Tuesday Top Ten: Most-Played College Football Rivalries in Play This Weekend

Well, folks, we've come to the best weekend of the college football season.  It's Rivalry Week.  My Hoosiers travel to that shit stain of a stadium in West Lafayette to battle with Purdue for the Old Oaken Bucket.  You know I despise the Boilermakers almost as much as I love the Hoosiers.  On Saturday, IU better damn well exact revenge on Purdue for the last two years, where Purdue and IU were both 5-6 going into the game, with Purdue winning both games by 7 to go to a bowl, and leaving IU at home for the bowl season.

While Lehigh and Lafayette have the distinction of being the most-played college football rivalry ever (by a longshot too), at 155 games (including this year), I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the games being played this Rivalry Week that have been played the most.  I'm looking at FBS games only -- and actually, many of the FCS rivalry games with more games have already been played, as have some of FBS rivalries that would be on this list if they weren't played earlier in the season (or will be played later this season) -- 

Here are the most-played college football rivalries that are being played this weekend, with the team's current records, the date/time/channel of the games (all times Central), the number of games played, the year the first game was played, the name of the trophy for which the teams play or the name of the rivalry game, and the overall record.

1.  Wisconsin (9-2) at Minnesota (10-1) (Sat. 11/30 2:30 p.m.; ABC)
Number of games played:  128
First game played:  1890
Trophy:  Paul Bunyan's Axe
Record:  Tied 60-60-8
This is the biggest battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe that we have seen in a while, as the winner will clinch the Big Ten West crown.  Minnesota is holding out hope to squeak into the College Football Playoff, while Wisconsin is trying to secure a New Years Six bowl berth.  What's crazy is that this is not only the most-played rivalry at the FBS level, but that the overall record is tied after 128 games played.

2.  Oregon State (5-6) at Oregon (9-2) (Sat. 11/30 3:00 p.m.; Pac-12 Network)
Number of games played:  122
First game played:  1894
Rivalry name:  The Civil War
Record:  Oregon leads 65-47-10
This year's Civil War lost a little of its luster after Oregon's heartbreaking loss to Arizona State this past Saturday -- all but knocking the Ducks out of the CFP -- but there is still a lot on the line.  Oregon State sits at 5-6 after their own heartbreaking loss (a 54-53 shootout loss to Washington State), so the Beavers need to win to secure bowl eligibility, while the Ducks still have a shot at a New Years Six bowl.

3.  Indiana (7-4) at Purdue (4-7) (Sat. 11/30 11:00 a.m.; ESPN2)
Number of games played:  121
First game played:  1891
Trophy:  The Old Oaken Bucket
Record:  Purdue leads 74-41-6
After Indiana's 7-2 start and national ranking, a tough road loss to Penn State and a sloppy thumping at the hands of Michigan at home have left the Hoosiers at 7-4.  For a program without a winning season since 2007, that's still nothing to complain about, but a win over Purdue would give the Hoosiers their first 8+-win season since 1993.  Purdue, on the other hand, has had a disappointing year, riddled with injuries.  The Boilers were supposed to be a dark horse in the Big Ten West, but sit at 4-7 on a campus that smells like industrial effluence.

4.  Clemson (11-0) at South Carolina (4-7) (Sat. 11/30 11:00 a.m.; ESPN)
Number of games played:  116
First game played:  1896
Rivalry name/trophy:  The Palmetto Bowl/The Palmetto Trophy
Record:  Clemson leads 70-42-4
This year's Palmetto Bowl should be a snoozer, as Clemson is nearly a four-touchdown favorite.  The Tigers are playing for a CFP berth, while the Gamecocks are playing for pride.

5 (tie).  Ohio State (11-0) at Michigan (9-2) (Sat. 11/30 11:00 a.m.; Fox)
Number of games played:  115
First game played:  1897
Rivalry name:  The Game
Record:  Michigan leads 58-51-6
Is there any rivalry that jerks itself off as much as Ohio State/Michigan?  Ohio State has already locked up the Big Ten East title, but the Wolverines would like nothing more than to knock the Buckeyes out of a CFP berth.  Of course, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is still looking for his first win against OSU, having gone 0-4 thus far.  This would be a huge win for the Wolverines and could give them a New Years Six Bowl, depending on how other games shake out.

5 (tie).  Mississippi (4-7) at Mississippi State (5-6) (Thur. 11/28 6:30 p.m.; ESPN)
Number of games played:  115
First game played:  1901
Rivalry name/trophy:  The Egg Bowl/The Golden Egg Trophy
Record:  Mississippi leads 62-47-6
The Egg Bowl will largely be a game with pride on the line, as Ole Miss is already out of bowl contention.  However, Mississippi State needs a win to become bowl eligible.  The Bulldogs' second-year coach Joe Moorhead is going for his second Egg Bowl victory in as many seasons.

7 (tie).  Georgia (10-1) at Georgia Tech (3-8) (Sat. 11/30 11:00 a.m.; ABC)
Number of games played:  113
First game played:  1893
Rivalry name:  Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate
Record:  Georgia leads 67-41-5
It's a great name for a rivalry, but this year's game doesn't look like it's going to be much of a game at all, with the Bulldogs sitting at 28.5-point favorites right now.  They have already clinched the SEC East title and have their sights set on a CFP berth.  Meanwhile, first-year Yellow Jackets head coach Geoff Collins is looking for a signature win to save an otherwise forgettable season. 

7 (tie).  Oklahoma (10-1) at Oklahoma State (8-3) (Sat. 11/30 7:00 p.m.; Fox)
Number of games played:  113
First game played:  1904
Rivalry name/trophy:  Bedlam
Record:  Oklahoma leads 88-18-7
Bedlam almost always lives up to its name, and this year should be no exception.  The Sooners -- who have already clinched a spot in the Big XII title game -- are gunning for a potential CFP berth, while the Cowboys are having a very solid season at 8-3.  It should be a shootout and a fun game to watch.

7 (tie).  Vanderbilt (3-8) at Tennessee (6-5) (Sat. 11/30 3:00 p.m.; SEC Network)
Number of games played:  113
First game played:  1892
Rivalry name/trophy:  None 
Record:  Tennessee leads 75-33-5
While the matchup doesn't look totally sexy on paper, Vanderbilt has won three in a row against Tennessee -- the Commodores' longest winning streak against the Volunteers since winning six in a row between 1920 and 1926.  The Vols have already clinched bowl eligibility, but you can guarantee that second-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt doesn't want to lose this one.

10.  Northwestern (2-9) at Illinois (6-5) (Sat. 11/30 11:00 a.m.; FS1)
Number of games played:  112
First game played:  1892
Trophy:  Land of Lincoln Trophy
Record:  Illinois leads 55-52-5
It has been a very disappointing season for Northwestern, as the Wildcats are looking at their worst season under Pat Fitzgerald and are missing a bowl for the first time since 2014.  On the other side of the coin, the Illini have saved Lovie Smith from the chopping block, winning four of their last five games after starting 2-4, to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2014.  A win would secure the Illini's first winning season since 2011 and first winning Big Ten record since 2007, which ended in a trip to the Rose Bowl.