[Tuck4Bama]

Rivalry Week: New grudge matches emerge
By Steve Megargee, Rivals.com College Football Staff Writer


This week, Rivals.com is taking a look at the best rivalries in college football - new rivalries, old rivalries, lost rivalries and those that will always be among the best.
We begin with a look at the best rivalries that have emerged in recent years.
The changing face of college football also has changed the way we look at some of the game's rivalries.
Although some of the sport's most anticipated annual series are traditional matchups that have stood the test of time, conference realignment and the rise of non-traditional powers have created some other interesting rivalries.
That's why we have decided to take a look at rivalries - new and old.
Today, we've put together a list of five emerging rivalries that seem much more intriguing now than they may have seemed a few years ago.
Maybe a legendary coach has taken another job and now has to face his former team. Perhaps a recruiting battle has added some hatred that didn't previously exist. Maybe a couple of close games have brought some sizzle to a long-running series. Or perhaps two conference rivals have emerged as elite programs at exactly the same time.
The following list includes all those examples.

1. Louisville vs. West Viginia

This series has developed into one of the nation's most anticipated games so rapidly that it's hard to imagine these two teams weren't playing annually until 2005 - when they emerged as the elite programs in the revamped Big East. Not since Florida State-Miami became a big rivalry in the 1980s has a "new" rivalry been created that means so much. This year, the game again could have national championship implications. These teams have helped the Big East gain respect because the winner of this game has gone on to win a BCS game each of the last two years. Along the way, they have developed a reputation for creating fan-friendly shootouts. Each team had only one loss two years ago when West Virginia rallied from 17 points down in the final 9 minutes of regulation to beat Louisville 46-44 in triple overtime. Last year, the teams were undefeated heading into a 44-34 Louisville triumph that featured more than 1,000 yards of total offense. This could also be called the "Thursday Night" rivalry. The conference has taken advantage of non-traditional game days to increase its exposure, and this game is the crown jewel of those contests.

2. Auburn vs. LSU

Ten of the last 17 games between the groups of Tigers have been decided by less than a touchdown. Obviously this series has had some barn burners – and that's not just a figure of speech. The 1996 game is known as "The Night the Barn Burned," when the old Auburn Sports Arena burned down just outside of Jordan-Hare Stadium. LSU defeated Auburn 17-15, and the game was decided when LSU's Raion Hill intercepted a pass on a two-point conversion attempt and returned it for two points the other way. But that's status quo in this rivalry, where the bizarre is so much the norm that the games have names. There is the Earthquake Game (198 when the crowd in Baton Rouge raised the noise level so high it registered on a campus seismograph. There's the Interception Game (1994) when Auburn got five picks in the fourth quarter and returned three for touchdowns to rally for a 30-26 win. LSU had the "Bring Back the Magic" game (1995) when it wore white jerseys at home for the first time in 13 years and upset No. 5 Auburn. There is also "The Comeback" (Auburn's rally to upset No. 10 LSU in 1997), "The Extra Point Game" (both teams missed extra points, but a penalty gave Auburn's John Vaughn a second chance to add the winning point in a 10-9 victory in 2004). In 2005, the game was decided in overtime - almost a mundane note in the series. The rivalry has intensified since the SEC went to divisions. Either Auburn or LSU has won the SEC West in five of the last seven seasons.

3. Texas A&M vs, Texas Tech

This Big 12 South matchup is one of the more intense - though overlooked - rivalries. Everyone knows the Aggies hate Texas, but their disdain for Texas Tech is just as intense. In some ways, it might be even more bitter. A&M seems to have a grudging respect for the Longhorns, but just resentment for Tech. A couple of years ago, a paragraph in the A&M media guide (uncorrected version) referred to the Red Raiders as "classless clowns." The Red Raiders have equal contempt for the Aggies. After a 12-0 victory in 2001 in Lubbock – a game in which the Red Raiders were favored – Tech fans tore down the goal posts and shoved them into the A&M cheering section. Coach Mike Leach has even referred to Texas A&M "playing army," which was an obvious taunt at A&M's Corps of Cadets. Overall, A&M leads the all-time series 34-30-1, but the Red Raiders have an 8-3 advantage in Big 12 play. The Red Raiders have also won the last six meetings played in Lubbock.


4.Florida vs. South Carolina

We can only hope Nick Saban's move to Tuscaloosa makes the Alabama-LSU rivalry as interesting as the Florida-South Carolina series has become the last two years. This game was an annual Florida blowout until former Gators coach Steve Spurrier returned to the SEC. In Spurrier's first year at South Carolina, the Gamecocks knocked off Florida 30-22 to end the Gators' 14-game winning streak in this series. When Spurrier returned to Gainesville on the visitor's sideline last year, his Gamecocks nearly knocked the Gators out of national title contention. Jarvis Moss needed to block Ryan Succop's 48-yard field-goal attempt as time expired to preserve Florida's 17-16 victory. Florida coach Urban Meyer stepped out of the Ol' Ball Coach's shadow by leading the Gators to a national title, but a South Carolina victory over Florida this year could reignite the Spurrier-Meyer debate.

