Michigan football makes The Athletics' top 25 rivals list three times

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore uses a hand signal to celebrate the Wolverines' fourth straight win over Ohio State | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A program as old and storied as Michigan football is bound to have some epic rivals. According to Scott Dochterman of The Athletic, the Wolverines participate in three of the top 25 rivalries in all of college football, including holding the top spot. Here is a breakdown of those three rivalries.

Before kickoff, college football rivalries bring families, friends and colleagues closer together. The outcome instantly divides those same people.

But which ones rise above the rest in the nation? pic.twitter.com/Y76gDXpzrm

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 7, 2025

1. #1 Ohio State Vs. Michigan

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller (5) breaks lose from Michigan Wolverines defensive end Ryan Van Bergen (53) . (Dispatch photo by Kyle Robertson)Osu11um Kr 13 | Kyle Robertson / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State-Michigan football rivalry may be the best in all of sports, not just college football. The hatred these teams feel towards one another is unparalleled. However, it is not just the hatred that makes this rivalry so strong; it has another factor that makes it one of the best. There is also a mutual respect between the programs. They bicker off the field, fight on the field, sometimes even scrum after The Game is over, but there are countless examples of the respect they afford one another. The fact that each school prepares all year for this one game shows that level of respect.

2. #16 Michigan State Vs. Michigan

Michigan's J.J. McCarthy holds up the Paul Bunyan Trophy as the team celebrates after beating Michigan State, 49-0 | Nick King / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

An in-state rivalry is always particularly intense. Proximity to one another, the split of the residents in that state, and the desire to own bragging rights are something every fan yearns for. Michigan and Michigan State is a rivalry that can split the Mitten State in half. Spartan fans view Wolverine fans as smug and arrogant. Wolverine fans view the Spartans as inconsequential and beneath them, likely validating some of that smug and arrogant thought. The beauty of this rivalry is that any team can win at any time. The will to win the Paul Bunyan Trophy is so strong that the talent on the field sometimes takes a backseat.

3. #18 Notre Dame Vs. Michigan

Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson rushes Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book | Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Notre Dame and Michigan had a rivalry between two of the most iconic helmets in college football. It also involved two of the oldest and most storied programs in college football. The two programs respected each other's traditions, but when it was time to step onto the field, there was no love left. Some of the most intense and passionate games I've ever watched were between Michigan and Notre Dame. Sadly, the rivalry is on a hiatus, with the last game played in 2029 (a 45-14 Michigan victory) and the next game not scheduled again until 2033.

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