Reviewing the Top 5 NCAA Football Betting Rivalries

Posted by Alex Murphy on Monday,April 20, 2015 12:46, EDT in

Rivalries in sports always add an extra dimension to online betting. Some teams hate each other so much that it doesn’t matter if they are having a bad season, a win over their rivals makes everything okay. In college football, these rivalries are very intense with most of them between teams in the same state, while others are between teams in bordering states. Whatever their reasons may be, these are the best rivalries in college football odds.

Let’s Count Down The Top NCAA Football Betting Rivalries

#5. Miami vs Florida State

Rivalry Stats

  • Total meetings: 59
  • Series record: Miami leads, 31–28
  • First meeting: October 5, 1951 (Miami 35, Florida State 13)
  • Largest win: Miami, 47–0 (1976) – Florida State, 47–0 (1997)
  • Longest win streak: Florida State, 7 (1963–1972)
  • Current win streak: Florida State, 5 (2010–present)
  • Trophy: Florida Cup

The Hurricanes dominated college football in the 1980s, but by the 1990s, Florida State had come into its own as a college football powerhouse. There have been a lot of great and intense games played between these two teams who were always stacked with NFL talent. When the rivalry was at its best, the winner was all but guaranteed a spot in the national championship race and the loser would be eliminated, even if that was their only loss of the year. There haven’t been high stakes involved in recent years, but these two teams still don’t like each other very much.

#4. Oklahoma vs Texas

Rivalry Stats

  • AKA: Red River Showdown
  • Total meetings:109
  • Series record: Texas leads, 60–44–5
  • First meeting: October 10, 1900 (Texas 28, Oklahoma 2)
  • Largest win: Oklahoma, 65-13 (2003)
  • Longest win streak: Texas, 8 (1940-47, 1958-65)
  • Current win streak: Oklahoma, 1 (2014–present)
  • Trophy: Golden Hat

The Red River Showdown is one of college football’s oldest rivalries, and still one of the best. Oklahoma and Texas have been the pride of the Big 12 for many years and the Red River Showdown has also been instrumental in determining which one of the two teams had a chance to play in the national championship. Even though Texas hasn’t been in the national championship conversation lately, they have managed to put an end to Oklahoma’s title aspiration in recent years, showing just how intense the rivalry is.

#3. Michigan vs Ohio State

Rivalry Stats

  • AKA: The Game
  • Total meetings: 111
  • Series record: Michigan leads, 58–46–6
  • First meeting: October 17, 1897 (Michigan 34, Ohio State 0)
  • Largest win: Michigan 86, Ohio State 0 (1902)
  • Longest win streak: Michigan, 9 (1901–1909)
  • Current win streak: Ohio State, 3 (2012–present)

The rivalry game between these two teams is considered one of the best in the country thanks to its incredible intensity. Like some of the other big rivalries, this game has helped decide which team in the Big Ten will get the opportunity to play in the national championship game. A few years ago, this would have been ranked as the top rivalry in college football, but Ohio State has dominated it by winning the last three. With Jim Harbaugh back to coach his alma mater, this rivalry is expected to be reignited.

#2. Army vs Navy

Rivalry Stats

  • Originated in 1890
  • Played annually since 1930
  • Meetings: 115
  • Series: Navy leads, 59–49–7
  • Longest Winning Streak: Navy, 13 (2002–present)
  • Trophy: Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy

This rivalry is 125 years old, making it one of the most traditional college football rivalry games in the country. Unlike the other rivalries, the Army and Navy teams have not had an impact on the national championship landscape in a long time since neither team has won a title since 1946. But despite the lack of championship success, it is still one of the most anticipated games of the year, even if the rivalry has been one sided lately with Navy winning the last 13 games.

#1. Alabama vs Auburn

Rivalry Stats

  • AKA: Iron Bowl
  • Total meetings: 79
  • Series record: Alabama leads, 43–35–1
  • First meeting: February 22, 1893 (Auburn 32, Alabama 22)
  • Largest win: Alabama, 55–0 (1948)
  • Longest win streak: Alabama, 9 (1973–81)
  • Current win streak: Alabama, 1 (2014–present)
  • Trophy: James E. Foy, V-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy

This has been one of the best college football rivalries for a long time now: With the arrival of Nick Saban at Alabama and the emergence of Auburn over the past decade, the Iron Bowl has become must see television again. Alabama has won three national championships in five years, and Auburn has won one in two appearances over the same span, making their games very important in the national championship chase, making this rivalry the best that college football has to offer.