Greatest Sports Rivalries: NFL

So last but definitely not least on my series of greatest sports rivalries is that of my favorite league in all of sports, the NFL. Now I have to be honest the NFL does not quite have a dominant rivalry compared to all the other mentioned leagues in this series. Ohio State-Michigan is the unquestionable top rivalry of college football, Red Sox-Yankees of baseball, Duke-UNC in college basketball, Barcelona-Real Madrid in soccer, and Celtics-Lakers in basketball. However there isn't quite a top-dog NFL rivalry that jumps out at me.

To be fair it seems every divisional team in the NFL is rivals with one another. However the intensity of those rivalries have intensified or fizzled overtime due to the performance of that team. When one team begins to dominate another on a frequent basis, then it should no longer be considered a rivalry. That being said there are still lots of very good ones, old and new, that I am going to mention here.


National Football League

1. Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears  (NFL's most played rivalry)

• Overall Record: Packers lead 97-94-6
• First Match-up Played: Nov 27th, 1921
• Total Meetings: 197
• Total Super Bowls Green Bay Packers: 4
• Total Super Bowls Chicago Bears: 1
• Memorable Moments:
• Dec 14th, 1941: Bears beat the Packers in NFC Playoff game
• Dec 7th, 1980: Bears defeat Packers 61-7; 2nd largest defeat in Packer history 
• Nov 23rd, 1986: Bears defeated Packers, however Bears QB Jim McMahon was injured for rest of season in this game thus ruining their chances for a Super Bowl repeat
• Jan 23rd, 2011: Packers beat the Bears in NFC Championship game
• Dec 29th, 2013: Packers defeated Bears in a thrilling final game of the season which determined the divisional champs 
• Sept 9th, 2018: Aaron Rodgers leads Packers to a 17 point comeback against the Bears in the 4th quarter

2. Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers

• Overall Record: Steelers lead 28-22
• First Match-up Played: Sept 8th, 1996
• Total Meetings: 50 
• Total Super Bowls for Baltimore Ravens: 2
• Total Super Bowls Pittsburgh Steelers: 6
• Memorable Moments:
• Dec 12th, 1999: Ravens WR Qadry Ismail goes for 258 yards to help Ravens defeat Steelers first time at their home
• Jan 20th, 2002: Steelers defeat Ravens in AFC Divisional Playoff game
• Jan 18th, 2009: Steelers defeat Ravens in AFC Championship Playoff game
• Jan 15th, 2011: Steelers defeat Ravens in AFC Divisional Playoff game
• Jan 3rd, 2015: Ravens defeat Steelers in AFC Wildcard game
• Dec 25th, 2016: Steelers defeat Ravens in Christmas day thriller to secure playoff spot and eliminate Ravens from playoff contention

3. San Francisco 49ers vs Dallas Cowboys

• Overall Record: Cowboys lead 18-17-1
• First Match-up Played: Nov 20th, 1960
• Total Meetings: 36
• Total Super Bowls for San Francisco 49ers: 5
• Total Super Bowls for Dallas Cowboys: 5
• Memorable Moments:
• Jan 3rd, 1971: Cowboys defeated 49ers in the NFC Championship game
• Jan 2nd, 1972: Cowboys defeated 49ers in the NFC Championship game
• Dec 23rd, 1972: Cowboys defeated 49ers in NFC Divisional Playoff game
• Jan 10th, 1982: 49ers defeated the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game where the famous Joe Montana to Dwight Clark "Catch" took place for the win
• Jan 23rd, 1993: Cowboys defeated 49ers in NFC Championship game
• Jan 16th, 1994: Cowboys defeated 49ers in NFC Championship game
• Jan 15th, 1995: Cowboys defeated 49ers in NFC Championship game
• Sept 18th, 2011: Cowboys defeated 49ers in regular season overtime thriller

4. Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears

• Overall Record: Bears lead 99-74-5
• First Match-up Played: Oct 22nd, 1930
• Total Meetings: 178
• Total Super Bowls for Chicago Bears: 1
• Total Super Bowls for Detroit Lions: 0
• Memorable Moments:
• Dec 18th, 1932: Bears defeat Spartans in Playoff match
• November 1934: Lions host first Thanksgiving tradition game against Bears, in which the Bears won
• Oct 24th, 1971: Yet another routine win for the Bears, however Lions WR died on the field,. the only NFL player in history to die on the field
• Sept, 2010: Calvin Johnson makes an incredible touchdown catch at end of the game, however the call is later reversed to give the Bears the win. This call would eventually change the rulings of a reception 

