Rivalries with flair

Sports

Rivalries with flair

College football grudge matches are steeped in history, here are a few that not only have tradition and hate - but a good name, too.

Separated by 70 miles, Georgia and Georgia Tech have been heated rivals since 1893 and were conference foes until 1963 when Georgia Tech left the SEC. The rivalry has inspired words of battle in each school's fight songs. Georgia leads the series 62-40-5.

The annual meeting between SEC rivals Florida and Georgia remains one of the few neutral-site rivalries. The game attracts huge crowds to Jacksonville, Fla., was once dubbed the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party." Though widely adopted since the 1950s, the schools choose not to go by that name today. It was one of the few rivalries to not award a trophy until 2009 when the "Okefenokee Oar" went to the winner. That tradition has, however, not been maintained. There is a disagreement on when the rivalry actually began. Georgia contends it leads the series 49-40-2. Florida awards Georgia one fewer win.

Georgia and Auburn first played each other in 1892 and have met nearly every year since, for a total of 116 games. The series also is, according to legend, when Auburn's team cheer, "War Eagle." When the Southeastern Conference split into its Eastern Division and Western Division in 1992, with Auburn placed in the west and Georgia in the east, the game was designated as the teams' annual cross-divisional rivalry game. The series is tied 54–54–8.

First played in 1997, the cross-state rivalry between University of Alabama at Birmingham and Memphis is steeped in southern tradition. The winner receives a 100-pound bronze rack of ribs alluding to the two cities' reputation for barbecue. Now in different conference future matchups are undecided. Memphis leads the series 36-10.

Originated in 1915, TCU and SMU are separated by 40 miles of Texas asphalt. The winner of this annual series receives an iron skillet - which got its start from an argument between fans over a skillet and fried frog legs. The TCU mascot is the horned frog. No longer in the same conference, SMU and TCU agreed to play each season through 2017 on an alternating home-and-away basis. TCU leads the series 45-40-7.

The 10th longest uninterrupted college football rivalry, Mississippi State and Ole Miss have met 108 times since 1901. The winner receives the "Golden Egg," a large football-shaped brass piece mounted to a wooden base. Ole Miss leads the series 61–42–6.

Played every season since 1971, the annual matchup between Clemson and North Carolina State pits two of the country's largest university-level textile schools. The ACC rivals began awarding a trophy in 1981. Clemson leads the series 22-10.

Utah is a public school. Brigham Young University is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the term "Holy War" refers to the differences between the two universities' fans and culture. First played in 1896, the schools have met for 94 games. Utah leads 56–34–4. Both teams played in the same conference from 1922 to 2010. Utah is now a member of the Pac-12, while BYU plays as an independent. The two schools are only scheduled to meet in and 2013 and 2016.

Last season marked the first time since 1942 that Pittsburgh and West Virginia did not play. Separated by 70 miles, the annual grudge match between Pittsburgh and West Virginia had played out through 104 games. Pitt now belongs in the ACC and West Virginia in the Big 12. Pitt leads the series 61–40–3.

Such is the disdain between Alabama and Auburn that this matchup between conference foes has been interrupted by coaches claiming deceit and has taken an act of law to re-institute the game. The name of the Iron Bowl comes from Birmingham's historic role in the steel industry. Alabama leads the series with an overall record of 42–34–1.

One of college football's oldest rivalries dating back to 1892, Virginia and North Carolina is also nicknamed the "Gentlemen's Rivalry." The origins of the football discourse extends beyond the gridiron and involves political and academic bloodlines. The Tar Heels lead the series 59-54-4.

Last played in 2009, LSU and Tulane had played 89 games for the right to fly a satin trophy flag known as the Tiger Rag - one of many LSU fight songs. The schools have discussed renewing the rivalry. The Tigers lead the overall series 69-22-7.

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Separated by 70 miles, Georgia and Georgia Tech have been heated rivals since 1893 and were conference foes until 1963 when Georgia Tech left the SEC. The rivalry has inspired words of battle in each school's fight songs. Georgia leads the series 62-40-5.

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