Oct 13, 2018; Eugene, OR, USA; The Oregon Ducks celebrate in the end zone after a game against Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks won in overtime 30-27. Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Big Ten Football Rivalries Ranked: Oregon-Washington vs. Ohio State-Michigan

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI | By Kaleb Henry | Last updated Jul 3, 2024 4:21 PM ET

Oregon football is headed to the Big Ten Conference, a place that places tradition above nearly all else.

That tradition includes a love of rivalries. It seems like every Saturday in the fall is a trophy game of some sort. With the Ducks, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, and Washington Huskies in a new league, how do their existing rivalries stack up?

Let's rank all of the Big Ten rivalries and find out where Oregon-Washington and UCLA-USC fit in.

Methodology

Simply ranking favorites or which rivalry features the current best teams is something anyone can do. There's a lot of subjectivity. This ranking includes some subjectivity, but a majority of the scoring comes from the games themselves.

Here are the five data points that were used, which, when sorted and ranked, gave each rivalry a maximum score of 21 or minimum of 1. Ties were split (e.g. Two rivalries tie for third, which is 19 points. They then split the 19 for third and 18 for fourth to both receive 18.5). The data points were also weighted, with preference going to longevity then evenness of the series all-time and over the last 10 meetings, and finally subjectivity.

30% Total Number of Games Played
25% Winning Percentage (The closer to .500 the better)
25% Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage
15% Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name
15% Personal Power Rank

The maximum points possible is 21 and the minimum is one.

21. Nebraska vs. Wisconsin (Freedom Trophy) - 3.35 points

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 2 (17)
Winning Percentage: 3 (.765)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 1 (1.000)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 4
Personal Power Rank: 9

20. Maryland vs. Penn State - 3.525 points

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 5 (47)
Winning Percentage: 1 (.925)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 6.5 (.800)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 1.5
Personal Power Rank: 2

19. Michigan vs. Northwestern (George Jewett Trophy) - 5.05 points

Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Total Number of Games Played: 9 (76)
Winning Percentage: 2 (.790)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 3 (.900)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 5
Personal Power Rank: 4

18. Maryland vs. Rutgers - 5.475 points

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 3 (19)
Winning Percentage: 9 (.632)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 12 (.700)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 1.5
Personal Power Rank: 1

17. Minnesota vs. Penn State (Governor's Victory Bell) - 6.6 points

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 1 (16)
Winning Percentage: 10 (.625)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 17 (.600)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 3
Personal Power Rank: 3

16. Indiana vs. Michigan State (Old Brass Spittoon) - 7.9 points

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 8 (70)
Winning Percentage: 5 (.729)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 12 (.700)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 9
Personal Power Rank: 5

15. Michigan vs. Minnesota (Little Brown Jug) - 9.05 points

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 14 (105)
Winning Percentage: 4 (.748)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 3 (.900)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 11
Personal Power Rank: 12

14. Illinois vs. Ohio State (Illibuck) - 9.15 points

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 13 (102)
Winning Percentage: 6 (.686)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 3 (.900)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 16
Personal Power Rank: 7

13. Iowa vs. Nebraska (Heroes Trophy) - 9.15 points

Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 6 (54)
Winning Percentage: 13 (.583)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 6.5 (.800)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 7
Personal Power Rank: 16

12. Michigan State vs. Penn State (Land-Grant Trophy) -9.2 points

Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Total Number of Games Played: 4 (38)
Winning Percentage: 19 (.513)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 12 (.700)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 6
Personal Power Rank: 6

11. Minnesota vs. Nebraska ($5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy) - 10.9 points

Total Number of Games Played: 7 (64)
Winning Percentage: 11 (.594)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 12 (.700)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 18
Personal Power Rank: 10

10. Illinois vs. Purdue (Purdue Cannon) - 13 points

Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier

Total Number of Games Played: 12 (99)
Winning Percentage: 18 (.515)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 6.5 (.800)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 17
Personal Power Rank: 13

9. UCLA vs. USC (Victory Bell) - 13.6 points

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 10 (91)
Winning Percentage: 12 (.590)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 17 (.600)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 15
Personal Power Rank: 17

8. Iowa vs. Minnesota (Floyd of Rosedale) - 14.5 points

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 17.5 (117)
Winning Percentage: 15 (.547)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 6.5 (.800)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 19
Personal Power Rank: 14

7. Michigan vs. Michigan State (Paul Bunyan Trophy) - 14.85 points

Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Total Number of Games Played: 15.5 (116)
Winning Percentage: 7 (.651)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 20 (.500)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 13
Personal Power Rank: 19

6. Indiana vs. Purdue (Old Oaken Bucket) - 14.9 points

Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY

Total Number of Games Played: 20 (125)
Winning Percentage: 8 (.640)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 20 (.500)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 14
Personal Power Rank: 8

5. Iowa vs. Wisconsin (Heartland Trophy) - 14.9 points

Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Total Number of Games Played: 11 (97)
Winning Percentage: 17 (.516)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 17 (.600)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 12
Personal Power Rank: 20

4. Illinois vs. Northwestern (Land of Lincoln Trophy) - 15 points

Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 17.5 (117)
Winning Percentage: 21 (.501)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 12 (.700)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 10
Personal Power Rank: 11

3. Oregon vs. Washington (Border War) - 15.35 points

Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Total Number of Games Played: 15.5 (116)
Winning Percentage: 14 (.565)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 20 (.500)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 8
Personal Power Rank: 18

2. Michigan vs. Ohio State (The Game) - 17.6 points

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

Total Number of Games Played: 19 (118)
Winning Percentage: 16 (.542)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 12 (.700)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 21
Personal Power Rank: 21

1. Minnesota vs. Wisconsin (Paul Bunyan's Axe) - 17.95 points

Rick Wood / USA TODAY NETWORK

Total Number of Games Played: 21 (133)
Winning Percentage: 20 (.504)
Last 10 Meetings Winning Percentage: 12 (.700)
Coolness of Trophy or Rivalry Name: 20
Personal Power Rank: 15

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