The 18 Most Petty Rivalries in College Football

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

Sep 7, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones defensive lineman Domonique Orange (95) sacks Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara (12) during the fourth quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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

Aug 31, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Malik Rutherford (8) runs after a catch against Georgia State Panthers in the third quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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

Nov 30, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Kedrick Reescano (3) against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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

Nov 29, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Davon Booth (21) is stopped short of the endzone by the Mississippi Rebels defense during the fourth quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
Matt Bush-Imagn Images

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

Nov 30, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver J.J. Jones (13) scores a touchdown as North Carolina State Wolfpack cornerback Devon Marshall (16) defends in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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]
Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

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

Nov 24, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) leaps while running for yards during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

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

Oct 26, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA;  Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans players fight after the game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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

Nov 25, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Xavier Legette (17) is tackled by Clemson Tigers cornerback Avieon Terrell (20) in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Yeazell-Imagn Images
David Yeazell-Imagn Images

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

Nov 9, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars offensive lineman Kaden Chidester (79) reacts after a field goal to defeat the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Rob Gray-Imagn Images

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

Nov 4, 2023; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys cornerback Dylan Smith (11) and defensive end Nathan Latu (92) celebrate next to Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Drake Stoops (12) after a fourth down stop late in the fourth quarter of a Bedlam college football game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) and the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Terry-USA TODAY Sports
Bryan Terry-Imagn Images

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

Oct 12, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) signals for a first down against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brianna Paciorka/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
Brianna Paciorka/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

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

Nov 30, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne (1) runs the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images
Will McLelland-Imagn Images

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

Nov 23, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

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

Oct 26, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Damien Martinez (6) runs with the football against Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman KJ Sampson (56) and defensive back Shyheim Brown (1) during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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

Nov 30, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA;  Police attempt to break up Ohio State Buckeyes players and Michigan Wolverines players as they fight after the game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

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

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) looks for an open receiver as Texas Longhorns linebacker Trey Moore (8) defends during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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

Nov 25, 2023; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Ray Davis (1) runs the ball past Louisville Cardinals defensive lineman Jermayne Lole (90) during the second half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Kentucky defeated Louisville 38-31. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

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

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