College Basketball: The Top 25's Most-Hated Opponents

College basketball is full of rivalries. There are bitter in-state battles, conference clashes and seemingly-unrelated teams with yearly hate-fests.

Some teams in the Top 25 have not been truly tested yet this season. For most, the biggest games of the young season are rivalry games against their most-hated opponents.

Due to the impending conference realignment, many of these rivalry games will soon be discontinued. 

In honor of the games that will be and the games that might be no more, here is a list of the most-hated opponent of each Top 25 college basketball team.

*AP Poll is used for rankings.

Syracuse

The Syracuse Orange and Georgetown Hoyas are constantly two of the top teams in the Big East.

Their yearly battles often decide the best team in the conference, so it stands to reason that they are not fond of one another.

Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara are just a few of the great players that have taken part in this series. Every one is fiercely competitive and has great school pride. 

Yet again this season, Syracuse and Georgetown are two of the best teams in the Big East. With Syracuse bolting for the ACC next season, it could be one of the last games between the two schools, which only increases the stakes.

Ohio State

One conference rivalry that does not get much attention is the Ohio State Buckeyes versus the Michigan State Spartans.

In the past few seasons, the rivalry has intensified to animosity, as there has not been much other competition in the Big 10.

Recently, Jared Sullinger and Draymond Green have headlined the matchup. The two teams both play a typical Big 10 style of basketball highlighted by physical, grinding post play.

Such a tough style lends itself to increased intensity that always has feelings heightened.

Every time the two teams meet, tempers could flare.

Kentucky Versus Louisville

Both teams are in the Top 25 and neither has a bigger rival. The annual Kentucky Wildcats versus Louisville Cardinals game is the most anticipated matchup in the state.

The teams are battling for state supremacy and fans are eager for bragging rights. 

Emotions often run high in the series. Just two years ago, there were technical fouls called before the game was 10 minutes old.

The rivalry has only become more heated in recent years—as now the opposing coaches don’t even like one another. 

John Calipari and Rick Pitino have both done a very good job of tactfully avoiding talking about the other by name—but their dislike for one another is obvious.

The trash talking begins early and the bragging does not end until the next game. In Kentucky, the UK-Louisville competition rivals UNC-Duke for the most heated in the country.

North Carolina Versus Duke

Again, both teams rank in the Top 25 and neither hates another enemy as much as one another.

The North Carolina Tar Heels versus the Duke Blue Devils is the best rivalry in all of college basketball.

The programs have such a rich history that their fans extend far beyond the state of North Carolina. People all over the country eagerly await the game.

Both teams have intense fan bases, making the atmosphere during the game just as crazy as the anticipation beforehand. The stands are packed and the noise does not stop for the entire 40 minutes.

Cementing the rivalry even further, North Carolina and Duke are continually the top two teams in the ACC, giving their games an added ferocity.

Conference championships, No. 1 NCAA Tournament seeds and statewide bragging rights are on the line. What more does one game need?

Baylor

The Baylor Bears have just recently become a fixture in the Top 25. The squad is still establishing rivalries based on their new position. 

But don't forget about the Texas A&M Aggies, Baylor's long-time rival. Known as the Battle of the Brazos, their annual tilt pits two schools that are separated by a mere 90 miles and one river against one another.

The teams have competed since the beginning of the Southwest Conference in 1914. Both have improved in recent years and their games have gained importance.

Since Texas A&M is joining the SEC next season, one question that surrounds the program is whether or not the team will continue its game against in-state rival Baylor.

Missouri

This season, the Missouri Tigers’ most heated rivalry has gained steam. Missouri is undefeated and ranked in the Top 10.

Their most hated opponent, the Kansas Jayhawks, are challenging Missouri’s place atop the Big 12. 

The rivalry between the two states dates back to the Civil War, in which Missouri tried to influence Kansas’ decision to enter the Union. The states' premier college basketball teams reflect that ancient rivalry.

Missouri has not spent much time among college basketball’s elite, but they have always been able to challenge Kansas, no matter the two teams’ rankings. This season, even more will be at stake.

Connecticut

The Big East is one of the best conferences in the country and so it makes sense that the conference is home to many of the most intense matchups in the country.

The Connecticut Huskies versus the Villanova Wildcats is certainly is no different. Both teams are often in the Top 25 and both have dynamic and very skilled players. 

In the 2005-06 season, the teams played twice and both were ranked in the top four in the country. The squads split their matchups, fueling the rivalry.

Every game between Connecticut and Villanova is intense and a fight to the final buzzer. 

Florida

The University of Florida consistently has one of the top teams in the SEC. Their main opposition? The University of Kentucky Wildcats.

Every season, Florida gets up for their game against Kentucky because they want to cement their place atop the conference standings.

For most of their time in the SEC, the Gators have played second fiddle to the Wildcats. Their mission each season has been to reverse that perception. 

It didn’t help matters that Florida lost talented, homegrown recruit Brandon Knight to Kentucky last year. Knight led Kentucky to the Final Four and was picked in the first round of the NBA Draft.

The Gators' biggest game each season is against Kentucky. It not only decides the SEC race, it also helps Florida measure up against one of the most storied teams in college basketball history.

Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin Badgers are first and foremost a football school. That does not stop the team from maintaining its fair share of basketball rivalries.

Wisconsin’s yearly matchups with the Marquette Golden Eagles are highly-anticipated, highly-contested affairs.