5. Green Bay Packers vs Dallas Cowboys

• Overall Record: Packers lead 19-17
• First Match-up Played: Nov 6th, 1960
• Total Meetings: 35
• Total Super Bowls: 4
• Total Super Bowls: 5
• Memorable Moments:
• Jan 1st, 1967: Packers defeated Cowboys in NFC Championship game
• Dec 31st, 1967: The Ice Bowl; Packers overcame brutal cold conditions of under -15 degrees to defeat the Cowboys for a 2nd consecutive NFC Championship
• Jan 16th, 1983: Cowboys defeated Packers in NFC divisional playoff game
• Jan 16th, 1994: Cowboys defeated Packers in NFC divisional playoff game
• Jan 8th, 1995: Cowboys defeated Packers in NFC divisional playoff game
• Jan 14th, 1996: Cowboys defeated Packers in NFC Championship game
• Jan 11th, 2015: Packers defeated Cowboys in controversial NFC divisional playoff game where Dez Bryant's incredible catch was over-turned
• Jan 15th, 2017: Packers defeated Cowboys in a thrilling NFC divisional playoff game that saw Aaron Rodgers pull off some impossible throws

6. Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals

• Overall Record: Bengals lead 50-40
• First Match-up Played: Oct 11th, 1970
• Total Meetings: 90
• Total Championships for Cleveland Browns: 0
• Total Championships Cincinnati Bengals: 0
• Memorable Moments:
• Oct 11th 1970: Inaugural game where Paul Brown, coach of the Bengals, refuses to shake hands with Browns head coach, after being fired by them
• 2004: Bengals defeat Browns 58-48, in 2nd highest total scoring game of all time
• 2007: Browns defeat Bengals 51-45 in 8th highest total scoring game of all time
• 2017: Bengals sweep the Browns; Browns go 0-16

7. Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins

• Overall Record: Cowboys lead 71-45-2
• First Match-up Played: First game played Oct 2nd, 1960
• Total Meetings: 118
• Total Super Bowls for Dallas Cowboys: 5
• Total Super Bowls for Washington Redskins: 3
• Memorable Moments:
• Dec 31st, 1972: Redskins defeat Cowboys in NFC Playoff Game
• Jan 22nd, 1983: Redskins defeat Cowboys in NFC Championship Game
• Sept 9th, 2005: Cowboys Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith were inducted into ring of honor, however Redskins spoiled the party by defeating them in the final few minutes.
• Nov 5th, 2006: The final 30 seconds of this game was a roller coaster of emotions with blocked field goal attempts, penalties, and a crazy victory for Washington

8. Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants

• Overall Record: Series ties 86-86-2 
• First Match-up Played: Oct 15th, 1933
• Total Meetings: 173
• Total Championships Philadelphia Eagles: 1
• Total Championships New York Giants: 4
• Memorable Moments:
• Nov 19th, 1978: Miracle at the Meadowlands; Eagles DB Herm Edwards recovered a fumble to steal a victory against the Giants
• Dec 27th, 1981: Giants defeat Eagles in NFC Playoff game
• Jan 7th, 2001: Giants defeat Eagles in NFC Playoff game
• Jan 7th, 2007: Eagles defeat Giants in NFC Playoff game
• Jan 11th, 2009: Eagles defeat Giants in NFC Playoff game
• Dec 19th, 2010: Eagles comeback to win from a 31-10 deficit with 8 mins to go

9. Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots

• Overall Record: Patriots lead 52-29
• First Match-up Played: Oct 4th, 1970
• Total Meetings: 81 meetings
• Total Super Bowls for Indianapolis Colts: 1
• Total Super Bowls New England Patriots: 5
• Memorable Moments:
• Sept 30th, 2001: 1st of the Manning-Brady match-ups; Patriots win
• Jan 18th, 2004: Patriots defeat Colts in AFC Playoff game
• Jan 16th, 2005: Patriots defeat Colts in AFC Playoff game
• Jan 21st, 2007: Colts defeat Patriots in AFC Championship game
• Jan 11th, 2014: Patriots defeat Colts in AFC Playoff game
• Jan 18th, 2015: Patriots defeat Colts in AFC Championship game
• Feb 2018: Josh McDaniels rejects a head-coaching position with the Colts to stay with the Patriots

10. Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers ("Longest Continuing Running Rivalry in NFL)

• Overall Record: Packers lead 100-71-7
• First Match-up Played: Nov 2nd, 1930
• Total Meetings: 178 
• Total Super Bowls for Lions: 0
• Total Super Bowls for Green Bay Packers: 4
• Memorable Moments:
• Nov 24th, 1940: Packers defeated Lions 50-7, biggest deficit in rivalry history
• Oct 7th, 1945: Packers set a record that still stands today for most points scored in a single quarter, 41 points
• Jan 8th, 1994: Packers defeated Lions in NFC Playoff Game
• Dec 31st, 1994: Packers defeated Lions in NFC Playoff Game
• Dec 28th, 2008: Packers defeated Lions in last game of season to send them to 0-16
• Nov 15th, 2015: Lions defeated Packers in a thrilling overtime showdown which became their first win at Lambeau Field since 1991
• Dec 3rd, 2015: Miracle in Motown where Aaron Rodgers overcame a 20 point deficit and threw a walk-off hailmary touchdown to win the game

Honorable Mention

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Dallas Cowboys
New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos
New York Giants vs New England Patriots
Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys
Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers
Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings
Oakland Raiders vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Cincinatti Bengals vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Greatest Sports Rivalries: NBA

Now I'll admit the NBA is probably at the back end of my favorite sports leagues however I'm still up-to-date with the history. My experience as a fan of the NBA goes back to the Michael Jordan-Chicago Bull era of the 1990s. During that time it seemed every kid was a Bulls fan and I was no different.

By around high school and into college I began to enjoy college basketball more than the NBA, most notably my college of choice, the Indiana Hoosiers. Also during this time I switched my NBA fan allegiance from the Chicago Bulls to the Indiana Pacers. When I moved to Indianapolis in 2010 and went to several home games at the Bankers Life Field house, the switch became all the more official.

In regards to NBA rivalries there is really only one that stands out for me miles ahead of the rest, and that's the LA Lakers vs the Boston Celtics. This is the penultimate of NBA rivalry; the two most championship caliber teams in history, east coast vs west coast, Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson, and so forth. Sure there are other old and more recent rivalries worth mentioning here, but this one takes the cake no doubt.


National Basketball Association


1. Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics

• Overall Record: Celtics lead 202-160
• First match-up ever played: Nov 9th, 1948
• Total meetings: 362
• Total championships for Boston Celtics: 17
• Total championships for Los Angeles Lakers: 16 

2. Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks

• Overall Record: Bulls lead 142-116
• First match-up ever played: Oct 23rd, 1966
• Total meetings: 256
• Total championships for Chicago Bulls: 6
• Total championships for New York Knicks: 2 

3. Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics

• Overall Record: Celtics lead 262-156
• First match-up ever played: Oct 23rd, 1957
• Total meetings: 418
• Total championships for Boston Celtics: 17
• Total championships for Detroit Pistons: 3 

4. Los Angeles Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs

• Overall Record: Lakers lead 115-108
• First match-up ever played: Dec 3rd, 1976
• Total meetings: 223
• Total championships for Los Angeles Lakers: 16
• Total championships for San Antonio Spurs: 5 

5. Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors

• Overall Record: Warriors lead 74-59
• First match-up ever played: Oct 17th, 1970
• Total meetings: 133
• Total championships for Golden State Warriors: 6
• Total championships for Cleveland Cavaliers: 1

6. Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics 

• Overall Record: Celtics lead 312-232
• First match-up ever played: Nov 30th, 1949
• Total meetings: 544
• Total championships for Boston Celtics: 17
• Total championships for Philadelphia 76ers: 3 

