Which college football rivalry has the best name? Ranking Bedlam, the Iron Bowl and more

New York Times

08-07-2025

Editor's note: All week, The Athletic is writing about college football rivalries at a moment of change in the sport. Read our ranking of the top 100 rivalries here and also vote for your favorites.
What's in a name? In college football, a whole lot.
Do you ever wonder why we have 'bowls' in football? It goes back to the Yale Bowl stadium, which inspired the Rose Bowl stadium name — and then the game's title. On it went, to the natural endpoint of eating a Pop-Tart mascot.
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The point is that college football has some really weird names, especially when it comes to rivalries. So after Scott Dochterman ranked the top 100 rivalries in college football for The Athletic on Monday, this is my ranking of the top 25 college football rivalry names.
Points for true originality. Games named specifically after a trophy don't count. The 'Battle for the Keg of Nails' (Cincinnati vs. Louisville) is cool, but that's more about the trophy than the game. I'm seeking epic eponyms. Don't be too simplistic. Nobody outside of Michigan and Ohio State calls it 'The Game,' even if that is the best rivalry in the sport. The quality of the rivalry doesn't matter, either. I'm just looking for cool names.
Commonly accepted names that may not be official do qualify. Some of these you've probably heard of. Hopefully, there are some you have not.
Let's start the countdown.
It's a nickname used by a lot of rivalries, but considering these two states fought a literal war, they get to claim it. The Jayhawks and Tigers haven't played since Missouri joined the SEC in 2012, but thankfully, the rivalry returns this September.
It's another great rivalry paused by conference realignment, but at least they're playing a four-game series now and have another on the docket. These are two words that accurately describe the matchup. It's only this low on the list because it's a bit generic.
Plenty of schools with the same acronym play each other. These two put those letters on the line. No 'Game' or 'Classic' here. The stakes are clear.
Another state-specific bowl, but being known for a rock formed from volcanic magma is pretty cool.
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A rivalry named after a day on the calendar is unique. No adjectives, no ways to describe dislike. You know the day, you know the game … except the handful of times it's actually been played on the Fourth Saturday in October.
They first played less than 30 years after the American Civil War and took on the moniker nearly 100 years ago, so they've earned it. The sides dropped the official name in 2020, but most people still know the rivalry by the name.
It's actually a portmanteau of each school's acclaimed marching band — Jackson State's Sonic Boom of the South and Southern's Human Jukebox — and it's clear more than the football game is on the line when they meet.
It sounds like a battle between two mountain monsters. It's better than the 'Rocky Mountain Showdown' between Colorado and Colorado State.
The schools changed 'Shootout' to 'Showdown,' but the original name still holds for fans. It paints the picture of an Old West duel.
We've got no room for that newfangled hate. This is the vintage stuff.
If you're going to hate, be as specific as possible.
Two New York schools that specialize in maritime studies AND alliteration? Yes, please. We need to figure out how to use 'seafaring' more in daily conversation. Also, points for something that isn't 'bowl' or 'showdown.'
This is a matchup between 'Indiana' and 'California' universities located in Pennsylvania. It's confusing, but the name is fantastic: a local emphasis that rhymes. It's also better than the 'Friends of Coal Bowl' for West Virginia and Marshall.
This is technically about the trophy, but it's not a proper noun. The Golden Egg trophy was created in the 1920s so fans would stop getting in fights. It's a name as weird as the play on the field. That's college football.
An unofficial name the schools have acknowledged. No cocktails or fancy drinks here. We're getting into the serious stuff, and we're gonna fight at the end of it.
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Mississippi's two largest HBCUs have played for nearly 100 years. It's the coolest name to say out loud. Try it.
The most self-aware and humble rivalry name there is. Division III's most-played rivalry dates back to 1884 and even hosted ESPN's 'College GameDay' in 2007.
It's not the official name, but it's one the schools have come around to accept since a K-State student coined it in 2009, so it counts. It leans into the local feel for two schools with strong agricultural reputations while merging with a serious name for a disaster.
Other rivalries have hate. These two, who brought their rivalry from the FCS to the Sun Belt, have that topped.
It's no longer the official name, but it still rocks. It's unique and accurately descriptive. Even if the rivalry doesn't always have juice, your drink will.
Of all the 'bowls' out there, this is a rivalry name you can feel.
While some other rivalries use this name, most people associate it with BYU and Utah, and the history, hatred and drama back it up. There are lots of rivalry 'wars,' but 'Holy' takes things up another level.
While this also technically is named because of its trophy, a bronze rack of ribs, it's not a proper noun trophy rivalry name. It feels like a battle between two vultures, and it's two fantastic food cities that hold a barbecue contest leading into the matchup.
A single-name rivalry is so cool. No one's quite sure how the name started, but this rivalry dates back longer than the history of the state. It's a shame conference realignment has ended this matchup for the foreseeable future.
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The clear No. 1. This rivalry has had its name since only 1997, but the matchup goes back a century before that. These two FCS powers also play for the 306-pound Great Divide Trophy.
Honorable Mention: Beehive Bowl (Weber State vs. Southern Utah), Battle of the Brothers (Utah vs. Utah State), The Old Mountain Feud (Appalachian State vs. Marshall), The Ninth Island Showdown (Hawaii vs. UNLV), The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry (Auburn vs. Georgia), The Rocky Mountain Showdown (Colorado vs. Colorado State), The Lone Star Showdown (Texas vs. Texas A&M), Battle of the Bricks (Ohio vs. Miami (OH)), The Rivalry (Lafayette vs. Lehigh)
(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; photos: James Gilbert, Ali Gradischer, Tommy Martino / Getty Images)