25 most intense College Basketball rivalry games entering the 2025-26 season

The offseason gives all of us a chance to think about different topics than just covering games every night.  Covering games is the best part of the basketball season because there are actual games, but the offseason offers a different look at the sport.

Rivalries are the topic of the week, and not just any old rivalry game, but the rivalry games that mean more.  These are the games that fan bases love to talk about, and sometimes they are games that you can’t talk about because they may end up in a fight. 

You know the games Duke and North Carolina, Alabama and Auburn, Michigan and Ohio State, and UConn against everyone.  That last one was a joke, but everyone gets it.  Those are all the obvious rivalries, but what about the rest of the rivalries from the teams that don’t get talked about as much?

Here are the top 25 rivalries in the game heading into the 2025-2026 season. The list will feature the huge rivalry games along with a few that many of us don’t know about.  Rivalries are always going to be a part of the game, and these games mean a lot more to each fan base.  Win your rivalry game, and the season is a success. 

No. 25 Albany vs Siena

Siena leads the series 11-9

A relatively new rivalry with both teams finally moving to Division 1 in 2001.  That is when the two schools started playing each other every season, and given that the campuses are only 8 miles apart, the game can get heated. Albany has always viewed this rivalry differently from their counterparts, and that is because, up until 2016, the game was played on the home campus of the Saints.  

That fact led to a dust-up and war of words between Albany coach Will Brown and Siena coach Jimmy Patsos.  2016 was the only season that Albany has ever had a home game.  Siena plays in a big arena that can hold more people, but it isn't fair that the game is always at Siena.  I can see why the Great Danes have an issue with it.  Despite that, Albany has remained highly competitive over the years.

No. 24 New Mexico vs New Mexico State

New Mexico leads the series 121-99

A forgotten game a few years ago, even though the two teams have a very intense rivalry on the court.  The teams don’t like each other, the fan bases don’t like each other, and the games are usually competitive.  Each team gets a home game that is generally one of the highest-attended games each year.

Then there was the Greg Heiar era for New Mexico State.  It was short-lived, but in that time, the games were cancelled after a shooting at the University of New Mexico involving a New Mexico State basketball player.  Unfortunately, that took this rivalry to a new level of violence; it had always been intense, but nothing ever quite like that.  The new coaching staff at the schools has been able to keep everyone safe while still being able to play this game and continue the tradition of New Mexico’s biggest sporting event.

No. 23 Illinois vs Missouri

Illinois leads the series 35-20

The Braggin' Rights game is one of the weird rivalries that didn't come about organically. The game started because Anheuser-Busch began sponsoring it every year in 1980.  The game takes place in Saint Louis every year, which is an accurate neutral site, given that the location is the midpoint between both campuses. 

The game is still weird and a lot different than many other games on this list. The fanbases get along for the most part. Outside of each fanbase wanting to win the game against a quality opponent, the game doesn't usually have many fights, and there are fans from both teams intermixed in the stands.  

Even though the game is a sponsored rivalry, it has continued every season since 1976.  The winner of the game gets their name engraved on a trophy, but the trophy remains at the Enterprise Center in Saint Louis.  It is on display all season long for fans to see and sits in a cabinet with the winning team's colors.  It's a fun game, even if it isn't as serious as the others on this list.

No. 22 Providence vs Georgetown

Georgetown leads the series 48-38

A relatively new rival, but one that doesn’t lack intensity.  In case you haven't noticed, former Providence coach Ed Cooley built the Friars program into one of the Big East's annual powers, only to leave for Georgetown as soon as it opened.  If that wasn’t enough, Cooley and the Hoyas blew out Providence at the Dunk last year.

The storylines here are just beginning, and few true rivalries have developed under the guidance of a coach. Do the Hoyas faithful consider Providence a rival?  Will this rivalry continue when Coach Cooley retires? It's hard to say.  One thing that is true now is that the Friar fans circle this game on the calendar, and their goal is to make it as uncomfortable as possible for their former coach.  Hopefully, they can win this year.  If Providence gets a win, this rivalry is going to go to a whole new level.

No. 21 Drake vs Northern Iowa

Northern Iowa leads the series 50-32

The schools, separated by 108 miles, are members of the Missouri Valley Conference.  Drake and Northern Iowa are both guaranteed to play twice a year.  The fact that they are both in the same conference has intensified the rivalry.  The schools have identical histories and are each fighting for total supremacy in the Missouri Valley Conference.