7. Los Angeles Lakers vs Los Angeles Clippers ("Hallway Series")

• Overall Record: Lakers lead 100-50
• First match-up ever played: Oct 30th, 1970
• Total meetings: 150
• Total championships for Los Angeles Lakers: 16
• Total championships for Los Angeles Clippers: 0 

8. New York Knicks vs Miami Heat

• Overall Record: Knicks lead 75-64  
• First match-up ever played: March 2nd, 1989
• Total meetings: 142
• Total championships for New York Knicks: 2
• Total championships for Miami Heat: 3 

9. San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns

• Overall Record: Spurs lead 118-98
• First match-up ever played: Oct 27th, 1976
• Total meetings: 216
• Total championships for San Antonio Spurs: 5
• Total championships for Phoenix Suns: 0

10. Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons

• Overall Record: Pistons lead 104-101
• First match-up ever played: Nov 18th, 1976
• Total meetings: 205
• Total championships for Indiana Pacers: 0
• Total championships for Detroit Pistons: 3

Honorable Mention

Sacramento Kings vs Los Angeles Lakers
Detroit Pistons vs Chicago Bulls
Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks
Los Angeles Lakers vs Detroit Pistons
Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks
Dallas Mavericks vs Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs ("I-10 Rivalry)
Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets
Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat

Greatest Sports Rivalries: MLB

Next I move on to my first favorite professional sports league as a child, the Major Baseball League. As a baseball fan and a Cubs fan in the early 1990s, I came to understand and love everything about the major leagues. I remember collecting baseball cards was quite a big deal in those days and I was very proud of my collection.

I followed the stats and the standings in the newspapers, long before there was internet or social media. I even set a goal in my early teenage years to visit every professional stadium. So far I have been to 6 (Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field, New York Yankees Stadium, SF Giants Candlestick Park, SF Giants AT&T Park, Montreal Expos Olympic Stadium, Cincinnati Reds Riverfront Stadium)

However this post is not about my long standing fanhood of the MLB yet rather the greatest rivalries in the league. One thing that makes the MLB so special is that it is one of the oldest standing professional leagues in this country, dating back to the 1880s. Baseball has had its many legendary teams and players but its the fan-base that carries on the traditions. One of these great traditions is the rivalry towards other teams. The first 3 on this list are miles ahead of the rest in my opinion but the others are still worth mentioning.


Major League Baseball

1. New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox

• Overall Record: Yankess lead 1214-1029-14
• First match-up ever played: April 26th, 1901
• Total Meetings: 2257
• Total championships for New York Yankees: 27  
• Total championships for Boston Red Sox: 9

2. San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers

• Overall Record: Giants lead 1243-1213-17
• First match-up ever played: May 3rd, 1890
• Total Meetings: 2473
• Total championships for San Francisco Giants: 8
• Total championships for Los Angeles Dodgers: 6

3. Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals

• Overall Record: Cubs lead 1230-1171-19
• First match-up ever played: April 12th, 1892
• Total Meetings: 2420
• Total championships for Chicago Cubs: 3
• Total championships for St. Louis Cardinals: 11

4. Oakland Athletics vs San Francisco Giants ("Bay Bridge Series")

• Overall Record: Athletics lead 63-57
• First match-up ever played: Oct 9th, 1905
• Total Meetings: 120
• Total championships for Oakland Athletics: 9
• Total championships for San Francisco Giants: 8

5. Philadelphia Phillies vs Pittsburgh Pirates

• Overall Record: Pirates lead 1216-1063
• First match-up ever played: May 30th, 1887
• Total Meetings: 2279
• Total championships for Philadelphia Phillies: 2
• Total championships for Pittsburgh Pirates: 5

6. New York Yankees vs Los Angeles Dodgers

• Overall Record: Yankees lead 44-34
• First match-up ever played: Oct 1st, 1941
• Total Meetings: 78
• Total championships for New York Yankees: 27 
• Total championships for Los Angeles Dodgers: 6

7. Chicago Cubs vs Chicago White Sox ("The Crosstown Classic")

• Overall Record: White Sox lead 60-58
• First match-up ever played: Oct 9th, 1906
• Total Meetings: 118
• Total championships for Chicago Cubs: 3
• Total championships for White Sox: 3

