Commentary

Best rivalries of the 2000s

These are the series that mattered the most in the past decade

Updated: November 29, 2010, 5:06 PM ET
By Mark Schlabach | ESPN.com

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… then declare you were there!

There are more traditional rivalries in college football.

Army-Navy. Georgia-Florida. Ohio State-Michigan. USC-Notre Dame. Florida State-Miami.

But in the past decade, other rivalries have mattered more. They are the games that have determined conference championships and trips to the BCS National Championship Game.

You might not find some of these rivalries in the history books, but you will find them circled on the calendars of college football fans across the country:

10. Louisville-West Virginia

Last game: Nov. 20, West Virginia 17, Louisville 10• • Were you there? »

The rivalry wasn't born until the Cardinals joined the Big East before the 2005 season, but it has produced some of the best games of the past decade. In 2005, the outcome wasn't decided until the third overtime. After freshman West Virginia tailback Steve Slaton scored his sixth touchdown of the game and quarterback Pat White added a two-point conversion pass, Cardinals quarterback Brian Brohm was tackled short of the end zone on a two-point run, giving the Mountaineers a 46-44 victory. The next season, Louisville took advantage of West Virginia's three turnovers to win 44-34. In 2007, White scored on a 50-yard run with 1:36 left to give the Mountaineers a 38-31 victory.

YearResultYearResult
2009WVU 17, LOU 9Were you there? »2004Did not play                               
2008WVU 35, LOU 21Were you there? »2003Did not play                               
2007WVU 38, LOU 31Were you there? »2002Did not play                               
2006LOU 44, WVU 34Were you there? »2001Did not play                               
2005WVU 46, LOU 44Were you there? »2000Did not play                               

9. BYU-Utah

Last game: Nov. 27, Utah 17, BYU 16 • • Were you there? »

Known as the "Holy War" by fans, the BYU-Utah rivalry has generated dramatic finishes and plenty of animosity. The decade opened in 2000 with the Cougars defeating the Utes 34-27 in BYU coach LaVell Edwards' final game. In 2001, BYU scored a last-minute touchdown to beat Utah 24-21. In 2003, Utah beat BYU 3-0, ending the Cougars' NCAA record of not being shut out at 361 consecutive games. Utah finished 12-0 in 2004, becoming the first team from a non-BCS conference to play in a BCS bowl game, after blasting the Cougars 52-21. The next season, backup quarterback Brett Ratliff led the Utes to a 41-34 victory in overtime. BYU turned the tables in 2006, with John Beck throwing a touchdown to Jonny Harline on the final play of a 33-31 win.

Year Result Year Result
2009 BYU 26, UTAH 23 Were you there? » 2004 UTAH 52, BYU 21 Were you there? »
2008 UTAH 48, BYU 24 Were you there? » 2003 UTAH 3, BYU 0 Were you there? »
2007 BYU 17, UTAH 10 Were you there? » 2002 UTAH 13, BYU 6 Were you there? »
2006 BYU 33, UTAH 31 Were you there? » 2001 BYU 24, UTAH 21 Were you there? »
2005 UTAH 41, BYU 34 Were you there? » 2000 BYU 34, UTAH 27 Were you there? »

8. Iowa-Penn State

Last game: Oct. 2, Iowa 24, Penn State 3 • • Were you there? »

The Big Ten rivalry has been dominated by the Hawkeyes, who are 8-2 against the Nittany Lions under coach Kirk Ferentz. But the series has included plenty of drama and one huge upset in the past 10 years. Iowa won 26-23 in two overtimes in 2000 and won 42-35 in a single OT in 2002. In 2004, the Hawkeyes somehow won by a 6-4 score. In 2008, Daniel Murray kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired that sent unranked Iowa past Penn State 24-23, knocking the Nittany Lions out of the BCS national championship race.

Year Result Year Result
2009 IOWA 21, PSU 10 Were you there? » 2004 IOWA 6, PSU 4 Were you there? »
2008 IOWA 24, PSU 23 Were you there? » 2003 IOWA 26, PSU 14 Were you there? »
2007 PSU 27, IOWA 7 Were you there? » 2002 IOWA 42, PSU 35 Were you there? »
2006 Did not play   2001 IOWA 24, PSU 18 Were you there? »
2005 Did not play   2000 IOWA 26, PSU 23 Were you there? »

7. Oregon-Southern California

Last game: Oct. 30, Oregon 53, USC 32 • • Were you there? »

The Ducks and Trojans have been the Pac-10's premier teams for much of the past decade, and a trip to the Rose Bowl often was on the line when they played. In 2001, Ducks quarterback Joey Harrington led his team on a last-minute field goal drive in a 24-22 victory. USC dominated the series during its dynasty run from 2002 to '06, but the Ducks won 24-17 in 2007. Oregon also sent the Trojans spiraling with a 47-20 blowout in 2009.

