What’s the Biggest Rivalry in College Football?

College football betting is available at the BetMGM online sportsbook, and some of the best wagers are on rivalry games. The players seemingly play harder, and these games can decide seasons, conference titles and the College Football Playoff. 

For this type of football betting, you may also find some betting markets exclusive to these rivalries. 

Below, I’ll examine what the biggest rivalry in college football is. 

What’s the Biggest Rivalry in College Football?

The biggest rivals in college football are undoubtedly Ohio State and Michigan. The first meeting dates back to Oct. 16, 1897, when Michigan won 34-0 at Regents Field. Since then, the two have played in 119 games, and Michigan leads the series 61-51-6. The biggest win came in 1902, when Michigan crushed Ohio State 86-0. Michigan owns the longest winning streak in this rivalry with nine wins from 1901 to 1909. 

The 2006 meeting was the most notable game from this rivalry. Ohio State won 42-39. The legendary Bo Schembechler died a day before the game. He was a legendary head coach for the Wolverines, coaching from 1969 to 1989. 

This game marked the first time Ohio State and Michigan were ranked No. 1 and No. 2. It’s been called the “Game of the Century,” and there were nearly 106,000 people in attendance. 

#1 Ohio State vs #2 Michigan 2006
“ Game of the Century” pic.twitter.com/mMpwfU8MvF

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) October 8, 2023

The 2023 matchup between these two teams helped propel the Wolverines into the College Football Playoff and eventually go on to win the national championship.