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College Football Rivalries: Top 5 Rivalry Games That Need To Be Renewed

By Patrick Schmidt

Sep 6, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; The Michigan Wolverines and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off at the line of scrimmage in the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won 31-0. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 6, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; The Michigan Wolverines and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off at the line of scrimmage in the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won 31-0. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 7, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke (left) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly shake hands after Michigan defeated Notre Dame 41-30 at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke (left) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly shake hands after Michigan defeated Notre Dame 41-30 at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

Conference realignment and expansion has put an end to a number of great college football rivalries in recent years, but these are the top five rivalries that need to be renewed to restore the great tradition and pride these rivalries encapsulated

Not even some of the longest and uninterrupted rivalries in college football were immune to the wave of conference expansion and realignment that has hit in recent years as universities and athletic departments sacrificed rivalries for new opportunities and a ton of revenue in a new conference.

The Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Pac-12, Big 12 and the defunct Big East have all seen some of their greatest rivalries fall as a result and the fans are the ones left paying the price for their favorite rivalries dying an untimely death.

Sure, there are plenty of great rivalries that will never die in college athletics, but these five rivalries used to rank among the best rivalry games each year, and in some instances in college basketball and other sports as well.

If I had the power to rekindle rivalries were discontinued in the wake of conference realignment, these are the first five I would bring back and institute they play on an annual basis, or at the very least more than a token home-and-home or a potential bowl game meeting.

After reading through the list, leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section and let your voice be heard on the top five rivalries that need to be renewed in college football.

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