Ohio State vs Michigan

The Ohio State-Michigan football rivalry, played 119 times since 1897, is the most significant in American college sports and attracts over 107,000 fans at Michigan Stadium. Woody Hayes once refused to stop for gas in Michigan, saying he'd rather push his car to Ohio, while mentor-protege coaches Hayes and Bo Schembechler ignited the "Ten Year War" (1969-1978) that defined the Big Ten. This rivalry costs Ohio State students a week without the letter "M" before The Game—a tradition unmatched by #10 Borg vs McEnroe, which lacks such cultural saturation. With an annual viewership averaging 15 million, it generates 30% more engagement than the average college rivalry, cementing its place as America's premier gridiron clash.