The Athletic has put out a list of the top 100 rivalries in college football. They don’t really give a lot of detail or analysis as to why or how they made their decision. They just presented a list, like so many outlets and blogs have in the past. The rankings release did come partnered with an article further detailing just what makes this rivalry so amazing.
Of course, Ohio State fans don’t need to be told what makes this rivalry amazing. We all know it. We know the legends, the moments, the stories–the good and the bad. Still, it’s nice to see recognition from national outlets, even if picking The Game as the biggest rivalry isn’t a particularly bold decision. The only other real choice is Army-Navy, for very different reasons, and The Athletic put that at No.4 (behind the Iron Bowl and the Red River Rivalry).
Two other Ohio State rivalries also made the top 100 list. And both are interesting, though in very different ways. The first is Ohio State vs Illinois. And while that rivalry was once pretty big, it’s been decades since it has been meaningful as a rivalry in any real way. Including it in a top rivalry list in 2000 would have made a lot of sense. In 2025? Not quite as much.
Also, Ohio State vs Penn State clocked in at No.8 on the list. With just 40 total meetings, it’s one of the rarest matchups on the entire list. Michigan vs Notre Dame was the only other rivalry in the top 50 with fewer than 50 meetings. And a stat about the rivalry they provide is impressive: in all 39 modern meetings between the two schools, at least one has been ranked in the AP Top 25. That’s pretty impressive.
While we would have liked for The Athletic to better explain its rankings and give us numbers showing why The Game is the best rivalry in college football, this is still obvious validation from a prominent national outlet.
Source link : https://buckeyeswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/buckeyes/football/2025/07/08/ohio-state-michigan-college-football-top-rivalry/84502681007/
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Publish date : 2025-07-08 12:49:00
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