20 underrated college football rivalries more fans should be talking about

Perhaps better known as the "First Saturday in November." That's when the Crimson Tide and Tigers have it out. Alabama has owned this rivalry of late, winning 12 of 14, beginning with a 21-0 triumph in the national title game to end the 2011 season. However, LSU's 32-31 overtime victory, led by Jayden Daniels, in 2022, remains one of the most memorable moments in series history. Entering the 90th meeting, Alabama leads LSU 57–27–5.

A rather new rivalry since both became members of the Sun Belt Conference in recent years, and they are notably competing for the league's East Division title. Though App State leads the all-time series 7-4, Coastal has won three straight. Yet, three of the last four meetings have been decided by seven points or fewer. 

Looking at the numbers, this doesn't seem much of a rivalry. Texas A&M has beaten Arkansas 12 of the last 13 years, entering 2025. However, seven of those Razorbacks' losses have come by seven or fewer points. In recent years, the game has been played at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. In 2024, the Aggies needed to rally with a fourth-quarter touchdown to secure a 21-17 win.

Dubbed the "Deep South's Oldest Rivalry," Georgia has won the last eight meetings, including three in a row at Auburn. However, the tradition and history of this matchup, which began in 1892, make it special. Georgia fans still want bragging rights, while Tigers backers simply want to believe that this will be the season that they finally get the best of the Bulldogs.

The "Milk Can" is on the line when the Broncos and Bulldogs hook up. The series isn't that old, dating back to 1977. However, it's blossomed into quite the competition, even if Boise leads the series 17-9. Though the Broncos have been the class of the Mountain West and Group of Five football in recent seasons, Fresno has won the last two meetings. Highlighted by a 28-16 victory in the 2022 league championship game.

Colorado State views its flagship rival as Colorado, but the Rams have lost seven straight in that series, which is heavily lopsided in favor of the Buffaloes. However, in terms of regional fanfare, the CSU-Wyoming rivalry can be just as intense. The border battle has been rather competitive in recent years, with the Cowboys winning seven of the last 12. But, CSU snapped a three-game skid in the series with 2024's 24-10 victory on the road.

The rivalry between the Blue Devils and Tar Heels should not be limited to the hardwood. Since 2012, North Carolina holds a slim 7-6 edge in the football meetings. Duke snapped a five-game series losing streak in 2024, when it rallied from a 20-0 third-quarter deficit to win 21-20. The last three matchups have been decided by a combined six points.

Since 1980, Florida holds a slim 24-20-1 edge, so the games have been competitive. Which, really, is all one can ask when it comes to making a rivalry truly worthy of such a moniker. But, LSU had won five straight in the series until the Gators pulled off a 27-16 home win over the then-No. 21 Tigers in one of the biggest triumphs of the season for Billy Napier's squad.

The legendary HBCU rivalry is more than just the bands. The Bayou Classic is "THE" game for both of these tradition-rich schools, and for more than a decade has been played at the Superdome in New Orleans. The matchup dates to 1932, with Southern leading the all-time series 42-34. Southern has won three straight and nine of the last 13 meetings.

Georgia has won seven in a row against its in-state rival and has lost just three times to the Yellow Jackets dating to 2001. However, in 2024, the Bulldogs needed eight overtimes (that's right, eight!) to pull out a wild 44-42 home victory against Georgia Tech. In fact, Georgia has won the last two meetings by a combined 10 points. It just seems Tech might be on the verge of ending its series slide. 

When it comes to specific border football battles in terms of the Badger State, Wisconsin-Minnesota tends to get the most attention. However, Iowa-Wisconsin might be just as heated. There is no love loss between the fan basis, and the matchups are usually, hard-nosed defensive affairs. Wisconsin holds a slim 49-47-2 series lead, but the Hawkeyes have won three in a row entering the 2025 campaign. The Badgers might still be smarting from their 2024 42-10 loss to the Hawkeyes.

Another in-state matchup is better known for the basketball arena. However, Kentucky-Louisville on the gridiron might actually be more competitive than what we've seen when the two schools have gotten together on the hardwood of late. Since 2004, the Wildcats and Cardinals have split the last 20 football meetings. Kentucky had won five in a row, but that streak ended in 2024 with Louisville's 41-14 blowout victory.

These Dakota rivals have split the last four FCS national titles -- NDSU winning in 2021, '24, and SDSU taking the crown in '22, '23. South Dakota State beat the Bison for that 2022 championship, but the latter have still won a record 10 national titles. In 2024, NDSU eliminated the Jackrabbits from the postseason and has won the last two meetings after losing five in a row. On the FCS level, at the moment, the rivalries don't get much better than this one.

The Mid-American Conference has various regional rivalries, notably in the states of Michigan and Ohio. However, more than two decades, the NIU-Toledo matchup has been one of the most intense and entertaining within the league. Usually because both were in the mix for the West Division title before the league recently dissolved that format. Since 2003, the teams have split the 22 meetings (half decided by seven or fewer points), but Toledo has won the last three. However, the series is likely to end with NIU headed to the Mountain West in 2026.

The days of "Catholics vs. Convicts" are well in the past, and the rivalry has lost some luster since the late 1980s. Now, these storied programs have met just five times since their regular series ended in 1990, and most recently in 2017. However, history has enough to fuel the backdrop of the rivalry, and this year's highly entertaining season opener, which the Hurricanes won 27-24, is further proof that this needs to be a regular meeting.

With these two perennial powers both residing in the Big Ten, this rivalry has a chance to blossom. The Buckeyes and Ducks have met three times since 2021, including twice during the 2024 campaign. Oregon won the first two by a combined eight points, then Ohio State rolled to a 41-21 victory in the last College Football Playoff. These teams won't play every year within the conference, but when they do, it should be special.

Generally, for a matchup to be considered a rivalry, the games should be competitive. That certainly has not been the case here, with Ohio State winning eight straight and 12 of the last 13 versus Penn State. However, the Nittany Lions have dropped the last two by a combined 15 points, and by fewer than nine points five times in those eight most recent. The Nittany Lions are a perennial CFP contender, but if they are to win it all, that likely means taking down the Buckeyes at some point.

The Ducks and Beavers are no longer conference mates, but the Civil War will go on. The Ducks have won 14 of the last 17 meetings, and the two most recent by a combined 59 points. However, it's always been one of the more spirited in-state matchups, and it seems more important that it continues with the ever-changing landscape of college football. 

The good news is that these storied Pac-12 rivals remain conference foes in the Big Ten. That allows for the regional rivalry to continue. Since 1980, Oregon holds a slim 24-20 lead in the series. The Ducks also snapped a three-game skid in the series by winning 49-21 in the 2024 contest. It's still hard to picture these two West Coast powerhouses playing under the Big Ten logo, but at least they are together. 

Another case where the rivalry has been severely one-sided, with Virginia Tech 23-2 against the Cavaliers since 1999. The Hokies are also a remarkable 19-1 with both residing in the ACC. So why does it have a spot on this list? Because during the early years of this rivalry, UVa dominated, winning the first eight meetings (beginning in 1895) and has had a six-game winning streak spanning the 1940s and '50s. Bragging rights are highly important when it comes to this one.