Rivalries are what sports fans of different teams use to connect to each other. Whether it’s a rivalry in high school, college, or even pro teams, a big rivalry never changes the hatred you have toward that other team. Looking back in sports history, some of the best games played have been between rivals. A lot of the most exciting moments in sports happen when one team is facing a rival.
Whenever a sports fan thinks of a game to go to, the first thing that pops up is usually his/her favorite team facing their rival. Rivals games are arguably the most important game to win not only for the fans, but for the organization to have bragging rights on the other. Now, let’s check out the top ten greatest rivalries in all of sports.
10. Southern California Trojans (USC) vs. Notre Dame Irish (ND)--college football
Started: 1926
Record: Notre Dame leads, 43-33-5
Two of college football’s biggest powerhouses have had one of the most exciting rivalries in NCAA football history. The two teams usually have great games and teams in each of their meetings during this long-lived rivalry. The teams have combined for the most national titles (22), Heisman Trophy Winners (14), and NFL players.
The things that makes the rivalry so unique is all the big time players that have played in it and the media coverage that the rivalry receives. Out of all the games in college football, none of them get the media coverage that ESPN gives the USC-Notre Dame rivalry, especially Lee Corso.
9. Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs--NHL Hockey
Started: 1917
Record: Montreal Canadiens Lead, 331-284-88
One of the most historic and talked about rivalries in NHL history, the Maple Leafs vs the Canadiens is always a series that has the people of Canada on its feet. The rivalry, that started with the creation of Original Six, has given fans the opportunity to watch two of the best franchises in NHL history face off against each other five or six times per year.
What makes this series so special is that the teams have played each other often in the playoffs and even have played each other in the Stanley Cup five times, with Toronto leading 3-2. Although this series is not as talked about, a lot of the big time hockey fans know that this rivalry is the most important in all of hockey.
8. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics--NBA Basketball
Started: 1948
Record: Boston Celtics Lead, 153-121
The biggest series in basketball has been known to showcase the greatest games, the greatest players, and the greatest teams in NBA history. Whenever you think of rivalries in the NBA you might think about the Bulls vs. the Pistons or the Rockets vs. the Spurs, but the answer that you would probably think of in terms of history, popularity, and the excitement the rivalry brings, is probably going to be the Lakers-Celtics rivalry.
Even though the rivalry started play in 1948, it didn’t get big until the 1960′s, when the Lakers and Celtics had some of the best teams in their franchises’ history. The big selling point to making this the top NBA rivalry was the big rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. With these two players meeting so frequently in NBA Finals and providing their best basketball gameplay during the Lakers vs. Celtics games, this series picked up and has ended up to be a huge rivalry to this day.
7. Missouri vs. Kansas--College Sports
Started: 1891
Record: Missouri Leads Kansas 56-54-9
The early athletic matches between the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri are said to have helped aid both states in the healing process following the civil war. The athletic rivalry started off with a bang when the University of Kansas chose to name their athletic team the Jayhawkers, the same term that had ben used to describe the unsavory assortment of outlaws, independent military bands, and rogue Union troops that had plundered and burned their way through western Missouri just 30 years earlier.
Over the years, the series has developed into one of the most bitter and hateful rivalries in college sports. Even the coaches have gotten into the rivalry. Former Kansas football coach Don Fambrough, when referred to a physician across the state line in Kansas City, Missouri, for treatment, exclaimed "I'll die first!"(2): not to be outdone, Missouri's former basketball coach Norm Stewart would traditionally have his players stay in Kansas City, Missouri, before playing at Kansas, going so far as to require the team bus to buy its gasoline at a Missouri filling station and reprimanding players who ate in Kansas, as he did not want to put any money into Kansas' economy.
6. Army vs. Navy--College Football
Started: 1890
Record: Navy Leads, 55-49-7
When you think of the Army and the Navy you probably think of soldiers fighting in Afghanistan, but what you don’t usually think of is the hard fought rivalry between these two teams. The Army-Navy rivalry has been one of college football’s longest standing rivalries. Even though you don’t hear too much about these teams now-a-days and the players that play for each team, there still is no denying how intense this rivalry actually is.
I have heard a lot from football players from both schools, and they have told me that this game is the one game on their schedule that they look forward to. This rivalry was even more intense in the 1940′s and 1950′s when both schools had some of their best teams of all time. These schools provided such hard fought games between each other and the highlights of past games demonstrate how much fun and heart that these players play with.
5. Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers--NFL Football
Started: 1921
Record: Chicago Bears Lead, 92–84–6
One of the most underrated rivalries in all of sports, the Bears-Packers rivalry is something that isn’t talked about too much recently. This rivalry features the NFL’s two best franchises that have won a combined 21 NFL Championships/Super Bowls. This rivalry started with the formation of the NFL and is always played twice a year ever since.
The matchup between these two teams is huge in the state of Wisconsin and Illinois. This rivalry has torn apart the states of Illinois and Wisconsin and is always a fun game to watch. Even though Brett Favre has been known to beat down on the Bears, the Bears still lead the overall series. No other series in the NFL has featured greats like Walter Payton, Bart Starr, Brett Favre, Dick Butkus, Reggie White, and Mike Singletary playing on the same fields.
4. New York/San Fransisco Giants vs. Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers--MLB Baseball
Started: 1883
Record: NY/San Fransisco Giants Lead, 1080-1068-12
The longest lasting rivalry in the history of baseball gets the #4 on our countdown of the top rivalries in sports. The Dodgers-Giants rivalry has been played for almost 120 years and has had the two teams play 2,161 games so far. This rivalry has been a big time rivalry especially when both teams where in the state of New York. Both of these teams were very feared teams back in the 1940′s and 1950′s and are still two of the top teams in the NL today.
This rivalry has been such a close rivalry compared to others because the Giants only lead the series by 12 games at this moment. The rivalry was very exciting in the 50′s and 60′s when both teams were playing each other to win the NL Pennant. What makes this rivalry so unique to us is that right when the Giants moved to the West Coast, the Dodgers packed their bags and headed to the West Coast as well.
3. North Carolina vs. Duke--College Basketball
Started: 1920
Record: North Carolina Leads, 130-100
College basketball’s most storied and talked about rivalries ends up at #3 on our list. This game shows what true college basketball is all about and it features it all, the top players, the best coaches, and most importantly the best fans in the game trying their best to propel their team to victory. This rivalry has been known to go down till the last possession quite often. Both of these teams are playing to be the best team in North Carolina and most importantly, in college basketball.
This rivalry has been known for it’s hard fought battles between players and has showcased the greats of Michael Jordan, Christian Laettner, James Worthy, and Danny Ferry. No other series in college basketball can provide fans and viewers with as much excitement from the opening tip-off till the final buzzer, like this series does.
2. Michigan vs. Ohio State--College Football
Started: 1897
Record: Michigan Leads, 57–44–6
"The Game" has been college footballs most intense and historical rivalries in history. This rivalry has featured the best players in the game face off against each other. What makes this rivalry so great is that both teams are usually ranked in the top-25 each season(except Michigan recently). A great thing about this rivalry is the history behind it. One of the best stories between these schools is the rivalry between the coaches of both schools, Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes. Both of these coaches despised each other and had what most call a "Ten-Year War" with Bo coming on top 5-4-1 in the series.
Also, what makes this rivalry even better is that both teams have combined for an amazing 18 National Championships and have combined for over 75 Big Ten titles. Speaking to a lot of Ohio State fans I learned that one of the main goal for the season is to beat Michigan and I know that Michigan fans feel that their main goal is to beat Ohio State as well. Overall, this rivalry is one of college football’s most storied and hard-fought rivalries.
1. Yankees vs. Red Sox--MLB Baseball
Started: 1901
Record: Yankees Lead, 1,124–938–14
Lastly, you didn’t think I would forget baseballs greatest rivalry, the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. This rivalry features two of the best teams in baseball and has more than just gameplay between them. The biggest reason why they are big time rivals is the big deal between the Red Sox and Yankees in which a guy named Babe Ruth went from the Red Sox to the Yankees and became one of the greatest players of all time.
Not only is this rivalry shadowed by Babe Ruth switching alliances, but many notable players have switched alliances like Wade Boggs and Johnny Damon. What makes this rivalry so special is the guarantee that you will see the hardest played baseball between these two teams during their face-offs. Also, because they are in the same division, a lot of the time they play each other at the end of the season to determine the winner of the AL East. Even though the Red Sox don’t have as many World Series as the Yankees, you can’t deny how amazing it is to watch both of these teams play and that is why this is the greatest rivalry in sports.
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