Rivalries are part of the fabric of college football, and no conference cherishes its rivalries and history more than the Big Ten. Not only do they exist, but nearly all of them have creative trophies which are awarded to the winners.
There are plenty of things that contribute to a rivalry forming. A lot of the time it's geography, but there's also familiarity. The more often you see an opponent, the more likely you are to develop an animus. Eventually, a begrudging respect for them emerges. Sometimes rivalries form for no other reason than when two teams meet the stakes are often high.
But at the heart of it all, there's one primary factor: competition.
So, what better way to celebrate rivalries than by having them compete against one another? After all, not all rivalries are created equal! Some schools have multiple rivals, and they'll happily tell you they hate one school more than the other. Kind of like how parents rank their kids (they do, no matter what they tell you).
With the addition of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington in 2024, the Big Ten has added two new rivalries, and more will surely form while others fade in the coming years. For right now, here's how the league's rivalries stack up against one another as the conference prepares for expansion.
1. Michigan vs. Ohio State
It's not only the biggest rivalry in the Big Ten, but it's also in the running as the biggest rivalry in college football if not all American sports. It's referred to simply as The Game, and it's played between the two schools that have historically dominated the Big Ten. Coaches get fired for losing this game despite other accomplishments, while winning it consistently buys you time. No matter how large the Big Ten gets, this will always be the matchup the league considers its crown jewel. Michigan leads all-time series 61-51-6
2. Minnesota vs. Wisconsin (Paul Bunyan's Axe)
No Big Ten rivalry has been played more often than this one, not even The Game. The Golden Gophers and Badgers have played 133 times in history with the first meeting coming in 1890. While the stakes in each game aren't typically high, it doesn't matter to either one of these fan bases. Border wars tend to play out that way, and having an awesome trophy to play for doesn't hurt, either. Wisconsin leads 63-62-8
3. Iowa vs. Minnesota (Floyd of Rosedale)
If I were ranking Big Ten rivalry trophies, this would be first in a landslide victory. Who doesn't want a trophy of a pig? The Floyd of Rosedale is perfect in every way, but I'm placing this one behind Minnesota and Wisconsin because there's more history between those two. Still, it's another border rivalry with an awesome trophy. Minnesota leads 63-52-2
4. UCLA vs. USC (Victory Bell)
I know this will ruffle the feathers of plenty of Big Ten fans who won't want to see the newcomers ranked this highly. But I am an unbiased observer, and the Victory Bell has to be a top-five rivalry. There are plenty of bordering state schools and rivalries between teams that share a state. These two share a city. Also, for my money, there is no better uniform matchup in the sport than when these two square off in their home uniforms. USC leads 50-34-7
5. Michigan vs. Michigan State (Paul Bunyan Trophy)
There's plenty of hate here, as you'd expect from two public schools that share a state and battle each other on and off the field. However, while I appreciate that anger and the trophy is rock solid, the rivalry has been too one-sided to rank any higher than this. Plus, you know, Michigan State isn't Michigan's primary rival. Still, whenever the words "little brother" are thrown around as often as they are here, you can count on fireworks. Michigan leads 73-38-5
6. Oregon vs. Washington
The Pac-12 may be gone, but this rivalry will continue to thrive in the Big Ten. The two biggest games of the season in the Pac-12 last year were between these two, but these schools don't need high stakes to get into this game. They have played 116 times in their history. Only three Big Ten rivalries have been played more often. Washington leads 63-48-5
7. Iowa vs. Wisconsin (Heartland Trophy)
This rivalry has gained steam in the College Football Playoff era. While the Hawkeyes and Badgers have played a long time (96 games since 1894), things ramped up when they were placed in the Big Ten West. The division existed for 10 seasons, and one of these two won it in seven of those seasons, meaning their annual meeting mattered far more often than not. It will remain a protected rivalry for the time being, but I wonder if we could see this slip a bit now that they no longer share a division since neither is the other's primary rival. Wisconsin leads 49-46-2
8. Indiana vs. Purdue (Old Oaken Bucket)
