<your state> State University v. <your state> University

It doesn't necessarily happen that way in other states. In Illinois, for example, the University of Illinois so dwarfs Illinois State University in size and athlectic prowess, that i doubt that any such game would ever take place. If it did, it would be a total slaughter of the ISU team. Southern Illinois University is the second larges university in the state, and although they play basketball with the U of I, i don't think they do football, which would also be a slaughter--although the Salukis of SIU do have a respectable football team, something which cannot be said of ISU.

In Ohio, the Ohio State University is in roughly the same position with regard to Ohio University. OSU is one of the largest universities in the world--last time i checked, the student body on the main campus alone had in excess of 50,000 undergraduates. OU, in Athens, Ohio, is famed across the nation as one of America's premier party schools, and is especially celebrated for the excesses committed in the streets during the Hallowe'en weekend. The OU Bobcats are in the MAC conference, and compete reasonably well in their class, but they simply are not in the same class with a Big Ten school like OSU (same thing in Illinois, the U of I being a Big Ten member).

For OSU, the big annual game is the game with Michigan. It seems that almost every year, they play in Columbus, on the OSU homecoming weekend, and it seems like they always get beat. This happens even in years when OSU's football team is ranked very highly nationally, and the Michigan team sucks hind titty. Riots usually ensue. I would not want to see what would happen if OSU actually beat Michigan on a homecoming weekend.

In Kansas, it's called the Sunflower Showdown. Not sure about AZ.

I'd sooner not see that . . .

"The Sunflower Showdown"? That's kind of pathetic. It sounds like a garden party.

Yah.... "Bedlam".... I loved Bedlam. Not that I didn't go either of those schools but I once worked in an office where everyone left for Bedlam. I hated all those people so it was heavenly to have the place to myself.

I tend to agree. Florida v. Florida State is the "Sunshine Showdown," so that's equally pathetic, IMV.

Figured out Arizona v. ASU = "Duel in the Desert". That's better.

Some others:

Washington v. Washington St. = "Apple Cup"

Michigan v. Michigan St. = "The Battle for the Mitten"

Ole Miss v. Mississippi State = "Egg Bowl" or "The Battle of the Golden Egg"

Georgia v. Florida = "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party"

Georgia v. Georgia Tech = "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate"

At my alma mater, Alabama, they call their bitter annual matchup with Auburn the "Iron Bowl." I call it the "Redneck Roundup," as the area paddywagons are choc-full o' dudes in Wranglers and brimming with Wild Turkey on that particular Saturday.

But what do I care? I'm a Notre Dame fan. I've got graver concerns on my mind.

The "Battle for the Mitten"? That's a funny one!

I like the "Redneck Roundup" but I think Oklahoma has everyone beat with "Bedlam".

You've been gone too long! We beat Mich-again this year, and have every year that I've been here I think. (Hey, I'm good luck! I should be able to get some sort of hefty honorarium for that. Or at least a shrubbery.)

The Game is so big that it goes by just that. The Game.

Minnesota has a rivalry with Michigan too (they're just plain hateful I guess), their game is referred to as the "Little Brown Jug" (that's the trophy).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Brown_Jug_(football)

A shrubbery . . . with a little white picket fence?

I overslept one morning (it was a day off, so no big deal) and was still not entirely awake when i entered a diner in Hilliard. As i sat down at the counter, someone asked me if i knew the score of "The Game." I said, "What game?" The place went dead silent.

I actually like the insanity around The Game, but I have a friend who feels the same as you do and is always muttering darkly about "red people" on Saturdays during football season. (OSU colors are scarlet and gray, scarlet predominates, and you MUST wear OSU colors on Saturday or... something bad happens. I haven't dared test what yet.)

Oh and I found the stats, yep, undefeated starting in 2004, I think I'm going to find Mr. Tressel and demand some credit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_%E2%80%93_Ohio_State_rivalry

I arrived in Columbus in 1988, the beginning of the John Cooper era. As anyone can see, it was not a happy time for Buckeye fans.

West Va-Pitt

The Backyard Brawl

When the hell did they start calling it the Sunflower Showdown? When I was there, we didn't call it anything near that couth!