Top-Ten College Sports Rivalries

This has been a long time coming. Not just this rivalry column, but me making history once more. I am glad to be one of the few that has made it this far. So for my 200th article, I have made the college-rivalry rankings the primetime spectacle that it is.

 
#10) Missouri-Kansas (Border Showdown)

#9) Florida State-Florida (Battle for Governor's Cup)

#8) Colorado-Nebraska (Rocky Mountain Melee)

#7) Florida State-Miami

#6) UConn-Tennessee (Women's basketball)

#5) Duke-North Carolina

The only reason that this is a Top five and not a bottom five is because of the girl that cried during the first meeting this season. For years, we watched Coach K and Dean Smith butt heads during ACC Conference play. The players have changed since then. Bobby Hurley and Eric Montross are long gone, but Tyler Hansbrough has done more than enough to make people take notice of UNC. 

Dean Smith has long retired, but the infamous Roy Williams has tried everything in his power to keep the legacy that Smith started. Williams has brought glory to the Tar Heels, but in the end, as long as his Heels beat the Blue Devils, everything is right Tar Heel-ia.

#4) Texas-Oklahoma

In the Big 12 Conference, there are many teams vying for the top spot in the conference. But there has always been Texas and Oklahoma. From Vince Young to Chris Simms to Sam Bradford, the Longhorns and Sooners have battled for pride, respect, and of course, bragging rights.

The Big 12 Champions has been between these two for quite some time. Even without Vince Young saving their asses (Rose Bowl against USC), Texas has found a way to keep winning. Even with a concussion, Sam Bradford has proved that he is just as tough as he is good.

Nothing is better than watching these two colossals battling it out every season. But nothing is better than watching them battle for a shot at being the Big 12 Champs.

#3) USC-UCLA (Victory Bell Trophy)

The Trojans have had a pretty jacked up few years. Last season, they were one win away from a national championship game against Ohio State. Then came UCLA. They thought that it would be an easy ride all the way to Arizona. Then came UCLA. They had a shot at infamy once more.

Instead of Texas, UCLA showed up.

The Trojans and Bruins lock horns every season, and every year, the Bruins find a new and exciting way to get under the skin of Pete Carroll. And most likely for the rest of time, these two will duke it out for the Pac-10 Championship.

#2) Alabama-Auburn (Iron Bowl)

One thing I have noticed throughout this entire situation is that there are some die-hard Alabama-Auburn fans out there. I have attended a few of these games, and almost every time, there are three sets of ambulances. The first one is for the players. The second is for the fans. And the third is for whoever is left after the melee.

Though the battle in Carolina and Georgia have the titles of "Good Ol' Fashion Hate," the Iron Bowl has alot of fire as well.

With Nick Saban returning for his second season as coach, Alabama could be the front-runners now that LSU is having issues with their quarterback, who is gone for smoking pot. 

Even with all the votes for this one, only one rivalry brought out the masses...

#1) Michigan Wolverines-Ohio State Buckeyes

The Wolverines and Buckeyes battle it out every year at the end of the season, and every year, the teams' fanbase goes nuts. I mean, have you ever seen a rivalry that makes the fans lose sleep and blood flow this frequently? Can it get any more interesting than that?

Of course it can, and it will. Ever since the Wolverines got supposedly "snuffed," for the BCS Championship Game, the rivalry has been taking more twists than Kim Kardashian's home movie. With Michigan and Ohio State always leaving the Big Ten faithful breathless, it's no surprise that the SEC and Big Ten always trash talk each other after that second week of January.

And with the acquisition of a Michigan tackle to the Buckeyes lineup, this thing can only get bigger and better.  

In any event, whether it's fans screaming "GO BLUE!" or "GOD LOVES THE BUCKEYES!" the biggest Big-Ten showdown, and one of the biggest rivalries in the country, is worthy of the No. 1 ranking.

Honorable Mentions

Michigan Tech-Northern Michigan

Commander-in-Chief Showdown (Army, Navy, Air Force)

Colorado-Colorado State

BYU-Utah

Georgia-Georgia Tech

Clemson-South Carolina

Florida-Kentucky

Florida-Tennessee

Texas-Texas A&M

Syracuse-Villanova

Tennessee-Alabama 

Kansas-Kansas State

LSU-Florida 

SEC Fans-Big Ten Fans 

That's the list. That's the cut. That's my record breaking article. I like 'dem apples! How bout you?