One of the things that makes college football so special is its many great rivalries. Unfortunately, due to conference realignment some of these matchups are no longer played annually, but a few have survived and continue to play their rivalry game each season.
Everyone knows the prominent in-conference games that come to mind when thinking about the best rivalries in college football, like Ohio State vs Michigan and Alabama vs Auburn, so let’s take a look at some of the best non-conference rivalries in the sport.
10. Washington vs Washington State (Apple Cup)
The Apple Cup managed to survive the collapse of the Pac-12, even with Washington moving to the Big Ten as the series is expected to continue through at least 2028. This game used to be a late-night staple of rivalry week, but has since moved to an early season non-conference matchup. The Huskies and Cougars have met every year since 1945, with the only interruption coming in 2020 due to the pandemic. Their first meeting dates all the way back to 1900 in a game that ended in a 5-5 tie. The teams play for the Apple Cup trophy, which has been around since 1963. While it is a well-known rivalry, it has been pretty one-sided with Washington holding a 77-34-6 record in the all-time series.
9. Oregon vs Oregon State (Civil War)
The rivalry, formerly known as the Civil War and the Oregon State Championship Game, is one of the oldest in college football. The two former Pac-12 foes have played 128 times, including a streak of 81 consecutive meetings before the series was just put on pause. The rivalry is set to go on a brief hiatus, with plans for the teams to meet again as non-conference opponents in 2028. This rivalry has lost some of its juice in recent years, and conference realignment has certainly not helped. A fun rivalry quirk in this one is the Platypus Trophy. While it is not an official trophy for the game, it was first introduced in 1959 and became infamous for being stolen or misplaced multiple times before oddly resurfacing in 2005 in a gymnasium closet at Oregon.
8. Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State (Bedlam)
Bedlam is one of those great rivalries lost to conference realignment with Oklahoma’s move to the SEC bringing an end to the annual matchup. The rivalry goes well beyond football, as the name “Bedlam” is believed to have originated from the chaotic atmospheres during wrestling competitions between the two schools. On the football field, the teams met every year from 1910 through 2023, and was a staple of the late regular season. While the Sooners dominated in recent years, winning 16 of the last 20 matchups, Oklahoma State did win that last meeting in 2023 meaning they will hold the bragging rights for the time being with no future meetings scheduled.
7. Kansas vs Missouri (Border War)
The Border War between Kansas and Missouri is a rivalry that I personally did not know much about, but quickly learned of when they met again this past season. That game was the first between the Jayhawks and Tigers since 2011. The rivalry goes way back to 1891 on the football field, but its roots are deep, tracing back to tensions between the two states during the Civil War and thoughts on slavery. In the early years of the rivalry, games even featured former Civil War soldiers who would stare at each other from opposite sidelines. Before its hiatus, this was the second-most played rivalry in FBS. The two are set to meet again in 2026, as well as matchups scheduled for 2031 and 2032.
6. Nebraska vs Oklahoma
This rivalry was born out of two former powerhouse programs in the Big 8, (now the Big 12) that often featured matchups between two top teams with massive implications. In a span of 30 years, there were nine games when the Sooners and Cornhuskers met with both teams ranked in the top five. In many ways, this matchup reminds me of what Georgia vs Alabama has become in the modern SEC. This series ended in 2011 when Nebraska moved to the Big Ten, though it briefly returned in 2021-22. The two programs are currently scheduled to meet again in 2029, and by then, hopefully the Cornhuskers will have things figured out to fully restore the excitement and intensity for this rivalry.
5. Clemson vs South Carolina (Palmetto Bowl)
Clemson and South Carolina is a game that often flies under the radar during that final week of the regular season, but usually has some sort of CFP implications on top of in-state bragging rights. Both programs were once members of the old Southern Conference in the early 1900s and later both joined the ACC in 1953. This rivalry then survived the old realignment when South Carolina left for the SEC in 1992. On the field, the games have been highly competitive in recent years, with the two teams splitting the last four meetings. These are also two programs that could see some major change in the near future, as they both feel primed to dramatically swing in one direction or the other soon.
4. Georgia vs Georgia Tech (Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate)
This is one of the better names for a college football rivalry known as “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.” It’s a matchup between two in-state foes that has stood the test of time, featuring two historically successful programs. In recent years the games have been extremely competitive and entertaining, even when Georgia looks like the clear favorite. The two programs have met 118 times, though the last time they were in the same conference was in 1963 when Georgia Tech was a member of the SEC. The Bulldogs have dominated as of late with an eight-game win streak in the series. That means Kirby Smart’s only loss to the Yellow Jackets as head coach came in his first season, though he did lose to Georgia Tech in his last year as a player at Georgia.
3. Iowa vs Iowa State (Cy-Hawk)
These in-state opponents meet annually in the Cy-Hawk rivalry, which is consistently one of the premiere non-conference matchups in college football. The Hawkeyes and Cyclones have played every year since 1977 despite never being in the same conference during that time. Even though the schools are separated by only about 125 miles, they have only been in the same football conference for three seasons from 1908 to 1910. In recent years the game has delivered on the field, with each of the last four matchups decided by one possession. The series is currently scheduled through 2027, and it may soon be entering a new era with Matt Campbell leaving Iowa State and Kirk Ferentz likely nearing the end of his career.
2. Pitt vs West Virginia (Backyard Brawl)
The Backyard Brawl is one of the most underrated rivalries in all of college football, likely due to the hiatus from 2012 to 2021. From players wearing helmets off the bus to protect themselves from thrown objects, to Pat McAfee never being able to live down his missed kicks in the 13-9 game, this rivalry between two former Big East foes is as good as it gets. In recent years this matchup has experienced a strong resurgence highlighted by the “Pitt six” in 2022, and last season’s matchup where West Virginia pulled off a dramatic win in overtime. Although the rivalry will go on pause again for the next three seasons, it is set to return in 2029 and go through 2036.
1. Notre Dame vs USC
This one of the most historic rivalries in college football, featuring two of the sport’s most successful programs. Unlike many traditional rivalries, this one has nothing to do with geographic proximity between the two schools. Instead, it was built through consistent meetings between elite teams in games that had major stakes. The Trojans and Fighting Irish have played every year but four since 1926, with the only interruptions being due to World War II and pandemic. However, the rivalry is set to stop for now as no future matchups are currently scheduled.