Top 10 up-and-coming rivalries in college football

Oct 4, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Memphis Tigers wide receiver Roderick Proctor (18) carries the ball against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Paul Brown Stadium. Memphis won 41-14. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

10. Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Memphis Tigers 

A historic basketball rivalry due to the constant changing of conferences both schools have gone through in the past, the Memphis Tigers and Cincinnati Bearcats have had plenty of periods where they played each other in football on an annual basis as well.

But it never meant what it means now.

The Tigers and the Bearcats joined the UCF Knights last year to capture a share of the American Athletic Conference Championship. We are leaving UCF out of this because, as you can see in an article we wrote back in January, the Knights are not too far away from becoming a major football powerhouse and joining a Power Five Conference.

Meanwhile, Memphis and Cincinnati are likely right where they can be in terms of football success, and with the Tigers finally reaching the football potential they always had under Justin Fuente, do not be surprised if this becomes a yearly fight to win the AAC. Houston and East Carolina will be in the mix, but these two schools are just so similar.

They are urban schools in major football states playing in a conference on the cusp of a Power Five conference. And they will be competing for conference championships in the future if nothing changes.

Next: #9: Utah-Boise State