Rivalries are the lifeblood of collegiate athletics. Rivalry week is the best week of the year. I love it and hate it at the same time. I love the rivalries, the passion of the players and fans, and the emotional roller coaster. I hate that it’s the actual last week of the season. When that last game ends on that Saturday night, it’s over. Bowl season is cool (truth be told besides the years when the Rose Bowl is not in the playoff, the bowls generally are pointless), but there’s nothing better than the college football regular season. What a beautiful way to end it, by beating your hated rival; Or beating whichever random team your conference scheduled for you if you already played your rival.

Week 13

Columbus, Ohio: Michigan @ Ohio State

The culmination of 365 days of waiting. A town that lives and dies by Buckeye football. A whole state that lives and dies by Buckeye football. The agony of waiting for your chance to get revenge. The anxiety that sits in the back of your mind saying, “no way this is the team that finally loses to them.” Whether this is in Columbus or Ann Arbor, this is the biggest rivalry in American sports. If you don’t live in Ohio or Michigan, you don’t experience this rivalry at the level that it is lived everyday. Two phenomenal schools with two huge alumni bases turn this into a nation-wide phenomena. “The Game” is a gift. You can feel the tension in the stadium. Jim Harbaugh may not be an elite head coach, but there is no denying that he has injected new life into this rivalry. In short, he gets it. It’s only a matter of time before he turns The Game into another Ten-Year War type fever pitch. This rivalry has never been better than it is going to be for the next decade or so.

NC State @ North Carolina

State and Carolina will intersect here as State should be on the twilight of a down year compared to their ten win campaign this past season. Carolina could either be on the upswing, or Larry Fedora could be fired by the time this game comes around. NC State could have one of the sneaky-best offenses in the ACC. If the defense can learn on the fly, it could be another ten-win year for the Pack, who lost a ton of talent to the NFL.

Minnesota @ Wisconsin

Minnesota’s gotta win it one of these days. What better opportunity than senior day at Camp Randall? PJ Fleck desperately needs to beat Wisconsin this year or next if he wants to stick around in this whole P5 coaching thing.

Auburn @ Alabama

If Michigan-Ohio State isn’t the best rivalry in sports then this is. The Iron Bowl never seems to lose its luster. Last season’s thumping should provide plenty of fuel for Nick Saban and the Tide heading into this year’s edition.

Notre Dame @ USC

This could have playoff implications if everything goes right for either squad. It absolutely won’t, but this sport is stupid so who knows?

Week 14

Nothing scheduled! Take the significant other out, watch some hockey, go out and have fun. Or you can stay in. You can’t watch college football though.

Week 15

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Army-Navy

America’s Game. Singing second is all that matters here. After a huge win streak, Navy is reeling after losing the last two. Air Force is the odd-man out here. This game will be for the Commander in Chief’s Trophy. All politics aside, these are America’s best and brightest on the field and they have dedicated their lives to service for our country. There are no NFL aspirations. This is a rivalry that is all about pride. When you win, you sing your alma mater last. That’s what they’re playing for here. Pride, and singing second. Philly was America’s original capital, fun fact. When the Constitution was ratified, it became New York City. See, even D.C. wasn’t a first choice, but here we are.