Top 5 College Football Rivalries That Need to Come Back

© Denny Medley/USA TODAY SPORTS

Rivalries are perhaps the most intriguing aspects of college football. You have your in-state rivalries, like the Sunflower Showdown, Iron Bowl and Civil War, border disputes like the Battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe or the Red River Rivalry and just the ones that have two historic competitors duking it out like Notre Dame and USC.

Rivalry is built on two things: history and proximity. Yet, the powers that be in college football are seemingly shying away from both to some degree. There is some effort to make sure that historic rivalries remain intact, however, there are some rivalries that have fallen by the wayside as college football goes through significant change.

Games aren't played on a yearly basis anymore, the bad blood has simmered and the drama and excitement that makes college football great gets watered down. Conference realignment, athletic department bureaucrats being greedy and/or stand-offish or overall ignorance have been the plague set upon many of these rivalries.

These rivalries that have suffered this fate are certainly not rivalries that deserve that "defunct" status either, as many provided ample entertainment and historic moments forever enshrined in college football history. What rivalries should college football bring back on an annual basis then, given the changes that have occurred? Here are just a few that should be under consideration or are in the process of being resurrected as we speak.

No.5: Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Pittsburgh Panthers

While on paper, this rivalry has been pretty one-sided for a while, that doesn't mean that this in-state rivalry hasn't lost its vitriol. The Nittany Lions have long played the darling of the state of Pennsylvania, but many forget that the Pittsburgh Panthers are also a Power Four school that boasts a rich and long history in the sport. Pitt has had some successful teams in the past, too, with a few titles to their name with the most recent being in 2021.

The two teams also have not played each other since 2019 even though the two schools are just about a two-hour drive from one another. There has been optimism that the rivalry will come back, but no decision has been made at this time. The Nittany Lions currently lead the series 53-43-4.

Yes, Pitt does not have the program strength that the Nittany Lions do, but getting this rivalry back could promote getting Pitt back up to snuff. While they battle it out on the Pennsylvania recruiting boards, the on-the-field product needs to make a comeback as well. Pitt needs to get their rivalries back on track, and with the return of the Backyard Brawl in 2022, why not return the in-state hate too?

No. 4: The Holy War (Utah Utes vs. BYU Cougars)

Our first game on the list with a confirmed restart date, the Utes and Cougars will be facing off once again, this time as conference rivals once again. The last time Utah and BYU were conference foes was in 2010 when both teams were still a part of the Mountain West Conference. In 2011, the Utes went to the Pac-12 Conference while BYU went solo and became an Independent. This did not stop the rivalry, however, as the blood in this "Holy War" continued to spill yearly until 2014, when the rivalry ceased for a year.

It marked the first time since World War II the rivalry would not be played. Utah had agreed to a home-and-home series with Michigan that year and would dodge playing the Cougars in 2024. This was not the case in 2015, however, as the Utes would meet the Cougars once again on Dec. 19, 2015 in Las Vegas for the Las Vegas Bowl, marking the first time the two played each other in the postseason

The two once again exchanged yearly contests after a thrilling 35-28 Utah bowl victory, with Utah dominating the series in the 2010s, providing a clean sweep of the Cougars throughout the decade. The series paused due to COVID-19 in 2020 but picked back up in 2021, with BYU notching their first victory in the Holy War since 2009 in a 26-17 win.

The series has been paused since then, but with the Cougars joining the Big 12 this past year and the Utes joining this year, the series is set to continue on Nov. 9. Utah leads the series 62-35-4, however this in-state rivalry is one that is full of vitriol and vinegar.

"I just want to go down there and whoop their (expletive)," Utah quarterback Cam Rising said at the 2024 Big 12 Media Days.

This rivalry is one of the oldest in college football, dating back to 1896, and with the new conference for both teams, that hate just got a lot stronger once again. It's sure to bring plenty of excitement to a new-look Big 12.

No. 3: Michigan Wolverines vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame live up to their namesake of "fighting," having a long list of historic rivalries. From Stanford to USC, Navy to Miami, their rivalries span coast to coast, with hands rated "E" for everyone.

Why is it then that they ceased one of their longest-standing rivalries with the Wolverines? A staple of college football since 1887, the Wolverines and Fighting Irish have duked it out time and again across three different centuries for college football supremacy. Two of the programs with the highest win totals in the sport, this matchup always brought the heat with barnburners and matchups that decided seasons for one, the other or both. The series currently stands at 25-17-1 in favor of Michigan, with the last game played in 2019 that Michigan won 45-14.

