All articles tagged with #rivalries
Ole Miss’s dramatic 32-24 win over LSU at Vaught-Hemingway, fuelled by Lane Kiffin’s return to a bitter rival, is ranked as the most satisfying college football victory of the past decade, underscoring the Rebels’ staying power and the personal stakes of realignment-era rivalries.
Sports Illustrated ranks 15 of the most hostile college football games in history, tracing legendary clashes and chaotic scenes—from 1899 Colorado State at Wyoming to the 1988 Miami vs. Notre Dame brawl—and including modern showdowns like Michigan–Ohio State and Texas–Texas Tech, illustrating how ferocious fan passion, pregame taunts, on-field altercations, and stadium atmospheres have shaped the sport’s most infamous moments.
The Athletic’s staff catalogs 25 long-running slights across current Top 25 programs, using the LSU–Ole Miss showdown as a backdrop to show how feuds—from Texas’ Colt McCoy Rose Bowl injury to Michigan’s long-running meddling with Notre Dame and Spurrier’s digs at Georgia—shape this season’s storylines in college football.
The piece argues that college football thrives on petty grievances and manufactured enemies, using the renewed Kansas–Missouri rivalry and Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz’s late, unnecessary TD as a case study, alongside Texas coach Steve Sarkisian’s postgame clash with ESPN’s Holly Rowe, to show that the sport’s entertainment value is built on drama, history-as-rivalry, and public scrapping rather than lofty ideals.
The U.S. Open, the final major of the tennis season, begins at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens with the world’s best players chasing a title and a shot at a championship at Arthur Ashe Stadium, bringing high expectations, personal stories, and fierce rivalries onto the court.
CBS Sports ranks the eight NFL x Nike Rivalries uniforms for 2026 (NFC North/AFC South). Texans are No. 1 with an Oilers-inspired white-helmet look; Vikings land No. 2 for Nordic rune details; Titans No. 3; Packers No. 4 with alabaster elements; Jaguars No. 5 for a teal-helmet pairing; Lions No. 6 with a Panthers-inspired look; Bears No. 7 for a throwback homage; Colts No. 8. Each team wears its Rivalries kit only in home games this season, with the uniform rotation lasting three years.
Nike unveils eight new Rivalries uniforms for 2026 across the NFC North and AFC South, with USA TODAY Sports assigning a best-to-worst ranking. Highlights include the Minnesota Vikings in top spot for their Norse-inspired details, followed by the Titans, Jaguars, Packers, Colts, Lions, Texans, and Bears, each noted for distinct design touches and debut dates; the gear goes on sale Sept. 1.
Eight teams across the NFC North and AFC South revealed city-themed Rivalries uniforms with new helmets for the 2026 season, with each team wearing the look for one game. The NFC North squads (Bears, Packers, Vikings, Lions) and AFC South squads (Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Colts) showcased distinct designs—ranging from the Bears’ orange-numbered blue to the Jaguars’ teal helmet and the Colts’ revived blue helmet as part of the Anvil Strike concept. The schedule includes Week 3 Colts-Texans, Week 5 Bears-Packers, Week 8 Lions-Vikings and Colts-Jaguars, Week 10 Jaguars-Titans, Week 11 Colts-Texans, Week 15 Lions-Vikings, and Week 16 Packers-Bears; the program will continue through 2028 as all 32 teams roll out Rivalries looks.
The NFL's second wave of Rivalries uniforms was unveiled, with NFC North and AFC South teams set to wear the new looks in 2026 home games against divisional opponents (with potential use in 2027–2028). Highlights include the Colts Anvil Strike debut against the Texans in Week 3; Packers alternates against the Bears in Week 5; Jaguars and Lions in Week 8; Titans in Week 10; Texans donning their alternate when the Colts visit in Week 11; Vikings vs Lions in Week 15; and Bears hosting Green Bay in Week 16.
Sports Illustrated ranks the 2026 regular-season weeks from light to packed, detailing headliners and key undercards for each week (including Clemson–LSU in Week 1, Ohio State–USC in Week 9, and Michigan–Ohio State plus Texas–Texas A&M in Week 13), highlighting how rivalries and CFP implications shape the marquee Saturdays and when to enjoy lighter weekends.
SB Nation ranks the NBA’s top rivalries heading into the 2026-27 season, noting rivalries evolve with rosters but still deliver marquee matchups. No. 1 is Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs, driven by the Wembanyama–Holmgren dynamic and a potential decade of drama. The rest in order: Knicks–Spurs, Nuggets–Timberwolves, 76ers–Celtics, Celtics–Lakers, Knicks–Pacers, Celtics–Heat, Mavericks–Lakers, Rockets–Warriors, and Knicks–Heat.
Scottie Scheffler says he's not a fan of personal jabs and downplays the McIlroy–DeChambeau feud that followed The Open, defending DeChambeau against cheating accusations while noting golf rivalries aren’t like other sports—your biggest rival is the course, not the opponent.
Joey Chestnut remains the overwhelming favorite to win Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest this year (roughly 95% odds) and could threaten his own 76-dog record; the sport’s drama has long hinged on rivalries with Kobayashi and Stonie, and Chestnut’s 2024 absence briefly cut buzz and ESPN ratings, while his 2025 return boosted viewership to about 1.62 million.
A feature reframes Kyle Busch beyond his controversial reputation, arguing that his relentless competitiveness and success in the Xfinity and Cup Series make him one of the defining drivers of his generation and a lasting influence on NASCAR.
The Athletic’s NFL staff identifies 32 must-watch games for the 2026 regular season, spotlighting reunions, rematches and rivalries that could shape divisions and narratives for every team. Expect marquee showdowns and primetime clashes—from Bears-Packers on Christmas to Chiefs-Bills on Thanksgiving and 49ers-Eagles in Week 17—along with other schedule-driven storylines that fans will be circling.