8. New York Mets vs New York Yankees ("The Subway Series")

• Overall Record: Yankees lead 69-49
• First match-up ever played: June 16th, 1997
• Total Meetings: 118
• Total championships for New York Mets: 2 
• Total championships for New York Yankees: 27

9. New York Mets vs Philadelphia Phillies 

• Overall Record: Phillies lead 508-479
• First match-up ever played: April 27th, 1962
• Total Meetings: 953
• Total championships for New York Mets: 2
• Total championships for Philadelphia Phillies: 2

10. Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros ("The Lonestar Series")

• Overall Record: Rangers lead 109-77
• First match-up ever played: June 8th, 2001
• Total Meetings: 186
• Total championships for Texas Rangers: 0 
• Total championships for Houston Astros: 1

Honorable Mention

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cincinnati Reds
Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays
Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs ("I-94 Series")
Baltimore Orioles vs Washington Nationals ("Beltway Series")
Cincinnati Reds vs Cleveland Indians ("Ohio Cup")
Kansas City Royals vs St. Louis Cardinals ("Show-Me Series")
Cincinnati Reds vs Los Angeles Dodgers
Atlanta Braves vs New York Mets 

Greatest Sports Rivalries: European Soccer

So now I move on to my favorite sport to watch in the mornings and afternoons; European Football! The soccer traditions in Europe are still very new to me, since I've grown up here in the states with our professional leagues. However the past 5 years now I have come to really enjoy and understand the format, teams, and the rivalries throughout Europe. There they are known as derbies, most notably in England, or sometimes as classicos in other parts of Europe. With this post I will mostly consider the big 4 leagues of Europe; the English Premier League, the Spanish Liga, the Italian Serie A, and the German Bundesliga.


European Football


1. Barcelona vs Real Madrid ("El Classico")

• Overall Record: Real Madrid leads 95-50-94
• First Match-up Ever Played: Feb 17th, 1929
• Total Meetings: 239
• Total League Titles for Barcelona: 25
• Total League Titles for Real Madrid: 33
• Locale: Barcelona and Madrid, Spain

2. Manchester United vs Liverpool ("The North West Derby")

• Overall Record: Manchester United leads 80-55-65
• First Match-up Ever Played: April 28th, 1894
• Total Meetings: 200
• Total League Titles for Manchester United: 20
• Total League Titles for Liverpool: 18
• Locale: North West of England; Manchester and Liverpool

3. Inter Milan vs AC Milan ("Derby della Madonnina")

• Overall Record: Inter Milan leads 79-67-76
• First Match-up Ever Played: Jan 10th, 1909
• Total Meetings: 22
• Total League Titles for Inter Milan: 18
• Total League Titles for AC Milan: 18
• Locale: Milan, Italy

4. Mancheter United vs Manchester City ("Manchester Derby")

• Overall Record: Manchester United leads 73-52-52
• First Match-up Ever Played: Nov 12th, 1881
• Total Meetings: 177
• Total League Titles for Manchester United: 20 
• Total League Titles for Manchester City: 5
• Locale: Greater Manchester

5 Juventus vs Inter Milan ("Derby d'Italia")

• Overall Record: Juventus leads 108-57-73
• First Match-up Ever Played: Nov 14th, 1909
• Total Meetings: 238
• Total League Titles for Juventus: 34
• Total League Titles for Inter Milan: 18
• Locale: Northwest Italy; Torino and Milan

6. Arsenal vs Tottenham ("The North London Derby")

• Overall Record: Arsenal leads 76-49-57
• First Match-up Ever Played: Dec 4th, 1909
• Total Meetings: 195
• Total League Titles for Arsenal: 13
• Total League Titles for Tottenham: 2 
• Locale: London, England

7. Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund ("Der Klassiker")

• Overall Record: Bayern leads 56-33-50
• First Match-up Ever Played: Oct 16th, 1965
• Total Meetings: 119
• Total League Titles for Bayern Munich: 28
• Total League Titles for Borussia Dortmund: 8
• Locale: Bavaria, Westphalia

8. Liverpool vs Everton ("The Merseyside Derby")

• Overall Record: Liverpool leads 92-73-66
• First Match-up Ever Played: Oct 13th, 1894
• Total Meetings: 231
• Total League Titles for Liverpool: 18 
• Total League Titles for Everton: 9
• Locale: Liverpool, England

9. Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid ("El Derbi Madrileno")

• Overall Record: Real Madrid leads 100-45-50
• First Match-up Ever Played: Dec 2nd, 1906
• Total Meetings: 196
• Total League Titles for Real Madrid: 33
• Total League Titles for Atletico Madrid: 10
• Locale: Madrid, Spain

10. AS Roma vs Lazio ("Derby della Capitale")

• Overall Record: Roma leads 71-64-52
• First Match-up Ever Played: Dec 8th, 1929
• Total Meetings: 187
• Total League Titles for AS Roma: 3 
• Total League Titles for Lazio: 2
• Locale: Rome, Italy

Honorable Mention


Celtic vs Rangers ("The Old Firm Derby")
Sunderland vs Newcastle ("The Tyne Wear Derby")
Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos ("Derby of the Eternal Enemies")
Benefica vs Porto ("O Clasico")
Borussia Dortmund vs Schalke ("Revierderby")
Fenerbache vs Galatasary ("The Intercontinental Derby")

Greatest Sports Rivalries: College Basketball

Just like college football, college basketball has many infamous rivalries throughout the nation. Some of these rivalries are quite old and historic, while others have recently emerged to the fore-front of the nation's attention. Here is my consideration using the same criteria as mentioned before, for top ten greatest college basketball rivalries today. Also once again keep in mind that I am a IU Hoosier fan with a bit of Midwest bias. 

College Basketball

1. Duke vs North Carolina

• Overall Record: North Carolina leads 137-111
• First Match-up Played: Jan 24th, 1920
• Total Meetings: 248
• Total National Championships for Duke: 5
• Total National Championships for North Carolina: 6 

2. Louisville vs Kentucky

• Overall Record: Kentucky leads 34-16
• First Match-up Played: Feb 15th, 1913
• Total Meetings: 50
• Total National Championships for Louisville: 3
• Total National Championships for Kentucky: 8

3. Indiana vs Kentucky

• Overall Record: Kentucky leads 32-25
• First Match-up Played: Dec 18th, 1924
• Total Meetings: 55
• Total National Championships for Kentucky: 8
• Total National Championships for Indiana: 5  

4. Georgetown vs Villanova

• Overall Record: Georgetown leads 39-35
• First Match-up Played: 1921 
• Total Meetings: 74
• Total National Championships for Georgetown: 1 
• Total National Championships for Villanova: 3

5. Michigan vs Michigan State

• Overall Record: Michigan leads 93-81
• First Match-up Played: Jan 9th, 1909 
• Total Meetings: 181
• Total National Championships for Michigan: 1
• Total National Championships for Michigan St: 2 

6. Kansas vs Kansas State ("Sunflower Showdown")

• Overall Record: Kansas leads 196-93
• First Match-up Played: Jan 25th, 1907
• Total Meetings: 289
• Total National Championships for Kansas: 3
• Total National Championships for Kansas St: 0

7. Cincinnati vs Xavier ("Crosstown Shootout")

• Overall Record: Cincinnati leads 50-35
• First Match-up Played: 1927
• Total Meetings: 85
• Total National Championships for Cincinnati: 2
• Total National Championships for Xavier: 0 

8. Syracuse vs UConn

• Overall Record: Syracuse leads 56-39 
• First Match-up Played: Jan 27th, 1956
• Total Meetings: 95
• Total National Championships for Syracuse: 1
• Total National Championships for: 4

9. UCLA vs Arizona

• Overall Record: UCLA leads 57-43
• First Match-up Played: Feb 19th, 1923
• Total Meetings: 100
• Total National Championships for UCLA: 11
• Total National Championships for Arizona: 1 

10. Indiana vs Purdue

• Overall Record: Purdue leads series 118-89
• First Match-up Played: March 2nd, 1901
• Total Meetings: 207
• Total National Championships for Indiana: 5
• Total National Championships for Purdue: 1

Honorable Mention

Florida-Kentucky

Oklahoma-Oklahoma St

UNLV-New Mexico

Gonzaga-Saint Mary

Florida-Florida St

Marquette-Wisconsin

Georgetown-Syracuse

Kansas-Missouri