5. Kansas State vs. Nebraska

The rivalry began to get interesting when Bill Snyder and Michael Bishop were leading the resurrection of the K-State program. Prior to their arrivals, the Wildcats were a mere afterthought for the Cornhuskers. This Big 12 North showdown should continue to be intriguing as long as Josh Freeman is quarterbacking the Wildcats. Freeman, a former four-star prospect, signed with Kansas State after verbally committing to Nebraska in a move that didn't win him any fans in Lincoln. "If you're a prima donna or if you're a drama queen, there's no room for you at Nebraska," Huskers coach Bill Callahan reportedly said at a speaking engagement the following spring. "You can go to Kansas State." Freeman went on to become the first true freshman quarterback to start at Kansas State in 30 years and was 23 of 47 for 272 yards with a pair of interceptions in a 21-3 loss to Nebraska. As Freeman gets better, this rivalry should get fiercer.

Steve Megargee is a national writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at smegargee@rivals.com.

Updated on Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 10:00 am EDT

[Tuck4Bama]

Rivalry Week: Lost rivalries we'd like to see
By David Fox, Rivals.com College Football Staff Writer

Which lost rivalry would you like to see? • Miami (Fla.) vs. Florida• Oklahoma vs. Nebraska• Penn State vs. Pittsburgh• Arkansas vs. Texas• South Carolina vs. North CarolinaCLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE

Rivals.com is taking a look at the best rivalries in college football - new and old.
Today we look at matchups that should be rivalries but no longer exist or never did. Cast your vote here for one that you'd like to see and share your rationale. We may use your comments tomorrow when we reveal the results. Did we miss one? Tell us that, too.

Take a minute to turn back the clock and pine for the days of intrastate rivalries and annual showdowns in conferences that no longer exist.
The new league alignments in the 1990s forced the demise of many of the independent powers. It also marked the end of the Big 8 and Southwest conferences.
Left behind in the wake were several key rivalries that produced some of the most exciting games of the previous 50 years.
Here's our rivalries wish list:

1. Miami vs, Florida
Once a staple in the Sunshine State, this series has almost disappeared - save for an occasional matchup. When the two teams played every year from 1938-87, neither program was what it is today. Florida controlled the series for much of that time, winning nine consecutive meetings just before Miami became "The U" and before Florida adopted the Fun 'n' Gun. The two teams have met four times since the series ended - twice in bowl games and in a home-and-home series. Miami won all four of those meetings. These two programs needed to meet on a yearly basis in their primes. It's too late for that, but they can try and address the future.

Oklahoma vs. Nebraska
This matchup was featured yesterday in our declining rivalries, and we would love to be able to remove it from that list. The Big 12 has muted this storied this Big 8 rivalry. Even the styles of play between the two teams – Nebraska's option and Oklahoma's wishbone – have all but left major college football. The rivalry reached its apex in 1987 when No. 1 Nebraska met No. 2 Oklahoma in Lincoln. Barry Switzer's Sooners knocked off the Cornhuskers for a chance at the national championship. The closest we've come since was the Big 12 title game last season, when Oklahoma beat Nebraska 21-7. Even though the two teams are in opposite divisions, we'd love to make this a permanent fixture in the Big 12.

3. Penn State vs. Pittsburg
This annual series ended in 1992 after 92 meetings. The teams met four times from 1997-2000, but Penn State coach Joe Paterno indicated earlier this summer he's not optimistic the series will restart anytime soon. There has been a little bad blood between Paterno and Pitt in recent years. The Penn State head coach tried to recruit the in-state Panthers to form a Northeastern football conference. Pitt instead joined the Big East, and Penn State moved on to the Big Ten. This is one of many in-state rivalries we'd like to see each year.

4. Arkansas vs. Texas
The demise of the Southwest Conference took some of the luster off Oklahoma-Nebraska, but it has all but ended the Texas-Arkansas rivalry. This game used to decide a trip to the Cotton Bowl. Like this rivalry, the Cotton Bowl has seen its significance drop considerably. In 1969, Texas beat Arkansas 15-14 in a matchup of previously unbeaten teams. President Richard Nixon, who was in attendance, named the Longhorns national champions (much to the annoyance of an undefeated Penn State team). Oklahoma has since replaced the Hogs as Texas' primary out-of-state rival. The Razorbacks have some interesting series in the SEC, and they play LSU for the "Golden Boot." But that trophy game was born in 1996, meaning Arkansas lacks a traditional rival now that they don't face the Longhorns annually. The good news is that Arkansas and Texas will at least renew the rivalry for a home-and-home in 2008-09. Here's hoping they set up several more matchups in the future.

