Across the college football landscape, the sound of long‑standing rivalries is growing quieter as conferences realign and scheduling priorities shift.
Historic Rivalries on the Chopping Block
Games that once defined seasons, such as Oklahoma versus Nebraska, Florida State versus Georgia, the Backyard Brawl between Pitt and West Virginia, and the Border War between Kansas and Missouri, have been canceled, postponed, or reduced to occasional meetings. Even the storied Notre Dame versus Michigan showdown now appears only in sporadic home‑and‑home arrangements.
The ripple effect reaches smaller programs that rely on these matchups for exposure and revenue, prompting former Alabama coach Nick Saban to warn that the current system privileges money over player development.
Senator Cynthia Lummis has echoed those concerns, arguing that smaller schools risk losing top talent to donor‑rich institutions, while legislative efforts like the Save College Sports Act have stalled, leaving the future of traditional rivalries uncertain.