
Top College Football Coaching Rivalries Over the Last 25 Years
An exploration of the most memorable coaching rivalries in college football since 2000.
Rivalries are essential to the fabric of college football, with cherished victories over rivals being among the most rewarding for fans. While many long-standing feuds have faded amidst conference changes and playoff expansions, some rivalries persist. Coaches can also develop personal disputes, which significantly impact how they engage with each other during matchups. Here’s a glimpse into the most prominent coaching rivalries in the 21st century:
Bob Stoops vs. Mack Brown
Time period: 1999-2013 Stoops and Brown had a cordial off-the-field relationship; however, when the Red River Showdown approached, the competitive spirit intensified. With Stoops winning 9 out of 15 encounters, including blowouts, their rivalry shaped the landscape of the Big 12.
Bronco Mendenhall vs. Kyle Whittingham
Time period: 2005-15 Once nearly taking the same coaching position, both coaches cultivated a fierce rivalry during their time in Utah. The two saw tremendous success, with Mendenhall winning some key matchups against Whittingham’s Utes.
Jim Harbaugh vs. Pete Carroll
Time period: 2007-09 This rivalry traces back to their NFL days when Harbaugh was a quarterback and Carroll was a rising assistant. Once Harbaugh became Stanford’s coach, he became a competitor to Carroll’s USC powerhouse.
Lane Kiffin vs. Urban Meyer
Time period: 2009 Kiffin stirred controversy with comments about Meyer’s recruiting practices during his brief tenure at Tennessee, sparking an intense, albeit short-lived, rivalry.
Dan Mullen vs. Hugh Freeze
Time period: 2012-16 The rivalry between these two coaches featured vibrant games as Mississippi State faced Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl, marked by tension both during and after games.
Nick Saban vs. Jimbo Fisher
Time period: 2018-23 A rivalry marked by mutual respect turned heated when Fisher became the first former Saban assistant to beat him in 2021, igniting further disputes over recruiting practices.
Jim Harbaugh vs. Ryan Day
Time period: 2019-23 Michigan and Ohio State’s legendary rivalry intensified between these two coaches, with their interactions often filled with underlying tensions and memorable exchanges.