Year Result Year Result
2009 ORE 47, USU 20 Were you there? » 2004 Did not play  
2008 USC 44, ORE 10 Were you there? » 2003 Did not play  
2007 ORE 24, USC 17 Were you there? » 2002 USC 44, ORE 33 Were you there? »
2006 USC 35, ORE 10 Were you there? » 2001 ORE 24, USC 22 Were you there? »
2005 USC 45, ORE 13 Were you there? » 2000 ORE 28, USC 17 Were you there? »

6. Alabama-Auburn

Last game: Nov. 26, Auburn 28, Alabama 27 • • Were you there? »

The Iron Bowl was dominated by Auburn for much of the decade, with the Tigers winning six games in a row from 2002 to '07. Former Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville even joked about getting rings for his thumbs. The decade opened in 2000 with the Iron Bowl being played in Tuscaloosa for the first time in 99 years. Auburn won the game 9-0 and clinched an SEC West title. In 2005, Auburn sacked Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle 11 times in a 28-18 upset of the No. 9 Crimson Tide. In 2008, Alabama ended its six-game losing streak in the duel with a 36-0 rout. Last season, Auburn led No. 2 Alabama 14-0 early in the game and 21-14 in the third quarter before the Tide rallied for a 26-21 victory en route to winning a BCS national title.

Year Result Year Result
2009 ALA 26, AUB 21 Were you there? » 2004 AUB 21, ALA 13 Were you there? »
2008 ALA 36, AUB 0 Were you there? » 2003 AUB 28, ALA 23 Were you there? »
2007 AUB 17, ALA 10 Were you there? » 2002 AUB 17, ALA 7 Were you there? »
2006 AUB 22, ALA 15 Were you there? » 2001 ALA 31, AUB 7 Were you there? »
2005 AUB 28, ALA 18 Were you there? » 2000 AUB 9, ALA 0 Were you there? »

5. Alabama-LSU

Last game: Nov. 6, LSU 24, Alabama 21 • • Were you there? »

The longtime SEC rivalry reached its boiling point in the past decade because of Nick Saban. He coached the Tigers from 2000 to '04, leading LSU to four victories in five tries against the Crimson Tide. After two seasons in the NFL, Saban returned to college football as Alabama's coach, making him Public Enemy No. 1 in Louisiana. LSU defeated the Crimson Tide 41-34 in its first meeting against Saban in 2007, scoring two touchdowns in the final three minutes. In 2008, Saban returned to Baton Rouge for the first time and guided the Tide to a 27-21 victory in overtime. LSU blocked a field goal on the final play of regulation, but Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson scored on a 1-yard run to win the game. This season, LSU upset the Crimson Tide 24-21 to knock them out of the SEC title and BCS national championship races.

Year Result Year Result
2009 ALA 24, LSU 15 Were you there? » 2004 LSU 26, ALA 10 Were you there? »
2008 ALA 27, LSU 21 Were you there? » 2003 LSU 27, ALA 3 Were you there? »
2007 LSU 41, ALA 34 Were you there? » 2002 ALA 31, LSU 0 Were you there? »
2006 LSU 28, ALA 14 Were you there? » 2001 LSU 35, ALA 21 Were you there? »
2005 LSU 16, ALA 13 Were you there? » 2000 LSU 30, ALA 28 Were you there? »

4. Ohio State-Penn State

Last game: Saturday, Ohio State 38, Penn State 14 • • Were you there? »

The Big Ten battle decided the team that would play in the Rose Bowl in 2008 and '09, and Ohio State's victories over Penn State in 2002 and '06 kept the Buckeyes in the BCS national championship hunt. There were plenty of milestones, dramatic finishes and upsets along the way. In 2001, Penn State coach Joe Paterno won his 324th game when his team overcame a 27-9 deficit to beat the Buckeyes 29-27, pushing him past legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant in career victories. The next season, the Buckeyes needed two-way starter Chris Gamble's interception return for a touchdown to defeat the Nittany Lions 13-7 en route to winning a national championship. In 2005, No. 16 Penn State upset the No. 4 Buckeyes 17-10 after a string of bad seasons.

