Big Ten Football: Ranking the Conference's Best Rivalries
The offseason is in full swing, but in college football especially, rivalries never stop.
Whether it's battles on the recruiting trail, subtweeting between head coaches or extra practice periods designed to pay off in late November, a significant amount of each program's—and its fanbase—offseason energy is often spent on its rivals.
That holds particularly true in the Big Ten, which is home to some of the sport's most prominent rivalries. Some are long and storied, while others are relatively new. Regardless of which category they fall in, it's hard to find a week in the conference without something on the line each fall.
With spring practice approaching—and for some programs, already here—what better time to examine the league's most meaningful battles than right now?
With that in mind, here's our ranking of the best rivalries the Big Ten has to offer.
9. The Old Oaken Bucket: Indiana vs. Purdue
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While it may be less storied than its hardwood counterpart, the annual in-state battle between Purdue and Indiana has a history of its own—even as it features two of the Big Ten's traditional gridiron cellar-dwellers.
In a rivalry that dates back to 1891 and has been played annually since 1920, the Boilermakers and Hoosiers square off in the last week of each regular season with the Old Oaken Bucket on the line in one of the conference's oldest rivalries.
Historically, Purdue holds the advantage with a 72-40-6 mark in the rivalry's first 118 meetings. Recently, however, Indiana's been on a roll, earning three straight wins dating back to 2013—an undefeated streak against current Boilermakers head coach Darrell Hazell that includes a victory in this past season's 54-36 shootout.
It may not be the glory days of Drew Brees versus Antwaan Randle El, but at the very least, the annual battle in the Hoosier State has featured entertaining matchups in recent years. But in order for the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket to ever rise to national relevance, both programs would need to improve dramatically from what they've been in their respective recent pasts.
8. Rutgers vs. Penn State
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In terms of Big Ten rivalries, the border war between Penn State and Rutgers might be the most controversial—mostly because nobody seems to know whether it's truly a rivalry or not.
From the Scarlet Knights' standpoint, it's understandable why they'd see the Nittany Lions as a rival entering just their third season as a member of the conference. Penn State has consistently recruited the fertile recruiting ground Rutgers calls home, and now that the two programs play one another each season, the Scarlet Knights have something they can do about it.
But when it comes to rivals from Penn State's point of view, Rutgers hardly qualifies. That's not just the Nittany Lions' mindset with the Scarlet Knights, but the rest of the Big Ten, which they themselves have only been a member of since 1993.
"There is no such thing as a rivalry in our eyes," Penn State defensive back Jordan Lucas told Gannett New Jersey at Big Ten media days last summer. "That’s just as a program."
Nevertheless, Penn State and Rutgers possess a history, with the Nittany Lions holding a 24-2 advantage over the Scarlet Knights dating back to 1918, including both wins in the two programs' lone Big Ten battles in the last two seasons.
Where the rivalry—if it even is one—will go from here remains to be seen, but Rutgers is focused on making it less of a one-sided affair at this point.
7. Land of Lincoln Trophy: Northwestern vs. Illinois
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Maybe it's because he actually played in it, but you won't find a head coach in the Big Ten who embraces his team's rivalry more than Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald.
That's been clear in the way the former Wildcats linebacker has branded his program as "Chicago's Big Ten Team" since taking over as his alma mater's head coach in 2006, which many have perceived as a shot at chief rival Illinois. When the two teams from the Prairie State meet each season, there seems to be more than the Land of Lincoln Trophy on the line, with former Fighting Illini head coach Tim Beckman once referring to the rivalry as a "state championship."
Recently, it's been Northwestern that's been the pride of Illinois—and in turn, the Windy City—with the Wildcats winning three of the past four matchups in a rivalry that dates back to 1892. Last year, Northwestern punctuated its 10-2 regular-season record with a 24-14 win over Illinois in a game that was played at Chicago's Soldier Field.
Historically, the Illini hold a 55–49–5 advantage, although with the way the two programs are trending, the Wildcats could catch up soon. But regardless of their records, there will always be plenty on the line when these two in-state rivals square off.
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6. Ohio State vs. Penn State
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Penn State may claim to not possess an archrival in the Big Ten, and while that may be true, it'd be tough to ignore the recent history the Nittany Lions have shared with the program with the best case for being their top foe: Ohio State.
Having met 31 times since 1912—including matchups in each season dating back to 1993—the Buckeyes and Penn State always seem to have a way of defining one another's season. That held true as recently as 2014, when a double-overtime win for Ohio State in Happy Valley helped propel the Buckeyes to their College Football Playoff run, which was reminiscent of the Nittany Lions' top-10 victory in 2008 that ultimately resulted in a Big Ten championship for Penn State.
There's been blowouts, too, with Ohio State earning a 63-14 victory in 2013 and the Nittany Lions winning by the same score in 1994. But altogether, the rivalry has been relatively even, with the Buckeyes holding a 17-13 advantage—the 2010 contest was vacated for both teams—after having won the past four matchups.
Looking ahead, Ohio State appears to be rolling under head coach Urban Meyer, while Penn State possesses no shortage of questions entering its third season under head coach James Franklin. But Meyer has called Beaver Stadium one of the toughest places he's ever seen his teams play—and the 2016 battle between the two teams just happens to come in State College.