Indiana is a basketball state; neither of these fanbases would argue otherwise. As a result, this in-state rivalry has rarely been played with something significant on the line, but it's the final game of the regular season for both and a great warmup for basketball season. It's the second-most played rivalry game in Big Ten history (124 meetings) and includes a cool trophy. Purdue leads 77-42-6
9. Iowa vs. Nebraska (Heroes Trophy)
I appreciate how quickly these two fanbases took to hating the other. Nebraska didn't join the Big Ten until 2011, but they were immediately placed in the Legends division with Iowa and then joined them in the West, meaning they've played every season since. It already feels like a Black Friday staple. Nebraska leads 30-21-3
10. Illinois vs. Purdue (Purdue Cannon)
While Illinois isn't Purdue's primary rival, I'd argue Illini fans have more animus for Purdue than they do Northwestern. The two schools are separated by only 95 miles, and the mutual dislike extends easily from basketball to football. It doesn't hurt that Purdue coach Ryan Walters was Illinois' defensive coordinator before taking the job, either. Purdue leads 48-45-6
11. Michigan vs. Minnesota (Little Brown Jug)
I love the Little Brown Jug, but I can't rank this game in the top 10. It's no longer a protected rivalry, and the schools haven't played since the 2020 season. Plus, each has at least two other schools they'd consider to be bigger rivals. There's a lot of history here, though. Michigan leads 77-25-3
12. Illinois vs. Northwestern (Land of Lincoln Trophy)
As I said earlier, most Illinois fans have stronger feelings toward Purdue than Northwestern, but the rivalry aspect has picked up here recently. One of the problems this rivalry faces, though, is that despite sharing a state, they rarely go after the same players on the recruiting trail. Also, the only thing typically on the line when they meet at the end of the year is bowl eligibility for one or both. Illinois leads 57-55-5
13. Minnesota vs. Nebraska ($5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy)
If you haven't noticed, Minnesota is a rival of half the league. Minnesota Nice is a myth. This is a newer rivalry with a trophy that was literally created after Minnesota's Twitter account got into a good-spirited debate with a parody Twitter account of Nebraska's then-coach Bo Pelini called "FauxPelini." Truly, this is the Big Ten's first Millennial rivalry. Minnesota leads 37-25-2
14. Illinois vs. Ohio State (Illibuck)
It's one of the cooler trophies in the Big Ten. Who doesn't want a giant wooden turtle? It's also an extremely lopsided rivalry that we haven't seen much of lately. The Buckeyes and Illini have met 103 times, but the last meeting was way back in 2017. Ohio State leads 68-30-4
15. Indiana vs. Michigan State (Old Brass Spittoon)
Unlike the Stanley Cup, I do not recommend drinking out of the Old Brass Spittoon if you win it. Seems unhygienic. It's been a one-sided affair throughout its history, but Indiana has won two of the last four meetings. Michigan State leads 50-18-2
16. Michigan State vs. Penn State (Land-Grant Trophy)
Penn State needed a rival when it joined the Big Ten in 1993, so the Land-Grant Trophy was created out of thin air. If either side talks about the intensity of this rivalry, it's usually with tongue firmly planted in cheek. It's been an evenly-matched series overall, though. Penn State leads 19-18-1
17. Michigan vs. Northwestern (George Jewett Trophy)
Did you know this was a rivalry? Well, it is. It has a trophy and everything. The George Jewett Trophy was created in 2021 to honor George Jewett, the first African American football player at both schools and in the Big Ten. While the trophy is new, the teams have met 76 times, and there is a bit of a "nerds" thing happening here. Michigan leads 59-15-2
18. Nebraska vs. Wisconsin (Freedom Trophy)
The Freedom Trophy was created in 2014 when both schools were placed in the West division together. At the time, the thought process was probably that Nebraska and Wisconsin would battle for division titles every year. Nebraska hasn't kept up its end of the bargain, though. Wisconsin leads 13-4
19. Maryland vs. Rutgers
It doesn't have a trophy, but I recommend The Jim Delany Trophy. It's a golden cable box. These two are each other's only protected rival after joining the Big Ten at the same time in 2014. Maryland leads 12-7
20. Maryland vs. Penn State
The thing about Penn State is that it's been in the Big Ten for 30 years but doesn't have or seem to want rivals. Some will say Ohio State is a rival, but I'm not sure Ohio State knows that. Penn State is the only school without protected rivalries in the new setup, and it even uses "UnRivaled" as a catch phrase. Penn State leads 43-3-1
21. Minnesota vs. Penn State (Governor's Victory Bell)
This game has a trophy, so I included it in the rankings, but I don't know how many Minnesota or Penn State students are even aware that this is considered a rivalry. Penn State leads 10-6