Year Result Year Result
2009 OSU 24, PSU 7 Were you there? » 2004 OSU 21, PSU 10 Were you there? »
2008 PSU 13, OSU 6 Were you there? » 2003 OSU 21, PSU 20 Were you there? »
2007 OSU 37, PSU 17 Were you there? » 2002 OSU 13, PSU 7 Were you there? »
2006 OSU 28, PSU 6 Were you there? » 2001 PSU 29, OSU 27 Were you there? »
2005 PSU 17, OSU 10 Were you there? » 2000 OSU 45, PSU 6 Were you there? »

3. Florida-LSU

Last game: Oct. 9, LSU 33, Florida 29 • • Were you there? »

The Gators and Tigers combined to win three consecutive BCS national championships 2006-08, with Florida sandwiching two around LSU's 2007 crown. The rivalry included one great upset -- when Ron Zook led the unranked Gators to a 19-7 victory over No. 2 LSU in 2003 -- and some of the most thrilling games of the past decade. Tebow's jump pass made its debut in Florida's 23-10 victory in 2006, and the "Mad Hatter" showed his face for the first time when LSU coach Les Miles used gamble after gamble to defeat the Gators 28-24 in 2007.

Year Result Year Result
2009 FLA 13, LSU 3 Were you there? » 2004 LSU 24, FLA 21 Were you there? »
2008 FLA 51, LSU 21 Were you there? » 2003 FLA 19, LSU 7 Were you there? »
2007 LSU 28, FLA 24 Were you there? » 2002 LSU 36, FLA 7 Were you there? »
2006 FLA 23, LSU 10 Were you there? » 2001 FLA 44, LSU 15 Were you there? »
2005 LSU 21, FLA 17 Were you there? » 2000 FLA 41, LSU 9 Were you there? »

2. Oklahoma-Texas

Last game: Oct. 2, Oklahoma 28, Texas 20 • • Were you there? »

The Red River Rivalry game has long been one of the sport's best rivalries, and it's still one of the most anticipated games every season. The Sooners and Longhorns play each season at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, and the game is scheduled at the same time as the Texas state fair. In 2000, Oklahoma blasted Texas 63-14 en route to winning a BCS national championship. The Longhorns defeated the Sooners 45-12 in 2005, ending a five-game losing streak in the series, and went on to win a national title. In 2008, No. 5 Texas beat top-ranked Oklahoma 45-35, but the Sooners played in the Big 12 championship game because of a controversial three-way tiebreaker, which sparked new passions in the rivalry.

Year Result Year Result
2009 TEX 16, OKLA 13 Were you there? » 2004 OKLA 12, TEX 0 Were you there? »
2008 TEX 45, OKLA 35 Were you there? » 2003 OKLA 65, TEX 13 Were you there? »
2007 OKLA 28, TEX 21 Were you there? » 2002 OKLA 35, TEX 24 Were you there? »
2006 TEX 28, OKLA 10 Were you there? » 2001 OKLA 14, TEX 3 Were you there? »
2005 TEX 45, OKLA 12 Were you there? » 2000 OKLA 63, TEX 14 Were you there? »

1. Alabama-Florida

Last game: Oct. 2, Alabama 31, Florida 6 • • Were you there? »

In each of the past two seasons, the Crimson Tide and Gators played in the SEC championship game in Atlanta's Georgia Dome with a trip to the BCS National Championship Game on the line. The teams were ranked Nos. 1 and 2 both times they met in Atlanta, and the Gators won a BCS national title in 2008 and the Crimson Tide won it the next season. It's a rivalry that brought former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow to tears and sent his coach, Urban Meyer, to the hospital. (Although the teams squared off only four times in the 2000s, the series has a rich history, with 36 games in the books; Alabama leads 22-14.)

Year Result Year Result
2009 ALA 32, FLA 13 Were you there? » 2004 Did not play                                
2008 FLA 31, ALA 20 Were you there? » 2003 Did not play                                
2007 Did not play   2002 Did not play                                
2006 FLA 28, ALA 13 Were you there? » 2001 Did not play                                
2005 ALA 31, FLA 3 Were you there? » 2000 Did not play                                

• Photo gallery: Images from the top-10 rivalries Photo Gallery

Mark Schlabach covers college sports for ESPN.com. He co-authored Bobby Bowden's memoir, "Called To Coach," which was published by Simon & Schuster. The book is available in stores and can be ordered here. You can contact him at schlabachma@yahoo.com.

Mark Schlabach | email

College Football and Basketball
  • College football/basketball writer for ESPN.com
  • Author of seven books on college football
  • Formerly at the Washington Post and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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