Rival Views: The best rivalry in college football

Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney don’t always see eye to eye. In this edition of Rival Views, the two debate about what is the best rivalry in college football.

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For me it’s the Iron Bowl, Alabama vs. Auburn.

Historically the rivalry has been close, with Alabama leading the series 44-35-1. What makes it stand out ahead of others such as UCLA-USC, Florida-Florida State and Oklahoma-Texas is that this SEC West showdown has recently had huge national title implications. Alabama has won four of the last seven national titles while Auburn has won one (2010) and played for another (2014).

The hatred between the two teams and fanbases is unrivaled, with everything from fights and online death threats to poisoned trees.

The rivalry has also been defined by so many great finishes, including Bo Jackson’s missed block in 1984, Van Tiffin’s winning kick in 1985, Lawyer Tillman’s touchdown on a reverse in 1986, Cam Newton’s great comeback in 2010 and the infamous Kick Six in 2013.

Each of the last seven seasons the winner of this game has been in the national title picture and, to me, the high stakes make this rivalry the best.

I understand the passion for the Alabama-Auburn game and an argument could definitely be made for that one, but I grew up on Michigan-Ohio State, so I consider that the best one in college football.

From Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler to now Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh, which could be an even more exciting coaching rivalry, the Buckeyes and Wolverines make for the best, and most bitter, rivalry.

Let’s not forget the 1991 game where Desmond Howard returned a punt for a touchdown, and struck his Heisman pose?

And this year’s matchup is even more important. What better way for a rivalry to be stoked than for the Buckeyes to knock Michigan out of the College Football Playoff chase and that would happen with an Ohio State win.

Or what better way for Michigan to put the hammer down on Ohio State and stake its claim as one of the nation’s best team with a convincing win in Columbus this weekend?

It has everything a great rivalry needs. Championship implications, coaches with opposing yet winning styles. Teams that hate each other. Cold weather. November football in the Midwest.

Alabama-Auburn is special. But Ohio State-Michigan is the best.