Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Oregon Ducks, Washington Huskies Rivalry Snubbed In Latest Ranking?

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Kyle Clements | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The Athletic's Scott Dochterman recently ranked the top 25 rivalries in college football, and with it may have inadvertently brought Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies fans together in agreement that the ranking is too low. The Ducks-Huskies Rivalry transcends friendliness, like the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry can sometimes have; it is a rivalry fueled by pure hatred for one another.

Dochterman ranked the Oregon-Washington rivalry as the No. 21-best rivalry in college football. Coming in at No. 20, just above the Ducks and Huskies, is the Harvard-Yale rivalry. While Ducks and Huskies fans could probably agree that a top-five ranking might be wishful thinking, it's safe to assume fans of both teams would have been hoping for at least a top 15 spot.

Some rivalries in the top 15 would be tough for Ducks and Huskies fans alike to argue against. Michigan and Ohio State took the No. 1 spot, and perhaps rightfully so. After all, the last time the Wolverines and Buckeyes met, an Ohio lawmaker decided to author a bill making planting flags in and around Ohio Stadium on Buckeye game days a felony.

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Some Huskies and Ducks fans would have expected their rivalry to be ranked above the USC-UCLA rivalry. The Trojans and Bruins were placed at No. 14.

Another possible point of contention for Huskies and Ducks fans could be being ranked below Michigan and Notre Dame, who checked in at No. 18 on the list, as the rivalry game between the Wolverines and the Fighting Irish does not take place every single year. The two sides haven't met since 2019, and won't meet again until the 2033 season.

The Oregon-Washington rivalry is a feud that began back in 1900, when the Ducks and Huskies kicked things off with a 43-0 Oregon Victory. Since then, the rivalry has grown fiercer with each passing year.

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The rivalry game itself has seen some bizarre antics. In 1962, Washington fans rushed the field and tackled Oregon receiver Larry Hill while he was attempting to catch a game-winning touchdown.

In 2002, Washington coach Rick Neuheisel celebrated a Huskies win at Autzen Stadium by jumping up and down on the "O" at the 50-yard line after news broke that Oregon coach Mike Belotti was accused of turning in Neuheisel for recruiting violations.

Perhaps the most famous play of the rivalry game came in 1994, when Oregon cornerback Kenny Wheaton took an interception 97 yards to the house and helped the Ducks upset the Huskies. It's a play that has been coined as the turning point of Oregon football.

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Oregon has had success in recent years against the Huskies, with the Ducks winning 15 of the last 20 games the two sides have played. The only things missing from this rivalry game are an official name and a universally recognized trophy handed out to the victor.

This article first appeared on Oregon Ducks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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