Thanks so much for responding for your response clearly demonstrates the irrationality of the SEC fan base. How you can rationalize that the Auburn - Alabama rivalry is any more relevant in college football than Oklahoma - Texas, USC - Notre Dame, Ohio State - Michigan or Clemson and South Carolina for that matter is beyond me.

Maybe back in the 1960’s when Bear Bryant roamed the sidelines I would agree to the importance of this game. The entire SEC lives and profits off of the importance that these two schools brought to the table at that time.

Times have changed. Auburn has won six straight in the current series. Pardon me, but one of the criteria that I put forth was that the game had to be in doubt on a year-to-year basis. You actually have to win once in awhile in my opinion for the rivalry to maintain its zenith. Bama has flat out sucked throughout much of the post-Bryant era. The only reason they even have a winning record is the fact that they have beaten the Sun Belt, MAC and C-USA teams to death during the BCS era. I don’t find the honor in that. If you question these numbers, read the SEC Part I article I wrote a couple of months ago for the sobering perspective.

Finally, quite frankly, it sickens my soul that you would consider a rivalry game important because people are killed over the result. That does not raise the barometric reading in my opinion for determining the true strength and importance of a rivalry. I’d much rather watch the Apple Cup, Nebraska - Oklahoma, or even Florida - Florida State over Alabama - Auburn. The only reason I even ranked it at all was due to my respect for Bear Bryant.

2)Michigan Ohio St it has to be a rivalry because there’s no one else in the Big ten that’s worthy to have a rivalry.Two different states so you aren’t at each others throats 24-7

3)USC beating lowly ND is not a rivalry.

Auburn and Bama should be number 1 or Mich Ohio ST.There are no other schools that hate each other that much with as huge of a fan base as these four.