Rivalries are a big part of what makes college football special. Few other sports have so many meaningful feuds, many of which span more than a century. Some rivalry games are just as entertaining and intriguing as national championship games, if only for the tradition and fanfare surrounding them.
The SEC has no shortage of high-profile disputes, some of which have existed since the conference's inception, while others have proliferated in recent years to accommodate expansion.
The latest conference realignment sees the SEC earn the right to play host to one of college football's fiercest rivalries with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas, with other teams also being realigned, the latter being one of the more positive aspects of the whole realignment fiasco.
While the SEC is still debating which scheduling model is appropriate for its 16-team superconference and has yet to finalize which rivalries will be protected, the 2024 and 2025 schedules could provide some insight into which rivalries may be preserved or resurrected, some of which may be impossible to eliminate forever.
College Football Realignment 2024 Links: Big Ten Stadium Rankings | Big Ten rivalry rankings | SEC Stadium Rankings
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the SEC’s current (and likely future) rivalries look.
1. Oklahoma vs. Texas (Red River Rivalry)
The pomp. The traditions. The stakes. The pure loathing of each other. The Red River Rivalry (formerly known as the Shootout) ticks off almost every billing of a college football bloodbath. And it's a competitive affair that helps: Neither team has won more than four straight games since 2004, and eight of the last 10 Red River games have been decided by a single point. Texas leads with 63 wins, 51 losses and 5 ties.
2. Alabama vs. Auburn (Iron Bowl)
They may not have as much history as some of the others on this list, but few rivalries have produced as many memorable moments as the Iron Bowl. From Chris Davis' kick-six to Isaiah Bonds' miraculous catch on fourth down in Alabama's recent win over Auburn, the Iron Bowl has given fans a feast of televised highlights for decades. These two in-state rivals can't stand each other, and an Iron Bowl win means more than anything in the regular season. Alabama leads 50-37-1
3. Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss (Egg Bowl)
The Egg Bowl may not garner as much national attention as other SEC rivalry games, but that doesn't really matter here. This game will always feel like the biggest event on both teams' schedules, regardless of rankings or postseason prospects. Few games embody the pure chaos of college football more than the Egg Bowl. After all, the only time Ole Miss lost this series was because one of their players pretended to urinate like a dog. You won't get this experience anywhere else. Ole Miss leads 65-46-6
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4. Florida vs. Georgia (Okefenokee All-Trophy)
The rivalry is so intense that there are heated debates over which team should be listed first (we're simply listing them alphabetically here). The Florida vs. Georgia game and the accompanying tailgate parties get so raucous that the event is colloquially referred to as “The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” On the field, the rivalry featured college football giants like Vince Dooley and Steve Spurrier and often determined the ultimate winner of the now-defunct SEC East. Hopefully, its importance will endure in the new era. Georgia leads 55-44-2
5. Auburn vs. Georgia, the Deep South's oldest rivalry
As the nickname suggests, there's quite a bit of history between these two teams. The matchup is the second-most played series in the FBS, tied with North Carolina vs. Virginia (the oldest rivalry in the South), behind only the annual Wisconsin vs. Minnesota battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe. In addition to being old, Auburn vs. Georgia is almost always going to be a hard-fought battle. While the Bulldogs dominate in the modern era, you don't have to go back too far to find the two powerhouses slamming it out every year. Georgia leads 64-56-8
6. Texas vs. Texas A&M (Lone Star Showdown)
The intense nature of this rivalry hasn't faded with time. Texas and Texas A&M haven't met on the field in 13 years, but only three SEC rivalries have played more games than the Longhorns and Aggies' 118 games. Feelings are so frosty that Texas mentions the other in their cheer song and Texas A&M mentions the other in their fight anthem. It's like college football's version of Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Texas leads 76-37-5
7. Alabama vs. Tennessee (third Saturday in October)
Recent results have dimmed the spark in this rivalry a bit. Alabama has won 16 of the past 17 meetings dating back to 2007, Nick Saban's first season as coach in Tuscaloosa. But before that recent run, Alabama held a slim lead with 43 wins, 38 losses and seven ties. In fact, Tennessee dominated for much of the 1990s and early 2000s. And no matter what recent records suggest, this game still means a lot to both teams. Looking at Tennessee's win in 2022, it would be a miracle that Knoxville even made it. Alabama leads 59-39-7
8. Alabama vs. LSU (1st Saturday in November)
The SEC West has existed for 32 years. Alabama and LSU have won the division a combined 22 times. One of these two teams has appeared in the SEC Championship Game in each of the last six years. Both teams have been ranked in the AP Top 25 in 16 of the last 18 meetings in this series. Something big is always at stake when Alabama and LSU play, adding prestige to a relatively young series in SEC rivalries. Alabama leads 56-27-5
9. Florida vs. LSU