5. South Carolina vs North Carolina
Go ahead and laugh if you want. We know that between the two of these teams the last conference title was in 1980. That North Carolina team went 11-1 and won the ACC thanks to a defensive star named Lawrence Taylor. The matchup between state border schools ended in 1991, but the two teams will meet up again this year. We believe things are looking up for both teams. Coaches Steve Spurrier and Butch Davis have proven track records and are making their presences felt on the recruiting trail. The talent level between these two teams should skyrocket over the next few years. We'd love to see them go head-to-head on the field for years to come.
• Cast your vote here for the lost rivalry you would most like to see return

Updated on Thursday, Jun 28, 2007 10:00 am EDT

[Tuck4Bama]

The assignment? Come up with the best games in each of the 14 weeks of the upcoming college football season. The usual suspects are there: Red River Shootout, the game formerly known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, Bowden Bowl and Third Saturday in October.


ESPN - Schlabach: Best games of 2007 - College Football

[john255]

Originally Posted by Tuck4Bama

Rivalry Week: New grudge matches emerge
By Steve Megargee, Rivals.com College Football Staff Writer


This week, Rivals.com is taking a look at the best rivalries in college football - new rivalries, old rivalries, lost rivalries and those that will always be among the best.
We begin with a look at the best rivalries that have emerged in recent years.
The changing face of college football also has changed the way we look at some of the game's rivalries.
Although some of the sport's most anticipated annual series are traditional matchups that have stood the test of time, conference realignment and the rise of non-traditional powers have created some other interesting rivalries.
That's why we have decided to take a look at rivalries - new and old.
Today, we've put together a list of five emerging rivalries that seem much more intriguing now than they may have seemed a few years ago.
Maybe a legendary coach has taken another job and now has to face his former team. Perhaps a recruiting battle has added some hatred that didn't previously exist. Maybe a couple of close games have brought some sizzle to a long-running series. Or perhaps two conference rivals have emerged as elite programs at exactly the same time.
The following list includes all those examples.

1. Louisville vs. West Viginia

This series has developed into one of the nation's most anticipated games so rapidly that it's hard to imagine these two teams weren't playing annually until 2005 - when they emerged as the elite programs in the revamped Big East. Not since Florida State-Miami became a big rivalry in the 1980s has a "new" rivalry been created that means so much. This year, the game again could have national championship implications. These teams have helped the Big East gain respect because the winner of this game has gone on to win a BCS game each of the last two years. Along the way, they have developed a reputation for creating fan-friendly shootouts. Each team had only one loss two years ago when West Virginia rallied from 17 points down in the final 9 minutes of regulation to beat Louisville 46-44 in triple overtime. Last year, the teams were undefeated heading into a 44-34 Louisville triumph that featured more than 1,000 yards of total offense. This could also be called the "Thursday Night" rivalry. The conference has taken advantage of non-traditional game days to increase its exposure, and this game is the crown jewel of those contests.

2. Auburn vs. LSU

Ten of the last 17 games between the groups of Tigers have been decided by less than a touchdown. Obviously this series has had some barn burners – and that's not just a figure of speech. The 1996 game is known as "The Night the Barn Burned," when the old Auburn Sports Arena burned down just outside of Jordan-Hare Stadium. LSU defeated Auburn 17-15, and the game was decided when LSU's Raion Hill intercepted a pass on a two-point conversion attempt and returned it for two points the other way. But that's status quo in this rivalry, where the bizarre is so much the norm that the games have names. There is the Earthquake Game (198 when the crowd in Baton Rouge raised the noise level so high it registered on a campus seismograph. There's the Interception Game (1994) when Auburn got five picks in the fourth quarter and returned three for touchdowns to rally for a 30-26 win. LSU had the "Bring Back the Magic" game (1995) when it wore white jerseys at home for the first time in 13 years and upset No. 5 Auburn. There is also "The Comeback" (Auburn's rally to upset No. 10 LSU in 1997), "The Extra Point Game" (both teams missed extra points, but a penalty gave Auburn's John Vaughn a second chance to add the winning point in a 10-9 victory in 2004). In 2005, the game was decided in overtime - almost a mundane note in the series. The rivalry has intensified since the SEC went to divisions. Either Auburn or LSU has won the SEC West in five of the last seven seasons.

