College Football Rivalries We Miss the Most

Forget Yankees-Red Sox, Packers-Bears, Celtics-Lakers. Nothing tops a good ol’ fashioned college football rivalry.

Forget records; the most important thing is bragging rights over a bitter enemy. But conference realignment and budget cuts have kiboshed some of the best matchups. 

Just this weekend we'll see the end of one of the better rivalries in the sport when Michigan and Notre Dame line up opposite one another. Saturday's showdown will mark the end of a rivalry that has spanned 41 contests dating back to 1887. 

That got us thinking, what other college football rivalries would we not mind seeing again?

Here are five rivalries we miss.

Kansas-Missouri

Meetings: 120 (MIZZ leads 57-54-9)

First Meeting: Oct. 31, 1891

Last Meeting: Nov. 25, 2011

The Skinny

Around the nation, this matchup has rarely made too much noise. But to fans of both Missouri and Kansas, this game meant everything.

From 1907 to 2012, the schools played each other annually in football and all sports. The 120 meetings in the series make it the second most-played college football rivalry behind Minnesota and Wisconsin. 

Given that neither team has won more than three straight games since 1966, it was easily one of the more competitive rivalries in the sports. However, with Missouri leaving for the SEC in 2012, the rivalry was brought to an end.

No word on if the two teams will play again.

The Game to Know

The standout game was 2007, when both teams entered ranked in the Top Three. With then-No. 1 LSU losing earlier in the day, the battle was not only for a berth into the Big 12 title game but also for the honor of closing the regular season out as the top-ranked team. In an exciting clash, the Tigers wound up winning 36-28.

Unfortunately, their BCS title aspirations were crushed the very next week in a blowout loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game.

West Virginia-Pittsburgh

Meetings: 104 (PITT leads 61-40-3)

First Meeting: Oct. 26, 1895

Last Meeting: Nov. 25, 2011

The Skinny

With just 75 miles separating West Virginia and Pittsburgh, it’s no wonder their then-annual meetings were referred to as the “Backyard Brawl.”

Although the Mountaineers may be the team with more success in recent years, the same doesn’t carry over to this rivalry. In fact, more often than not, the boys in blue and gold have found themselves on the wrong end of the stick in memorable games in this series.

Starting back in 1954 and 1955, the Panthers prevented their rival from securing unbeaten seasons both times. Then in 1989, down 31-9 with less than 10 minutes to go, Pittsburgh somehow rallied and left West Virginia with its face in the mud.

With the Mountaineers leaving for the Big 12 in 2012, the rivalry stopped dead in its tracks. And for the Mountaineers sake, it might be better if it stays that way.

The Game to Know

While those previous games noted had their fair share of excitement, it all pales in comparison to the 2007 version of the Backyard Brawl. 

Entering the game, all West Virginia had to do to secure a spot in the BCS title game was beat the 4-7 Panthers. However, Pittsburgh frustrated and shocked the then-No. 2 ranked team in the country on its own turf.

Miami-Florida

Meetings: 55 (UM leads 29-26)

First Meeting: Oct. 15, 1938

Last Meeting: Sept. 7, 2013

The Skinny

Yes, these two played just a year ago. But with the next meeting yet to be scheduled, it’s never too early to miss a rivalry that always offered up excitement.

From the “Florida Flop” in 1971, the peach pelting in 1980, to the Bourbon Street brawl in 2001, this rivalry has had its fair share of mayhem and excitement. Not only have national titles been on the line in years past, but recruiting battles have weighed heavy when these two have played.

The two teams played annually from 1944 until 1987. But since then, the Hurricanes have dominated the series, winning seven of the last eight.

With both teams on the decline in recent years, the re-introduction of this rivalry in the near future could be vital in boosting either team’s reputation.

The Game to Know

The 1971 meeting between these two games wasn’t memorable for the scoreline—a Gators 45-15 victory. 

With the fourth quarter winding down, the Hurricanes had the ball at the goal line. Once the ball was in play, every Florida defender on the field flopped to the turf to allow Miami to score. The reason being, the Gators wanted quarterback John Reaves to get the ball and pass for the 14 yards he needed to break Jim Plunkett’s NCAA record for all-time passing yards.

The game still irks Hurricanes fans the wrong way.

Texas-Texas A&M

Meetings: 118 (UT leads 76-37-5)

First Meeting: Oct. 1, 1984

Last Meeting: Nov. 24, 2011

The Skinny

Oklahoma may be known as Texas’ biggest rival, but the Sooners can’t say they feature in the Longhorn’s fight song.

Instead, it’s Texas A&M who can claim that honor—“and it’s goodbye to A&M” in Texas Fight. Conversely, Texas features prominently in the second verse of the Aggie War Hymn.

The Longhorns may enjoy an overwhelming advantage in the all-time head-to-head, but the rivalry certainly has had its moments. At one point—from 1909 to 1941—no school won more than two games in a row in the series.

At the end of the 2011-12 season, the Aggies departed for the SEC. It brought an end to the third-most played rivalry game in college football history.

Still, that didn’t stop the two heated rivals from bickering. Just last season, Texas A&M defensive back Toney Hurd Jr. went out of his way to dub his school the real University of Texas—a sentiment then-Longhorns coach Mack Brown didn’t take too kindly.

The two are yet to set a date to play again. But if they do, you can bet it will be a good one.

The Game to Know

In the final meeting between the two teams back in 2011, the Longhorns wanted to send the Aggies out well.

After coughing up an early 13-0 lead, Texas A&M found itself with the lead late in the game, 25-24. With 1:48 remaining, Case McCoy rallied the Longhorns and drove them down the field, setting up Justin Tucker for a 40-yard field goal as time expired.

It was a fitting ending to a heated rivalry.

Oklahoma-Nebraska

Meetings: 86 (OU leads 45-38-3)

First Meeting: Nov. 23, 1912

Last Meeting: Dec. 4, 2010

The Skinny

It’s hard to think of vintage college football without Oklahoma and Nebraska going at it.

At one point, this was arguably the best rivalry in the game. So it comes as no surprise that these two squads have met a whopping 18 times while both were ranked inside the Top 10—12 of those times the winner went on to claim the national title.

Over the years, the rivalry has lasted through four different conferences. However, when the two teams were separated into the Big 12 North and South in 1996, things died down as the teams only met every other year. The final blow occurred when Nebraska made the shift to the Big 10 at the conclusion of the 2010-11 season.

Fortunately, for fans of the rivalry, the two pick things back up briefly for a home-and-home series in 2021 and 2022.

After the news, Nebraska AD and former coaching great, Tom Osborne said it best:

"

Our rivalry with Oklahoma has been one of the great traditional matchups in the history of college football....The games between the two schools were generally to decide a conference championship, and many times helped determine the national champion. Those matchups were always played with great intensity on the field, but with a great deal of respect from both sides and among the fan bases. 

I know our fans look forward to non-conference games against high-profile opponents like Oklahoma. I'm pleased we were able to finalize this series.

"

The Game to Know 

The rivalry is most known for the 1971 Thanksgiving Day meeting between the two teams. The Cornhuskers outlasted the Sooners, 35-31, in a back-and-forth battle and used it to propel a run to secure its second straight national title.

Given the excitement of the game, it was dubbed “The Game of the Century.”

All stats and rankings used in this article are courtesy of CFBStats.com.

Sebastian can be reached on Twitter and via email at [e-mail].