At CFB Select, we live for the grit, history, and pure, unadulterated salt that defines college football. While the X’s and O’s on the field determine the winners, the the tailgates, traditions, and perhaps most importantly – fierce rivalries – are what makes this sport the greatest on earth.
Rivalries are what hold the sport together, and sadly some of the below have already been split up by Conference Realignment. But, we’ll never forget their incredible names and we’ll continue to celebrate the games that are still played, some of the most meaningful games in College Football.
10. Keystone Cat Fight: Penn State vs. Pitt
While officially branded as the “Keystone Classic” during its recent four-game stint from 2016–2019, many fans still use the (in our opinion, way cooler) “Keystone Cat Fight” moniker. The title is a nod to the Nittany Lions and the Pittsburgh Panthers. Unfortunately, this intrastate war is currently in a slow death due to conference scheduling. We haven’t seen these two on the same field since 2019 (see the above highlight), and with no games currently on the books, Pennsylvania remains a house divided without a day for bragging rights.
9. The War on I-4: UCF vs. USF
Connecting Orlando and Tampa, the “War on I-4” is a classic rivalry (whose hey day was when both teams were in the American Conference) that captures the rapid rise of Florida’s younger programs. However, UCF’s move to the Big 12 has put this football rivalry on ice, like others on this list. While the schools still battle it out in other sports, there are currently no future football dates scheduled, leaving the I-4 corridor quieter than it ought to be.
8. Deeper Than Hate: App State vs. Georgia Southern
If you want to talk about “gritty” football, look no further than the Sun Belt’s premier rivalry. “Deeper Than Hate” perfectly encapsulates the feeling between the App State Mountaineers and the Georgia Southern Eagles. 2025 was a banner year for the rivalry, culminating in a postseason meeting at the JLab Birmingham Bowl where Georgia Southern walked away with a 29-10 victory to cap off a three-game win streak against their rivals.
7. World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party: Florida vs. Georgia
Officially, the schools have tried to move away from the name to discourage the bacchanale that occurs in the Jacksonville tailgate lots. But to everyone else, it remains the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”. Big changes are coming for this neutral-site staple; with Jacksonville’s EverBank Stadium undergoing a massive $1.4 billion renovation, the party is moving to Atlanta in 2026 and Tampa in 2027 before returning home.
6. Bedlam: Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State
Sadly, Bedlam is one of the casualties of the current College Football landscape. With Oklahoma’s departure to the SEC, the football version of the Bedlam Series has entered a period of dormancy. While other sports like basketball and wrestling are still keeping the flame alive in what they call the “Bedlam Series”, the loss of the annual football game is a wound that hasn’t yet healed for the sport.
5. Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate: Georgia vs. Georgia Tech
There is no better name for a game that dates back to 1893. The hostility between the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets is legendary, even with some lopsided iterations this century, born from a long history of feud including everything from on field conflict to arguments over school locations. In 2025, the stakes were higher than ever as both teams entered with at least nine wins for only the third time in history. Georgia ultimately ground out a 16-9 victory to extend their winning streak in the series to eight.
4. Civil War: Oregon vs. Oregon State
This Pacific Northwest tradition was nearly a casualty of the Pac-12’s collapse, but both sides worked together to retain one of the best rivalry names we have. Oregon and Oregon State have officially extended the “Civil War” through at least 2032, starting up again in 2027.
3. Backyard Brawl: Pitt vs. West Virginia
Only 75 miles separate these two schools, the the name “Backyard Brawl”. After a long hiatus, the rivalry returned with a bang in 2022, setting attendance records in Pittsburgh. Good news for fans: the schools recently announced a four-year extension, ensuring the Brawl continues through 2036. While there’s a short break from 2026 to 2028, the animosity should pick up right where it left off for the 2029 reunion.
2. Farmageddon: Iowa State vs. Kansas State
Agriculture and animosity meet in “Farmageddon.” This rivalry is a testament to the Big 12’s stability amidst chaos. In 2025, the game went global as the Cyclones and Wildcats kicked off the season in Dublin, Ireland. It’s a “historic moment” for a rivalry that represents the blue-collar heart of the conference.
1. Brawl of the Wild: Montana vs. Montana State
The Montana vs Montana State rivalry is a state-wide event that splits the Treasure State in two. The “Brawl of the Wild” between the Grizzlies and the Bobcats is one of the most intense rivalries in the FCS. In 2025, we got a double dose of this ferocity: the Bobcats took down the Griz in the regular season to claim the Big Sky title, then doubled down with a 48-23 victory in a historic FCS National Semifinal clash in December. But, who knows – this may be split by either of these teams going to the FBS level soon.
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