5. The Heroes Trophy: Iowa vs. Nebraska
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A natural rivalry that dates back to 1891 but has also laid dormant for decades at a time, Iowa and Nebraska renewed their battle for the Heroes Trophy when the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten in 2011.
And in its most recent incarnation, the Big Ten West battle has been about as even as possible, with Nebraska holding a 3-2 advantage but having lost two of the last three meetings. The Hawkeyes' 28-20 win over the Huskers in 2015 was a monumental one, as it punctuated a 12-0 season for Iowa and put it one game away from crashing the College Football Playoff.
Historically, Nebraska holds a larger advantage with a 29-14-3 all-time record against its rival to the east. From 1982-2012, the Cornhuskers won five straight games over the Hawkeyes before Iowa picked up its first victory in Lincoln in 70 years in 2013.
Looking ahead, both programs figure to be mainstays in the race for the Big Ten West, which could ultimately be decided in their annual matchup. That means the best years of the rivalry may well still be ahead, as it could be a trip to Indianapolis on the line in addition to the Heroes Trophy.
4. Ohio State vs. Michigan State
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When it comes to the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan State, there's admittedly not much history behind it.
But there's not a matchup in the Big Ten that's carried more weight in the last half-decade, with the Buckeyes and Spartans combining for the past three conference titles and the league's first two College Football Playoff appearances.
And with each accolade, Ohio State and Michigan State have had to go through one another, which has created the Big Ten's version of what the SEC has in Alabama and LSU.
"What's happened in this situation is you have an excellent team, after watching them on film, they're a great team, and they stand in the way of the Big Ten championship," Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said in 2014. "And so does that make them a rival? It makes them in the way of something that we all want, and that's Big Ten championship."
But with the way Meyer's first four matchups have gone against the Spartans, with both teams winning two games apiece by an average of 6.5 points, it's hard to find a better annual meeting in the Big Ten than the one between Ohio State and Michigan State. The Buckeyes hold an all-time 29-15 edge.
Even so, Meyer has made sure to state on multiple occasions: "We have one rival here."
More on them later.
3. Paul Bunyan's Axe: Minnesota vs. Wisconsin
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The premier battle of the Big Ten West, Wisconsin and Minnesota lay claim to the conference's longest-standing rivalry, which dates back to 1890.
And while the Badgers and Golden Gophers have played for Paul Bunyan's Axe since 1948, it's not the first trophy to have been on the line in the rivalry. Initially, the two teams played for the Slab of Bacon, which mysteriously went missing after the 1943 game.
Having played every season since 1907, the rivalry finds itself just about even, with Minnesota clinging to a 59-58-8 record. Wisconsin, however, has controlled the battle for the better part of the past two decades—it holds a 19-2 record over the Gophers since 1995 and has won the past 12 matchups.
With both programs expected to contend for the Big Ten West in 2016, this year's meeting could hold extra meaning and may ultimately determine the division champion. It will at least present the Badgers with an opportunity to even up the record in what's largely been a rivalry of runs in their first 125 matchups.
2. The Paul Bunyan Trophy: Michigan vs. Michigan State
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It may not have had the most on the line throughout history due to peaks and valleys of two programs that are rarely simultaneously in the same place, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a rivalry with more intensity than the annual meeting between Michigan and Michigan State.
Between claims of "little brother versus big brother" and a literal stake being driven into the field, there's never any shortage of animosity when the Wolverines and Spartans play one another. That's something that's only seemed to be amped up by the arrival of Mark Dantonio in East Lansing in 2007 and now Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor.
Historically, Michigan has held a significant edge with a 68-35-5 record over its in-state rival. Michigan State, however, has won each of the past three matchups and seven of the last eight, including this past season's improbable last-second victory on a botched Wolverines punt and Jalen Watts-Jackson's subsequent touchdown return.
And despite everything that's already occurred, the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy's best days seem to be ahead. Dantonio and Harbaugh both have their respective programs clicking, which should result in even more meaningful matchups in the Wolverine State for years to come.
1. The Game: Ohio State vs. Michigan
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Arguably the best rivalry in college football, if not all of sports, there's no debate what the Big Ten's top rivalry is.
Dating back to 1897 and highlighted by the 10-Year War of the 1970s, Ohio State and Michigan have played in what has simply been called "The Game" in college football. With the two states bordering one another and the shared success between the two programs, there's been no shortage of storylines or intrigue in each battle, whether it be Woody Hayes being Bo Schembechler's mentor or the fact that Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh were born in the same hospital in Toledo, Ohio.
"I remember almost all the games," Meyer said of the 10-Year War last November. "I remember the intensity and how the whole state shut down."
The Wolverines hold a 58-47-6 lead over the Buckeyes, but Ohio State has earned recent history's bragging rights. Dating back to 2001, the Buckeyes have won 13 of the past 15 matchups between the two teams, including each of the last four.
With personalities as big as Meyer and Harbaugh's now in charge, many have predicted that another 10-Year War is about to take place. But in order for Michigan to do that, it's going to need to get back on the board on a more consistent basis in what is the Big Ten's most storied rivalry.
Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
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