In the past 10 years, both teams have firmly established themselves as great programs.

While many Marquette basketball fans consider themselves Wisconsin football fans, their loyalties are sharply divided during basketball season.

The games are intense and the two schools are bitter rivals.

Georgetown

The Georgetown Hoyas may have a date with the Syracuse Orange circled on their calendars each year. But their biggest rival at this point in the season? The Chinese national team.

Everyone remembers the brawl over the summer. It is not a stretch to think that the Hoyas (and, most likely, the Chinese) are hungry for a rematch. 

What better break for Georgetown from the grinding Big East season than a nice trip to China to face off with one of its most heated opponents?

Indiana

One of the biggest rivalries in college sports used to be the Indiana Hoosiers versus the Kentucky Wildcats.

Coaches Bobby Knight and Rick Pitino were two of the best in the game. Their teams were always prepared, tough and up for the game.

In recent years, Indiana basketball hit a bump in the road and fell off the national map. However, this season the rivalry is renewed as Indiana has retained its spot among the Top 25.

When Kentucky came to town, Assembly Hall was rocking. Students were screaming and jumping. Having talked trash for weeks before the game, they were more than ready for the actual game. 

A buzzer-beating three point shot was the perfect way to cap off an intense game. Indiana clearly came ready for physical play. 

As the Hoosiers have placed themselves back among the top teams in the country, the rivalry will only grow stronger in future years.

Marquette

The Marquette Golden Eagles have a number of newly established rivalries in the Big East.

Perhaps their most hated opponent is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Both schools recently developed strong basketball programs.

The two have very different styles, as Marquette boasts a quicker, more talented team that faces off against more methodical, physical Notre Dame teams.

The squads have had a number of intense matchups in recent years as they play for their ranking in the conference and a seed in the NCAA Tournament. 

Mississippi State

Not only do the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels fight for state supremacy, they also compete in the same conference.

Meetings between the two teams are emotionally charged.

Recruits often choose between the schools and their games can decide which team has the edge in talent and skill. 

Michigan State

The Michigan State Spartans enjoyed a brief spell in which they were clearly the superior team in the state of Michigan. That time has ended. 

Michigan State now must fight off the newly-elite Michigan Wolverines to prove that they are still the best team in their home state. 

Matchups between the two teams have recently been close games and the tension between the teams is obvious.

Kansas

In another battle for in-state supremacy, the Kansas State Wildcats lately have been giving the historically-dominant Kansas Jayhawks a run for their money.

The Kansas-Kansas State game is always highly charged. The fans are crazy, players are amped and the games are sure not to disappoint.

Kansas State has pulled off a number of upsets against their rival and the Jayhawks are eager to prove that they are still the best team.

UNLV

The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels have been a traditional basketball powerhouse trapped in a small conference. But they still have rivalry games.

One of their most hated opponents are the Nevada Wolfpack. Each year, the squads face off to determine the state's best team.

Players involved in the rivalry love to trash talk before the game and the physical play each year backs up their chatter beforehand.

Murray State

One of the newest members of the Top 25, the Murray State Racers do not have traditional rivalries.

Instead, their biggest games are against the Austin Peay Governors. The two teams have each enjoyed unprecedented success lately with both making appearances in the NCAA Tournament. 

The teams compete each year for the Ohio Valley Conference Title. The schools are a mere 60 miles apart and the competitions each year are incredibly intense. 

The rivalry has become one of the best in the nation as both teams are often playing for a spot in the Big Dance and a conference championship.

Creighton

Much like Murray State, the Creighton Blue Jays have recently established themselves as a very good team outside of the major conferences.

Because of that, Creighton’s most hated rival is their biggest competition in the Missouri Valley Conference—the Wichita State Shockers. 

The two teams have had a number of close games in recent years. The outcomes are often extremely close and the competition is always intense.

The team that wins the rivalry game and goes to the NCAA Tournament is, more often than not, a favorite for a first round upset. 

Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Panthers are a tough, hard-nosed team in a great conference.

Unsurprisingly, their most intense rivalry is against a very similar team—the West Virginia Mountaineers. 

Games between the two teams are always very physical affairs where tempers can flare at any time. 

The game is known as the Backyard Brawl and brawl is not an overstatement. It is the oldest and most bitter rivalry in the Big East.

Virginia

In the ACC, the Virginia Cavaliers have enjoyed great success in some years. In others, however, they have been among the worst teams in the conference.

One of their fiercest competitors are the in-state Virginia Tech Hokies.

Even if Virginia isn’t having a great season, beating Virginia Tech can turn a disappointment into a success. The team is always up for the Hokies and the games are always a battle.

Harvard

There is absolutely no question that the Harvard Crimson’s most hated rival is the Princeton Tigers.

Both routinely compete for Ivy League supremacy—both in athletics and academics.

Last season, Princeton beat Harvard with a brutal buzzer-beater to win the one-game tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament.

This season, Harvard is ranked in the Top 25 and hopes to put last year’s lost to Princeton behind them.

San Diego State

The San Diego State Aztecs cemented their biggest rivalry last season in three games against the BYU Cougars. 

The two teams were the best by far in the Mountain West Conference and in competing for the top spot, the squads only intensified their hatred for one another.

Their competition continues this season as both teams have continued their strong play despite losing two stars.