11-07-2025
Florida all over The Athletic's 100 best college football rivalries list
College sports take rivalries to a whole new level. Geographic boundaries, conference ties and history all play a role when determining just how strong a rivalry is, and it's safe to say that the Florida Gators have their fair share of enemies.
The Athletic's Scott Dochterman recently broke down the top 100 rivalries in college football, and it's no surprise to see the Orange and Blue pop up a handful of times. Both in-state rivals made the cut, and a trio of SEC annual matchups are also on the list. Every Gators fan has a different order of most-hated rivals in their head, but this is how Dochterman sees it.
No. 64 Florida vs. LSU
Loud fans, loud stadiums and upsets galore make the Florida-LSU rivalry one worth scheduling every season. Things will have a different feel next year as the game is played in September for the first time since 1984, but it should still be the same raucous affair as always. Marco Wilson's shoe throw might be the most memorable moment in recent memory from the series, but these teams have met 25 times as ranked opponents.
"It doesn't have the lore or regional appeal of other SEC rivalries, but each of these programs has won two national championships over the past 20 years. This is the annual rivalry that neither side really wants, but it's too good for the SEC to let it expire."
The series is tied 34-34-3
No. 58 Florida vs. Miami
It makes sense for two of the Sunshine State's top three football programs to have some beef, but these teams meet less often than one would think. Only eight games between 1987 and 2025, including September's game, which is the second half of a home-and-home. Conference expansion is the main reason this matchup isn't a yearly affair.
"There's plenty of feistiness between these two programs when they take the field. But their meetings have become so sporadic that the rivalry doesn't measure up to their in-state feuds with Florida State."
Miami leads the series 30-27
No. 36 Florida vs. Tennessee
Credit the Head Ball Coach for making this rivalry what it was in the 90s. "You can't spell 'Citrus (Bowl)' without U-T," Steve Spurrier said after his Gators beat the Volunteers four years in a row. Now considered the early-season measuring stick for both teams, this clash of former SEC East rivals still holds a large place in the hearts of many Gators fans.
"Tennessee and Florida barely resonated for either fan base until they were forced to play one another every year in the SEC East. Once they did, the series sizzled and became the SEC's most competitive rivalry in the 1990s. It doesn't measure up when compared alongside these teams' historical feuds, but it's on the map."
Florida leads the series 32-22
No. 12 Florida vs. Georgia
There's a large portion of Gator Nation that puts the Florida-Georgia rivalry at No. 1 on their list. While things have been fairly one-sided since 2010, Georgia leads 10-4 during that time, there's still something about a neutral-site game with major recruiting impacts on both sides that gets the blood flowing. There's also the constant stream of liquor flowing at what used to be called the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party to consider.
"Each team has important in-state rivalries, but this ranks No. 1 for both programs and their fans. They've yet to have a top-five matchup, but the outcomes often lead directly to an SEC championship participant."
Georgia leads the series 56-44-2
No. 9 Florida vs. Florida State
Another rivalry that exploded in the '90s — Spurrier simply lived to instigate — the Florida-Florida State feud is in-state competition between publicly funded universities at its best. Bobby Bowden and Steve Spurrier are among college football's greatest coaches, and the two programs met as the Nos. 1 and 2 ranked teams in the country in 1996 regular season and again at Nos. 1 and 3 in the Sugar Bowl.
"What was a nice in-state nonconference series turned into one of national consequence during the 1990s. With coaching legends Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden on opposite sides, Florida-Florida State set the table for many postseasons. Its annual importance may have diminished, but it's still the most prominent SEC-ACC Thanksgiving weekend feud."
Florida leads the series 38-28-2
Just Missed the Cut: Florida vs. Auburn
"The Gators and Tigers played annually from 1944-2002, and it was a protected series when the SEC first split into divisions. They have played 84 times (Auburn leads 43-39-2), including 18 ranked battles, but have had just four meetings since 2002. It's just too irregular to make the top 100."
Which schools have the most top-100 rivalries?
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