At Odds

By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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Looking at the top rivalries in college sports after another Duke/UNC classic.

1. Army vs Navy Football
The dynamics at play simply put this pairing in a class all its own. While this game hasn't had any national implications in many decades, it's global influence remains unswerving. Military personnel all over the world take time to watch their future brethren in arms compete on the field. While clear lines are drawn, this annual meeting provides a brief reprieve and time for fellowship for servicemen and women abroad. Daily life at the two academies revolves around the rivalry. Students measure themselves, in many respects, against their competing peers. Upon graduation, each player goes on to become an officer in the U.S. Armed Forces. The Army-Navy rivalry debuted back in 1890.

2. Alabama vs Auburn Football
No rivalry in sports divides a single state like the Iron Bowl. Friends and family are regularly split into to two over the full-scale feud. Gameday, between these two, is the most important day of the year in the Yellowhammer State. The other 364 days are spent reviewing the action that was and previewing what's next to come. More than any other matchup in the country, this one transcends athletics. The rivalry was suspended from 1907 to 1949 due to disagreements between the schools. Some have suggested the intensity has gotten too high and the series could benefit from a short break.

3. Duke vs North Carolina Basketball
Location, location, location. With just eight miles separating these two schools, the series is an overwhelming one in the Old North State. Add in the fact that these are two of the top programs in the history of college basketball and you have the premier rivalry in the game. Fanning the flames are the structural differences between the two. Duke is a smaller private school while North Carolina is a larger public school. The series has produced too many classic games and legendary players to name.

4. Michigan vs Ohio State Football
When your rivalry has the nickname of "The Game", that clearly speaks for itself. This annual pairing of iconic programs is one of the most tradition-rich fixtures in all of college football and has a history that directly parallels the overall growth of the sport. Michigan Stadium is the largest venue in the United States and Ohio Stadium isn't too far behind. When these two meet, the nation pays close attention. The rivalry's heyday came when Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler battled in the 1970s.

5. Notre Dame vs Southern Cal Football
You need a calculator to compile a list of the national championships, All-Americans and first round draft picks this game has produced. For years, this was the defining college game on the national scene. This series has resulted in five of the top ten most watched college football games in history. The rivalry has a unique mix of history and tradition but also glitz and glamor with so many storied players having taken part and both schools having such social relevancy.

6. Oklahoma vs Texas Football
7. Florida vs Georgia Football
8. Florida State vs Miami Football
9. Kentucky vs Louisville Basketball
10. Harvard vs Yale Football

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