While the glitz, glamour, and mega-television contracts of the FBS dominate College Football headlines, true CFB purists know that some of the gridiron’s grittiest, most passionate action happens in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). These FCS clashes are from all over the country and all different conferences, each carrying their own history and traditions. Grab your favorite tailgating gear and buy some (much cheaper than FBS) tickets – these are our picks for the Best Rivalries in FCS College Football.
Lehigh vs. Lafayette: “The Rivalry”
- First Met: 1884
- All-Time Record: Lafayette leads 81–75–6
When you simply name your game “The Rivalry” and everyone in the sport knows exactly what you mean, you’ve earned the top tier of historic status. This is the most-played matchup in all of college football, sitting at over 160 meetings. Separated by a mere 17 miles in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, these two Patriot League programs have played nearly uninterrupted since the 19th century. It’s pure, old-school northeast football at its absolute finest.
Harvard vs. Yale: “The Game”
- First Met: 1875
- All-Time Record: Yale leads 72–61–8
It doesn’t get more prestigious than “The Game.” While the Ivy League historically sat out the FCS postseason to focus on academics (finally participating in 2025-26), this season-ending clash has been the Super Bowl for both fanbases. Don’t let the Ivy League pedigree fool you; the bad blood here is real, the tailgating is legendary, and the ivy-covered stadiums provide one of the most aesthetically immaculate backdrops in American sports.
Montana vs. Montana State: “The Brawl of the Wild”
- First Met: 1908
- All-Time Record: Montana leads 66–40–4
If you want absolute, unfiltered intensity, look no further than the Big Sky Conference. The Brawl of the Wild divides the entire state of Montana down the middle. Whether it’s played at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula or Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, the atmosphere is deafening. With both programs regularly competing for FCS National Championships, the stakes on this late-November matchup are almost always big sky-high.
North Dakota State vs. South Dakota State: “The Dakota Marker”
- First Met: 1911
- All-Time Record: NDSU leads 64–44–5
Editors Note: NDSU moved up to FBS, joining the Mountain West Conference to start the 2026-27 College Football Season. But, we include as one of the greatest FCS rivalries of all time.
Move over, Power 4: the modern epicenter of TRUE college football might just be the state border between the Dakotas. Playing for a trophy designed to look like the 190-mile border markers separating the states, the Bison and the Jackrabbits have established the premier heavyweight prize fight in the FCS. Between NDSU’s 10 national titles and SDSU’s recent championship dominance, this game frequently decides the Missouri Valley Football Conference crown and the path to Frisco, Texas.
Grambling State vs. Southern: “The Bayou Classic”
- First Met: 1932
- All-Time Record: Southern leads 48–34-1
Every Thanksgiving weekend, New Orleans transforms into the capital of HBCU College Football. Held in the iconic Caesars Superdome, the Bayou Classic brings together two historic SWAC titans. While the on-field battle is spectacular, Friday night’s legendary Battle of the Bands featuring Southern’s Human Jukebox and Grambling’s World Famed Tiger Marching Band makes this a bucket-list spectacle for any sports fan.
Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M: “The Magic City Classic”
- First Met: 1924
- All-Time Record: Alabama State leads 43–42–3
Speaking of cultural institutions, The Magic City Classic takes over Birmingham’s historic Legion Field every October. It routinely draws nearly 70,000 to 80,000 fans to the stadium, easily making it the largest annual stadium event in the FCS. Accompanied by a massive parade that floods the city with over 100,000 spectators, it is a brilliant explosion of energy, music, and hard-hitting football.
Furman vs. Wofford
- First Met: 1891
- All-Time Record: Furman leads 56–34–7
Deep in the heart of the SoCon lies the oldest football rivalry in South Carolina. Forget Clemson and South Carolina – Furman and Wofford have been trading blows since before the turn of the 20th century. It’s a battle for regional pride between two premier private Southern institutions that love nothing more than ruining each other’s FCS playoff ambitions.
Albany vs. Stony Brook: “The Empire Clash”
- First Met: 2003
- All-Time Record: Albany leads 10-9
Representing State University of New York (SUNY) colleges, this Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) showdown has rapidly blossomed into a true New York civil war. Dubbed The Empire Clash, the winner walks away with the coveted Golden Apple Trophy. Played as a traditional regular-season finale, this rivalry has repeatedly carried massive postseason implications, proving that the modern FCS game is just as vibrant as its century-old counterparts.
