College football: Top five rivalries ranked, according to Late Kick's Josh Patehttps://247sports.com/college/nebraska/LongFormArticle/College-football-Top-five-rivalries-ranked-according-to-Late-Kicks-Josh-Pate-185237095/#185237095_105. IOWA-MINNESOTAThe annual Big Ten clash between the Hawkeyes and Golden Gophers may not be one that regularly features national implications as others do, but the history runs deep between these schools. Iowa and Minnesota first met on the gridiron way back in November 1891, and they have since accounted for 115 meetings total. The Gophers lead the series with a 62-51-2 mark. As mentioned, trophies are an important criteria on this list, and for Pate, it's the hardware— Floyd of Rosedale — that puts this game as a top-five rivalry matchup in his books. Pate elaborated on that element below in explaining what may be a controversial selection for some.
Insert a little bit of controversy, and this one is personal preference, so deal with it," Pate said. "My No. 5 rivalry game is Iowa-Minnesota. Floyd of Rosedale is my favorite trophy in college football? Nay. My favorite trophy in sports. It's just a pig to some of you, but it's the pig to me. Even better than babe. Floyd of Rosedale, and because of Floyd of Rosedale being on the line and hangin in the balance constitutes — look at him, he's so beautiful. Floyd of Rosedale is so great. This is my No. 5 rivalry game. ... For a kid who grew up in Georgia, I think I may love Floyd of Rosedale more than any other citizen in the Peach State.
4. GEORGIA-FLORIDA3. OKLAHOMA-TEXAS2. ALABAMA-AUBURN1. MICHIGAN-OHIO STATEAsk most college football fans, and there's a good chance that The Game is the answer they'll give you when asked what the fiercest rivalry game in the land is. Michigan leads Ohio State, 59-51-6, in a series that dates back to 1897, and it has featured no shortage of thrillers with Big Ten and potential national title implications on the line over the years. Television ratings for the annual Thanksgiving weekend clash in Ann Arbor of Columbus routinely soar through the roof, fans of both teams get into it all year long and a video captured by Pate of the two teams in the tunnel of this past year's meeting — Michigan recorded its first win over Ohio State in a decade — showed everyone all they need to know about the animosity between the longtime Big Ten foes.
"The reason why I always sided with Ohio State-Michigan (over the Iron Bowl) is because I thought those are two national brands where as the Iron Bowl is a national brand (Alabama) and a more regional brand (Auburn)," Pate explained. "That's it. The Iron Bowl is plenty intense. I've been to a number of them. But I got to go to The Game for the first time last year and that was pretty intense too."