College football is home to some of the fiercest rivalries in sports—but not all of them are about championships or bragging rights. Some are fueled by pure pettiness: disputed mascots, stolen signs, Twitter feuds, and fan bases that just can’t stand each other for reasons that make no logical sense.
From grudge matches that feature more trash talk than touchdowns to decades-long beefs over territory, these rivalries thrive on drama and emotion. Here are 18 of the pettiest rivalries in college football, where the bitterness is often more fun than the football.
18. Iowa vs. Iowa State
The Cy-Hawk rivalry isn’t about playoff spots or national titles—it’s about who gets to hold the weird-looking trophy and win the state fair of feelings. Even when neither team is ranked, both fan bases treat it like the Super Bowl of the cornfields.
17. Georgia Tech vs. Georgia
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate isn’t just a nickname—it’s a lifestyle. Georgia fans love to remind Tech fans they’re the “little brother,” and Tech fans act like Georgia’s success is a personal affront.
16. Arizona vs. Arizona State
This is less about football dominance and more about which desert school has the better party scene. The level of disdain here feels way too intense considering how often both teams are rebuilding.
15. Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State
Egg Bowl games are spicy even when the teams are mid-tier at best. From touchdown celebrations gone wrong to coaches throwing shade, this one’s messy in the best way.
14. North Carolina vs. NC State
This rivalry simmers with quiet bitterness—UNC acts like it doesn’t care, which only makes State fans angrier. Every win by either side is treated like definitive proof of superiority.
13. Florida vs. Miami
![Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) is sacked during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the second half. Miami defeated the Gators 41-17. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://thequickreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/USATSI_24127385-1024x728.jpg)
They don’t even play every year, but when they do, it’s personal. The fanbases bicker nonstop, and the trash talk goes back generations, with no one willing to let anything go.
12. Texas vs. Texas Tech
Texas fans don’t take Tech seriously, which only makes Tech fans louder and pettier. The energy here feels like a group chat argument that’s been going on since 1975.
11. Michigan State vs. Michigan
Little Brother Syndrome meets Elite Arrogance, and neither side ever backs down. The Spartans circle this game every year, while Michigan pretends not to—until they lose.
10. South Carolina vs. Clemson
Clemson has been the better team for years, but South Carolina still fights like they’re defending a national title. Every small victory, real or imagined, gets blown way out of proportion.
9. BYU vs. Utah
The Holy War is equal parts football and cultural clash. There’s a simmering tension here that makes even a routine first down feel like a battle for moral high ground.
8. Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma
Oklahoma has historically dominated, but Oklahoma State acts like every meeting is a chance to finally tip the scales. The Sooners’ superiority complex and the Cowboys’ chip-on-the-shoulder energy make for a very petty cocktail.
7. Tennessee vs. Florida
These teams used to trade SEC East titles, now they mostly trade jabs. Fans live to relitigate past games and act like every win erases a decade of frustration.
6. Alabama vs. Auburn
The Iron Bowl is as intense as rivalries get, but it’s the off-field antics—tree poisonings, billboard wars, and fanbase trolling—that push it into petty territory. No one forgives, and everyone remembers.
5. USC vs. UCLA
This one is all about location, legacy, and whose shades of red or blue are more important in Los Angeles. Every game feels like a fight for the city’s soul—and its real estate.
4. Florida State vs. Miami
Once a must-watch TV for national title implications, this rivalry now survives on pure animosity. Every play feels personal, and every tweet from either side is guaranteed to start a firestorm.
3. Ohio State vs. Michigan
Yes, it’s one of the biggest rivalries in sports—but that doesn’t mean it’s not petty. From refusing to say each other’s names to fans obsessing over decades-old results, the drama is nonstop.
Read More: Ranking the 12 Pettiest Rivalries in MLB History
2. Texas vs. Texas A&M
They haven’t played in years, and yet the rivalry somehow feels more alive than ever. The pettiness lives on through recruiting battles, message boards, and pure Texas-sized resentment.
Read More: The 10 Most Iconic College Football Rivalries
1. Louisville vs. Kentucky
Basketball may get more headlines, but the football version of this rivalry is a masterclass in petty energy. From fan fights to trophy trolling, both sides act like every game is a referendum on state pride.
Read More: 10 Sports Rivalries That Are All Hype, No Heat
