Five College Football Rivalries for the Next Decade

Some rivalries endure for what seems forever like Army-Navy. Others have seen their best days, like Ohio St. and Michigan. Sorry Michigan, I hope Rich Rodriquez gets it done it for you, but right now Ohio St.-Michigan isn't the game it used to be. Rivalries like Texas-Oklahoma, by contrast, just figure to keep going strong.

What rivalries are we looking at for the next decade?

1) FLORIDA GATORS-ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

This was always a big game, but now this could be the game that defines the next decade. Two future Hall of Fame coaches, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban, with two teams expected to be perennially ranked in the top five.

These two have won three National titles in the last four years, and they've turned the SEC Championship game into a mini national championship playoff. The players are big time too. Mark Ingram of Alabama and Tim Tebow of Florida are recent Heisman trophy winners.

It's too bad they don't play each other every year due to SEC scheduling, but I have a feeling they'll meet several times in the SEC championship game. The players may change, but as long Saban and Meyer are there, this is the rivalry for the next decade.

2) PENN ST. NITTANY LIONS-IOWA HAWKEYES

Penn St. has lost four games the last two years, and two of them have been to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Both wins for the Hawkeyes effectively knocked Penn St. out of the national title race.

Ohio St. looks set in the Big 10 for years to come, Michigan can't get of their own way at the moment, and with all do respect to Wisconsin either Penn St or Iowa will be the Buckeyes biggest challenger. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz had some up and down years, but after 20 wins the last two years including a BCS win in 2009, it looks like the Hawkeyes are here to stay.

The rivalry will miss a year on occasion because of the Big 10's rotating scheduling, but they are matched till 2012, and it's one of my favorite Big 10 games to watch.

3) TCU HORNED FROGS-UTAH UTES

Utah was the first non-BCS school to break through by getting to a BCS game a few years back under Urban Meyer. They've continued to be one of the best non-BCS in the country. They even beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl two years ago.

TCU and Gary Patterson are making a name for themselves as well. They've won 43 games the last four years, and made a BCS game appearance last year losing to Boise St. in the Fiesta Bowl. If Kyle Wittingham stays at Utah and Patterson at TCU, this game will eventually produce a national championship participant.

4) NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS-OKLAHOMA SOONERS

This was once one of the best rivalries in the country. When Tom Osborne left Nebraska in the late 90s and Bob Stoops came to Oklahoma, the rivalry cooled off. The Sooners began to dominate the game highlighted by a 62-28 win in Norman in 2008.

In addition, the split divisions kept the teams from playing more than twice every four years. The Sooners had a down year in 2009, but you know with Stoops they'll be back. The Cornhuskers look a team on the upswing with Bo Pelini at the helm and 19 wins the last two years including a defeat of the Sooners last year.

I expect in some of those years when these teams don't face each other, in the regular season there will be a few times they'll meet in the Big 12 Championship game.

5) GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS-VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES

This rivalry is poised to be the ACC's best in the next decade. Virginia Tech was making the ACC their personal playground, but in just two years Paul Johnson of Georgia Tech made the Jackets ACC Champions.

The Hokies were none too happy about it either. Accusations of illegal blocking reigned down from Blacksburg to Atlanta. Those are two things a rivalry needs to fuel it: winning and bad blood.

The coaches Frank Beamer and Paul Johnson side stepped the controversy but the undercurrent of tension was there. Frank Beamer has been the ACC's most consistent winner and the class of ACC coaches, but Johnson and his triple option offense are ready to challenge the Hokies.

Oh yea, Johnson picked up former Virginia coach Al Groh to coach his defense. He doesn't like Hokies either. Nice...

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