The last time this rivalry was regularly played, however, was in 2014. Notre Dame has long since been the perpetrator of the death of this rivalry given their Independent status. Conference realignment doesn't matter, it was just that Notre Dame valued its rivalries with Navy, Stanford and USC. Plain and simple, the Fighting Irish turned into the "Timid" Irish, not wanting to play a superior blue-blood opponent, at least, that's what Michigan fans would tell you.

This rivalry is not completely dead, however, as the two administrations have agreed to a home-and-home series in 2033. While they may have to play the waiting game, these two teams will meet again, and when they do, expect fireworks as per usual.

No.2: The Border War (Kansas Jayhawks vs. Missouri Tigers)

One of the rare rivalries with history outside of athletics, the Border War, played between the Jayhawks and Tigers, dates back to 1891 in terms of football. However, if you asked a Missourian or Kansan this question, the rivalry dates back a few decades prior, with the border clashes between Kansas "Jayhawkers" led by abolitionist John Brown and other figures, and Missouri border ruffians known as "Quantrill's Raiders," led by pro-slavery guerilla fighter William Quantrill, notorious outlaw Jesse James and others.

Things like "Bleeding Kansas"—the sacking and burning of Lawrence, home of the University of Kansas—and other historical moments that eventually led up to the American Civil War still linger between the two states and it showed when these two schools got together for athletic contests. There is no love lost between the two schools, the history outside of sports only adds fuel to that fire.

"They started the war! They sent that (expletive) Quantrill over here! That (expletive) killed all the men, raped all the women and burned the town down. Showdown my (expletive), it's (expletive) war!" former Kansas coach Dom Fambrough stated in a rather colorful interview with the Columbia Missourian.

Make no mistake, that kind of hate still exists to this day even though a football game between the two schools hasn't been played since 2011. Plenty of "Quantrill Did Nothing Wrong," "Take It Home Slavers" and of course, "Muck Fizzou" and "Kuck Fansas" Joe College merchandise is worn with pride. This rivalry is personal and it is really a shame a football game hasn't been played in more than a decade.

Plenty of accusations of one team dodging the other, plans for resurrection falling through and overall logistical nightmares for any athletic department have put this rivalry on pause on top of Missouri leaving for the Southeastern Conference. However, that all changed when Kansas and Missouri finally agreed to a home-and-home series in 2025 and 2026.

The Border War will be back in full force, with Missouri leading the series by just three games 57-54-9. With both programs on the upswing in football, could we see another iconic matchup between the two hated foes like the 2007 meeting at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.? Time will tell, but these two are chomping at the bit to get at each other's throats once again.

No. 1: The Lone Star Showdown (Texas Longhorns vs. Texas A&M Aggies)

Everything is bigger in Texas, including (and specifically) their football. It is the home of the best and brightest to ever play the game and some of the most prestigious teams at every level. This includes two of the bigger brands in college football, the Longhorns and Aggies, which are two of the biggest brands in Texas college football.

Yet, the two teams have not played each other since 2011. The Lone Star Showdown, as it is called, dates back to the old days of the Southwestern Conference, which featured almost exclusively Texas teams. This game was the marquee matchup in that conference essentially every year, with the Aggies and Longhorns going back and forth throwing haymakers at one another.

In 2011, however, that all ended when the Aggies jumped ship from the Big 12 to the SEC. The Longhorns lead the series to this point 76-37-5, with one or both teams ranked since 1996. It was one of the best rivalries in football for a long time, but due to conference realignment, the rivalry died off.

However, conference realignment is a fickle beast, and in 2024 the Longhorns made the move to the SEC. The Aggies will welcome them back into College Station on Nov. 30 as one of their final games of the regular season. Given the trajectories of each team this year, this could be one of, if not the biggest regular season games of the 2024 season. As said in the beginning, everything is bigger in Texas, and this will be one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. This rivalry tops this list for that reason.

What College Football Rivalries Should be Brought Back?

While this list includes the best and brightest "defunct" rivalries in college football, there are so many more rivalries that need to make a comeback. Miami-Florida, Oklahoma-Nebraska, and others, have had some iconic moments and games throughout their history and would be marquee matchups if played today.

College football and rivalry are synonymous with one another. Rivalry is a huge part of the game and a major reason why many watch, and while it looks like some are struggling to stay afloat, there are many people both in and out of athletics administrations, conferences and other college football institutions are doing their best to preserve history and preserve tradition.

The future of college football is murky, but one thing is for certain, the tradition and history must be preserved. One of the ways of doing that is by preserving rivalries and making sure that these hot, marquee matchups continue on.