Three Underrated College Football Rivalries That Deserve More Love
These are deep cuts, but they still have the same intensity as the hit-singles.
It's officially rivalry week in college football, which means we will get to see some of the best and most hated matchups the sport has to offer.
We all know the big name games, but for every Iron Bowl or "The Game," there are other, less heralded rivalries that deserve plenty of love.
Here are three of my favorite, lesser known rivalries that are sure to get you in the mood for all the hate-filled college football you'll be seeing this Thanksgiving weekend.
The Egg Bowl — Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss
The SEC has so many fantastic rivalries, it's easy to forget about the two teams from the Magnolia State.
When Ole Miss and Mississippi State meet on the field every Thanksgiving weekend, the two teams make it quite clear they can't stand each other.
The intensity has really ratcheted up over the past decade plus, with both teams ruining each others' season on more than one occasion.
Take 2014, for instance, when the Bulldogs spoiled a playoff berth for the top-five Rebels, or when Ole Miss returned the favor three years later and ruined Mississippi State's bid at a ten-win season, something that doesn't happen all too often in Starkville.
The best moment, though, came in 2019, when Ole Miss lost on a missed extra point thanks to receiver Elijah Moore's "dog piss" celebration.
Truly iconic!
The Backyard Brawl – Pitt vs. West Virginia
This one may not be played the last weekend of the season anymore, and these two teams aren't even in each other's conference as of right now, but Pitt and West Virginia absolutely despise each other, and that alone makes for a great college football rivalry.
I didn't realize how heated this rivalry was until I married my wife, whose family is from the Pittsburgh area.
While most of them are big Pitt Panthers fans, their hatred runs deeper than football, as they can't stand the entire state of West Virginia.
Now THAT'S a rivalry!
This game dates to 1895, and although there have been many classic showdowns, the greatest Backyard Brawl to ever occur was in 2007, where a 28-point underdog Panthers team knocked second-ranked West Virginia out of the BCS National Championship Game.
I get chills just thinking about it, as it punctuated what was already one of the wildest seasons in college football history.
The Governor's Cup — Kentucky vs. Louisville
Basketball schools? Hardly!
If you ever watch these two teams play each other on the last week of the season, you wouldn't be able to tell football was a secondary sport for either university.
Separated by less than 80 miles, the vitriol and venom that is spewed between these two programs is a sight to behold, but the quality of play is stellar as well.
The underdog seems to really relish playing spoiler to the heavily favored team, such as in 2016 or 2023, when an unranked Kentucky team spoiled Louisville's bid to end the season as a top-ten team.
The amount of talent that has been on display in this rivalry has been staggering as well, featuring notable QBs like Tim Couch, Andre Ware, Lamar Jackson, and Will Levis, just to name a few.
When you're trying to decide what to watch this weekend, don't let the Cardinals' or Wildcats' records turn you off, because this game is always appointment TV.