Previewing the Week 13 college football rivalry games

The greatest ending to a rivalry game took place 43 years ago this week. Assuming their team had clinched victory, Stanford’s band marched onto the field of play ready to celebrate. Cal, however, was not ready to accept defeat, and what transpired that day in 1982 is one of the reasons we love college football. Cal and Stanford highlight the slate of rivalry games on this penultimate weekend of the college football regular season.

*All times Eastern

Missouri at Oklahoma, Saturday noon

An old Big 12 rivalry has been resurrected in the SEC, and on Saturday it will feature two Top 25 programs that have not had this much on the line since they met for consecutive Big 12 Championship games in 2007 and 2008. No. 22 Missouri travels to face No. 8 Oklahoma not just looking for a win, but also looking to secure ownership for another year of the Indian peace pipe that has been awarded as the traveling trophy of this rivalry since 1940. The Tigers won the first SEC meeting of these two programs last year by a 30-23 final.

Miami at Virginia Tech, Saturday noon

Virginia Tech made news ahead of its rivalry game with Miami by hiring James Franklin as the Hokies' next head coach. — Virginia Tech made news ahead of its rivalry game with Miami by hiring James Franklin as the Hokies' next head coach earlier this week. | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Miami and Virginia Tech have played in many important games over the last 70-plus years, including two bowl games. Traditional Big East rivals have now evolved into ACC rivals who are expected to meet annually again after their 31-year streak was broken in 2023 by the Conference doing away with divisions. We can only hope this game measures up to last season’s thriller when Virginia Tech’s last-second Hail Mary was ruled a touchdown, and then overturned on replay.

Marshall at Appalachian State, Saturday 2:30 pm

While not as hostile as the Hatfields and McCoys, Appalachian State and Marshall will conduct their own Old Mountain Feud on Saturday afternoon. The two universities sit among the Appalachian Mountains and have seen this rivalry matriculate from the Division 1AA level to the Football Bowl Subdivision level. This has been a very competitive rivalry in the FBS era, with the home team claiming victory in each of the last five contests.

New Mexico State at UTEP, Saturday 3:00 pm

Although situated in different states, UTEP and New Mexico State University are separated by just 40 miles of interstate highway, making them natural rivals. The Battle of I-10 has multiple traveling trophies and has been contested since 1914, when both schools operated under different names. This is the final Conference USA matchup of the two schools, since UTEP is leaving for the Mountain West Conference next season.

Arkansas at Texas, Saturday 3:30 pm

Texas defensive back Michael Taaffe led the Longhorn defense in tackles against Arkansas in its 2024 matchup. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

There is a border town called Texarkana, and you would think that would be an ideal name for this rivalry as well, but it is simply known as the Arkansas-Texas rivalry and has been played since 1894. Actually, it has not been played often in this century with the shuffling of conferences, but now that both teams are in the SEC the rivalry has been resurrected. They will play annually at least until the 2029 season, keeping this 130-year rivalry alive.

Duke at North Carolina, Saturday 3:30 pm

This is definitely a basketball rivalry first and foremost, but these Tobacco Road programs are no less motivated to defeat each other when they meet on the gridiron. Owing to their close proximity to the other’s campus, Duke and North Carolina have met for 110 previous football games dating back to 1888. The Battle of the Blues play for a Victory Bell traveling trophy, which Duke won last year after North Carolina had captured it in the previous five meetings.

Tennessee at Florida, Saturday 7:30 pm

The Florida-Tennessee rivalry has been traditionally called “The Third Saturday in November,” but due to a quirk in this year’s calendar, the game is actually being played on the fourth Saturday in November. Both teams have been part of the SEC since its inception in the 1930s, but the rivalry did not intensify until both teams got really good in the 1990s under head coaches Steve Spurrier and Phil Fulmer, respectively. This game has been won by the home team in each of the last four meetings, giving Florida fuel for an upset on Saturday.

California at Stanford, Saturday 7:30 pm

Cal and Stanford contested one of the greatest college football rivalry games 43 years ago this week. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Locally known as “The Play,” and nationally as “The Stanford Band Play,” the 1982 game between Cal and Stanford is the epitome of rivalry game moments. After taking a 20-19 lead in the final seconds, Stanford squib-kicked the football to Cal, which proceeded to lateral it five times before Cal defensive back Kevin Moen took it into the end zone, flattening Stanford trombone player Gary Tyrrell in the process. “The band is out on the field!” Pure rivalry perfection.