These two teams have only met 70 times, but that's not to say there haven't been some eventful games. It's hard not to love the rivalry when Florida defensive back Marco Wilson spiked the ball to force LSU into a 15-yard penalty and a 57-yard field goal in a foggy game that sealed the win. This series has been highly competitive and has featured multiple matchups between national championship-caliber teams. Hopefully the new schedule structure won't eliminate what was once a premier cross-division showdown. Florida leads 33-31-3
10. Kentucky v Tennessee
The series may lack overall stakes. Tennessee hasn't been to the SEC Championship Game since 2007, and Kentucky hasn't competed for a title since the division split. But at the root of every rivalry is a deep dislike for the other. Tennessee and Kentucky have it in abundance. Fans still mark this game on their calendars, despite the Vols' easy dominance since the turn of the century. Every Kentucky win is monumental, and the Wildcats have closed the gap in recent years. The animosity has been steadily building in the 100-plus years since these two teams have faced off. Tennessee leads 83-26-9
11. Arkansas v Texas
Another long-dormant feud that has been given new life by conference realignment: Arkansas and Texas are veteran Southwest Conference rivals that haven't played each other regularly since 1991. A significant portion of college football viewers probably aren't old enough to remember the SWC in its heyday, so the matchup has lost some of its luster. But there's a rich history between the two teams, including 10 top-10 matchups from 1961 to 1980. A regular SEC schedule might reignite some passion. Texas leads 56-23
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12. LSU vs. Ole Miss (Magnolia Bowl)
As a self-professed fan who loves offensive football, this rivalry is fun to watch. No matter how either team does the rest of the year, there will always be points in the Magnolia Bowl. Since 2014, the Rebels and Tigers have combined to score at least 48 points in every matchup. It's also pretty competitive (in the modern sense) with both teams alternating wins since 2020. Still, both programs have at least one or two teams that rank high on my personal list as a rival. LSU leads 63-42-4
13. Arkansas vs. LSU (Battle for the Boot)
LSU and Arkansas rarely played against each other until 1992, when the Razorbacks moved to the SEC and the division's subsequent creation led to the two states meeting more frequently. The SEC introduced a shiny, gold, boot-shaped trophy (shaped with the outlines of Arkansas and Louisiana) in 1996 to bring prestige to the rivalry. Razorbacks fans harbor a fair amount of animosity toward LSU, but that sentiment isn't always entirely reciprocated against the Tigers' already exhaustive list of nemesis. LSU leads 42-23-2
14. Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (Southwest Classic)
The series has seen many ups and downs. Both teams became charter members of the Southwest Conference in 1915, but first met in 1927. The teams didn't establish a consistent routine until 1934, playing each other annually until Arkansas moved to the SEC in 1991. The rivalry was on hiatus until it was revived in 2009 as the Southwest Classic. The name remained after Texas A&M moved to the SEC in 2012, and the two teams have been competing for status in the SEC West ever since. The future of the Southwest Classic is unclear, and 2024 may be the last time these two teams meet in Arlington — at least for a while. Arkansas leads 42-35-3
15. Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt
Is there history between these two state schools? Yes, in the sense that they've been playing against each other for a long time. In fact, in 118 games (and still counting), there have only been four SEC series where they've played more games than this. But they've rarely been consistently competitive. Vanderbilt has dominated early (early century) and has had a good run with five wins since 2012, but Tennessee's greater resources have created a gap between the two schools that could steadily widen in the NIL era. Tennessee leads 78-33-5
16. Georgia v. South Carolina
South Carolina's biggest rival, Clemson, isn't on this list because they're in the ACC. But there's a natural dislike for Georgia among Gamecocks fans. The teams have a lot in common in recruiting, and this game really took off when South Carolina hired Steve Spurrier, who was already well known to Georgia fans for his work at Florida. It's not the fiercest rivalry in the SEC, but there's no love here. Georgia leads 55-19-2
17. Missouri v. Oklahoma
Most fans could be forgiven for forgetting that Missouri and Oklahoma used to be permanently on each other's schedules: The teams haven't played since 2011, the annual series ended in 1995 and the rivalry trophy (the Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe) was lost in 1975. Still, most of Missouri's nemesis are in other conferences, and the Sooners' move to the SEC makes the conference, at the very least, worth a second look. Oklahoma leads 67-24-5
18. Arkansas vs. Missouri (Battle Line Rivals)
When Missouri left its geographic roots to join the SEC in 2012, it desperately needed to hang on to a rivalry, so a few years later the conference created the Battle Lines Trophy between the Tigers and Arkansas. Missouri has won eight of 10 games since the teams first met as conference rivals in 2014, although they'd met a few times before that. Is there at least a line between Arkansas and Missouri to battle? Missouri leads 10-4
19. Missouri vs. South Carolina (Mayor's Cup)
It's also known as the Battle of Columbia. I'll give you two guesses as to why. Other than the coincidence that the universities share the same name, there isn't much of a reason for this rivalry to exist. Missouri plays Arkansas every year, other than they needed some fake spite when they dropped out of the Big 12. As the SEC moves into a new era, maybe this rivalry will take root. Missouri leads 9-5
