No love lost: Top five SEC football rivalries that fuel the South's football obsession

USA Today

14-06-2025

No love lost: Top five SEC football rivalries that fuel the South's football obsession
Every game during the year is important for Southeastern Conference teams hoping to make the postseason. However, certain dates on the schedule just mean more.
SEC rivalries run deep as the Red River that separates Texas and Oklahoma, with each team looking to mark another victory on the calendar. Most importantly, programs are looking to achieve bragging rights for the next year. Rivals in the SEC are not to be played with, as friendships, relationships, and marriages are put on the line depending upon the results of the contest.
All jokes aside, there is nothing like a Saturday on rivalry weekend in the South. From fans waiting to break out the cigars in the Alabama-Tennessee "Third Saturday In October" to a golden cowboy hat awaiting the winner in the Red River Rivalry between the Sooners and Longhorns, traditions in SEC rivalries are rich and unique.
The real question remains: What are the top five contests filled with the ultimate amount of bad blood, bragging rights, and tears in the league?
1. Iron Bowl - Alabama vs. Auburn
Although these two conference powerhouses do not crack the top 10 of most-played rivalries in the SEC, there is no denying the true spite between Auburn and Alabama. Both teams met for the first time on the gridiron in 1892, where the Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide 32-22. After the eras of legendary head coaches Paul "Bear" Bryant and Nick Saban, Bama holds a 51-37 overall record over Auburn. Beyond the wins and losses is a hatred that runs so deep that a man poisoned 130-year-old oak trees at Toomer's Corner in 2010 because the Tigers celebrated a win. Not to mention, Crimson Tide fans treat every loss to their in-state rival like a state of emergency. That is exactly why there is no rivalry in the country like the Iron Bowl.
2. Red River Rivalry - Oklahoma vs. Texas
If you were to look up the definition of hate in a dictionary, chances are the Longhorns and Sooners would be at the top. Called the Red River Rivalry for the border that separates the schools, the battle for the gold-plated cowboy hat signifies state superiority. Beginning in 1900, the matchup between the programs is hyped every single year, and for good reason. The Longhorns hold a 64-51-5 overall advantage over the Sooners, but Oklahoma has battled back in the series to win seven contests in the last decade. It's called a border war for a reason, as every single matchup sees a split stadium ready to burst at the seams for any advantage one team has over the other. The "Horns Down" motions do not help matters, which is just another sample of the absolute loathing these two schools have for one another.
3. The Egg Bowl - Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State
Well, if in-state hatred is what you strive to see on the last Saturday of the regular season in the SEC, look no further than the state of Mississippi where you will find the third-oldest rivalry in the league. The battle for the Golden Egg Trophy between Ole Miss and Mississippi State has been filled with historic moments and displays of distain for the opposing colors. The Rebels boasts a 66-46-6 record over the Bulldogs, but you can throw all records out the window when it comes to the battle for that shiny egg. Between fights on the field, fans battling in the stands and legendary moments like the missed extra-point after wideout Elijah Moore's infamous leg-lift celebration in the endzone that cost Ole Miss the 2019 matchup, the Egg Bowl is a November tradition unlike most.
4. World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party - Georgia vs. Florida
What would a SEC rivalry list be without the greatest cocktail party on the planet? Well, Georgia-Florida games are just that. The war between the Bulldogs and Gators has been honed "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" for a reason, as fans fill the parking lot outside of TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, to indulge in some beverages before entering the stadium to display what they think of their rivals. This rivalry is not for the faint of heart. While Georgia holds a 56-44-2 record over its rival, the Gators dominated the majority of the early 1990s and mid-2000s. The blood that runs through the veins of those that fill the stands and the players, coaching staff and members of the program, are the only common ground Florida and Georgia will find. That might even be a stretch.
5. Lone Star Showdown - Texas vs. Texas A&M
Many college football fans considered themselves blessed that the Lone Star Showdown returned last season. The battle for in-state supremacy between Texas and Texas A&M dates back to 1915, and up until 2011, the two faced each other every year. Since the establishment of this rivalry, the Longhorns boast a 77-37-5 overall record over the Aggies, while also claiming seven victories in the last 10 matchups. Like others on this list, this hatred runs deep in every sport and on a daily basis for fans. It is not just a game to residents in the state, it is a lifestyle. With Texas completing the program's first season in the SEC in 2024, there are sure to be more insanely competitive and hostile contests between the two for the foreseeable future.
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