3. Texas A&M vs, Texas Tech

This Big 12 South matchup is one of the more intense - though overlooked - rivalries. Everyone knows the Aggies hate Texas, but their disdain for Texas Tech is just as intense. In some ways, it might be even more bitter. A&M seems to have a grudging respect for the Longhorns, but just resentment for Tech. A couple of years ago, a paragraph in the A&M media guide (uncorrected version) referred to the Red Raiders as "classless clowns." The Red Raiders have equal contempt for the Aggies. After a 12-0 victory in 2001 in Lubbock – a game in which the Red Raiders were favored – Tech fans tore down the goal posts and shoved them into the A&M cheering section. Coach Mike Leach has even referred to Texas A&M "playing army," which was an obvious taunt at A&M's Corps of Cadets. Overall, A&M leads the all-time series 34-30-1, but the Red Raiders have an 8-3 advantage in Big 12 play. The Red Raiders have also won the last six meetings played in Lubbock.


4.Florida vs. South Carolina

We can only hope Nick Saban's move to Tuscaloosa makes the Alabama-LSU rivalry as interesting as the Florida-South Carolina series has become the last two years. This game was an annual Florida blowout until former Gators coach Steve Spurrier returned to the SEC. In Spurrier's first year at South Carolina, the Gamecocks knocked off Florida 30-22 to end the Gators' 14-game winning streak in this series. When Spurrier returned to Gainesville on the visitor's sideline last year, his Gamecocks nearly knocked the Gators out of national title contention. Jarvis Moss needed to block Ryan Succop's 48-yard field-goal attempt as time expired to preserve Florida's 17-16 victory. Florida coach Urban Meyer stepped out of the Ol' Ball Coach's shadow by leading the Gators to a national title, but a South Carolina victory over Florida this year could reignite the Spurrier-Meyer debate.

5. Kansas State vs. Nebraska

The rivalry began to get interesting when Bill Snyder and Michael Bishop were leading the resurrection of the K-State program. Prior to their arrivals, the Wildcats were a mere afterthought for the Cornhuskers. This Big 12 North showdown should continue to be intriguing as long as Josh Freeman is quarterbacking the Wildcats. Freeman, a former four-star prospect, signed with Kansas State after verbally committing to Nebraska in a move that didn't win him any fans in Lincoln. "If you're a prima donna or if you're a drama queen, there's no room for you at Nebraska," Huskers coach Bill Callahan reportedly said at a speaking engagement the following spring. "You can go to Kansas State." Freeman went on to become the first true freshman quarterback to start at Kansas State in 30 years and was 23 of 47 for 272 yards with a pair of interceptions in a 21-3 loss to Nebraska. As Freeman gets better, this rivalry should get fiercer.

Steve Megargee is a national writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at smegargee@rivals.com.

Updated on Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 10:00 am EDT

the one that looks the best is the auburn lsu rivalry it seems like when they meet its seems to be al passing game or all running game

[simple simon]

well, i dont care what they say ..... people still like most Notre Dame match ups

[Lefty Noob]

Louisville vs. WVU should be a good one for years to come as well. Don't know how much of a true rivalry it is, but it'll always have huge Big East implications.

[shortsleeve47]

Louisville vs WV reminds me of the Florida teams playing each other back in the Spurier days where there is full suspense and electricity of the fans at the game. Both in Football and Basketball there is evenly high competitive teams. Can't say that about many colleges. The two sports programs speak by their performances.

Both offenses are the most innovative and explosive and defenses place players in the NFL every year.

People talk about the lapse of loosing Petrino but Louisville keeps Offensive movitvator Jeff Brohm and Louisville's Defensive Coordinator of 4 years stayed with team.

It was unlikely any Louisville assistant coach would have declined the opportunity to serve as the offensive coordinator at Alabama(under Saban) to remain at Louisville -- even if the school is his alma mater and his brother (Brian) is the starting quarterback and one of America's best players.

But that's the call Jeff Brohm made. He has added three titles to his job description -- assistant head coach/passing-game coordinator/quarterbacks coach.

He will also be working from a new location. During his four seasons with former U of L coach Bobby Petrino, Brohm roamed the sidelines, suggesting some plays that Petrino called. Occasionally, Jeff might find his brother and strongly encourage him to play better -- as he did (wink) at Rutgers in November.

This season Brohm is moving to the press box.
He will have an overhead view of the field -- as well as the ear of head coach Steve Kragthorpe and offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Charlie Stubbs, the play callers.
Ask Brohm how the Cards' 2007 offense will compare with the remarkable Petrino schemes that ranked in the top 10 in total offense in NCAA Division I-A for four consecutive seasons, and he'll say he is as eager as everybody else to get that answer in the opening game against Kentucky … oops, I mean, Murray State on Aug. 30.