the other is the primary public university in the state. Also, Omaha and Lincoln represent the two largest cities in Nebraska, separated by only roughly 50 miles (80 km). Primarily a basketball rivalry, although baseball has become a heated sport of contention within the last ten years.
- University of Nebraska-Kearney and University of Nebraska-Omaha— Mostly a football and Wrestling rivalry. Both schools are almost always in the top five in Division II Wrestling. The football teams play for the Nebraska Bell a trophy that was introduced to the Football rivalry in 2002. Omaha has the series 25-8 over Kearney.
- Ohio
- Central State University and Wilberforce University
- Kent State University and University of Akron — Battle for the Wagon Wheel
- Miami University and University of Cincinnati — Football rivalry for the Victory Bell; oldest west of the Allegheny Mountains, since 1888
- Miami University and Ohio University — "Battle of the Bricks" all-sports rivalry
- University of Cincinnati and Xavier University — Two schools located 3 miles (4.8 km) apart from each other, one public, the other Catholic, makes for a vicious college basketball rivalry. The game is known as the Crosstown Shootout
- University of Dayton and Xavier University — Two Catholic schools in southwest Ohio, both members of the Atlantic 10, battle in basketball for the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy
- University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University — Known as the "Battle of I-75"; winner gets the Peace Pipe
- Wright State University and University of Dayton
- Ohio and Indiana
- Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania State University — Traditional football rivals, but the teams have not played each other in a few years and are not currently scheduled to play each other in the future
- University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University — College football's Backyard Brawl
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Slippery Rock University
- Cheyney University and Lincoln University— The two oldest black colleges or HBCU in America. The schools compete in everything athletic or academic. Two teams compete annually in the heated thanksgiving weekend Basketball game. The reinstatement of Lincoln's football program will add more fire to the rivalry.
- Iowa
- Iowa State University Cyclones and University of Iowa Hawkeyes — This bitter intrastate rivalry is played out in nearly every sport. In football the two teams compete annually for the Cy-Hawk Trophy.
- Iowa and Nebraska
- Drake University Bulldogs and Creighton University Jays - Missouri Valley Conference Rivals in basketball and soccer
- Illinois and Missouri
- University of Illinois and University of Missouri — College basketball's "Braggin' Rights" game
- Illinois only
- Bradley University and Illinois State University — College basketball's War on 74
- Missouri only
- Northwest Missouri State University and Truman State University — The Old Hickory Stick, which dates back to 1930 and is the oldest rivalry in NCAA Division II football.
- Indiana
- Wabash College and DePauw University — College football's Monon Bell Classic
- South Dakota and North Dakota
- South Dakota State University and North Dakota State University — These two interstate rivals play for the Dakota Marker, markers were placed along the ND/SD border after they were split apart in 1889. The Dakota Marker rivalry was announced after both teams entered Division I sports in 2004, playing the first Dakota Marker Game.
- Wisconsin
- Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Madison — There is an annual showdown between these college basketball rivals.
HBCU Rivalries
- Cheyney University and Lincoln University— The two oldest black colleges, or HBCUs, in America, both located in Pennsylvania and also two of the few such schools outside the South. The schools compete in everything athletic or academic. Men's and women's teams compete annually in the heated thanksgiving weekend basketball games. The reinstatement of Lincoln's football program will add more fire to the rivalry.
- Central State University and Wilberforce University — Like Cheyney and Lincoln, these are also rare examples of HBCUs outside the South. Both are in Ohio.
- North Carolina A&T State University and North Carolina Central University--the "Aggie-Eagle Classic" was an annual, interdivisional HBCU football until 2005.
- North Carolina A&T State University and Winston-Salem State University--the rivalry between the two Piedmont Triad HBCUs has escalated with WSSU's transition to Division I athletics and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference of which NC A&T is a member
- Grambling State University and Southern University — The Bayou Classic in football is the most famous HBCU rivalry, and the only such matchup televised annually by one of the country's four major over-the-air television networks.
- Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University — the two MEAC schools compete annually in football in the Florida Classic.
Religious Schools
- Messiah College and Wheaton College — These Christian Schools compete frequently for the top Christian as well as Division 3 Soccer Team.
Chess Rivalries
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County and University of Texas, Dallas--two of the winningest programs in collegiate chess
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Fiutak, Pete (November 17, 2006). The Ten Greatest College Football Rivalries. College Football News. Retrieved on 2007-12-03.
- ^ http://www.cstv.com/teams/m-footbl/scoreboards/big10/20061014_game_preview_wis.html, http://www.cnn.com/2006/SPORT/11/16/insider.football/index.html
- ^ Knauer, Tom. "What is the Territorial Cup?", The Wildcat Online, 2006-11-22. Retrieved on 2007-04-02.