When two schools from the same conference are involved, they are two of the best teams in the conference. The games have an added level of intensity.  In 2019, Northern Iowa beat Drake in the conference semifinals.  The Bulldogs returned the favor in 2020, beating the Panthers. Those were two of the best games of the rivalry.  The games often end in overtime, are high-scoring, and usually turn out to be two of the best games in the mid-major ranks every year. Drake has currently won 9 of the last 11 in the rivalry.

No. 20 Washington vs Washington State

Washington leads the series 188-111

A game that hopefully continues now that Washington is a member of the Big 10.  When the Huskies and Cougars were in the same conference, they were required to play two games.  Outside of the two teams being in the same state, this game has lacked something. The Cougars and the Huskies have not both been good at the same time.  They have never made the NCAA Tournament in the same year.

Given that fact, many within the college basketball world don’t think this is an actual rivalry.  Don’t tell the coaches that because head coach Kyle Smith from Washington State has mentioned that the game against Washington means a lot more to him than any other game on the schedule.  Coach Smith said this game has something to gain from it every year.  The two teams meet in the second week of the 2025-2026 season.

No. 19 Memphis vs UAB

Memphis leads the series 43-12

It is tough to call this game, dubbed the Battle of the Bones, a rivalry when one team has utterly dominated the series like the Tigers have. Yet another game between two teams in the same conference that play a lot.  The rivalry got going when the two teams met in the first round of the 1985 NCAA Tournament.  UAB coach Gene Bartow, who previously coached Memphis, nearly led his team to an upset.  

The Tigers fans were likely still bitter about their former coach, who led them to a National Championship game, leaving and building up the UAB program. Everyone knows about the history of Memphis, and the team has played in National Championship games.  UAB is one of the best teams in the American Conference and wants this game every year for bragging rights.  Especially given that Coach Bartow is known as the father of UAB Athletics, even though he had his success at Memphis first.

No. 18 Pittsburgh vs West Virginia

West Virginia leads the series 103-90

The Backyard Brawl is one of the lesser-known rivalry games. The teams have a long history of success in college basketball, are old Big East foes, and the cities are 75 miles apart.  I can tell you from firsthand knowledge that these two fan bases don’t like each other and circle this game every year.  Even though the game is now a non-conference game for both teams, the results matter—the bragging rights matter.

The Backyard Brawl is one of the rivalry games that hasn’t taken place every year.  It did up until 2012 because both teams were in the Big East.  It was then that Pitt joined the ACC and West Virginia joined the Big 12.  It was not until 2017 that the game resumed, and it is played every year.  Last year, Guillermo Diaz Graham got punched in the mouth by Amani Hansberry, which led to a blowout win by the Panthers.  What does this year have in store for us?

No. 17 Creighton vs Nebraska

Nebraska leads the series 30-28

It's true, Creighton fans, the Huskers still lead the series, but over the last 25 years, Creighton has dominated Nebraska.  Nebraska, under Fred Hoiberg, has been able to win 2 out of the previous three games in the rivalry.  The one loss was two seasons ago in Lincoln, and the Huskers lost by 30.  Even in defeat, the Bluejays have kept games far more competitive than Nebraska ever has in recent years.

This rivalry is a weird one.  The schools are only 45 minutes apart, which creates a natural rivalry.  The distance is not what makes this a rivalry.  Nebraska fans feel slighted that a lot of the Bluejays fans in Omaha, who wear their red with pride during Nebraska football season, put that red away and change it to blue and white for the rest of the year. It’s odd; it is a massive point of contention in the rivalry, which makes this rivalry weird.  Even though this game happens in December, the winning team feels delighted when the clock hits zero.

No. 16 VCU vs Richmond

VCU leads the series 41-16

VCU is a public school, and Richmond is a private school.  The schools are both located in downtown Richmond, VA, and are a total of 6 miles apart.  There is the rivalry, and it came about for the reasons outlined.  The game is now played within the Atlantic 10 conference season, which means that each team gets a home game every year, and they are guaranteed to play at least twice every season.  The games usually take place in February, towards the end of the regular season.

The Atlantic 10 fanbases are rabid, and few fanbases will root for another team.  VCU fans will never root for Richmond, and the same goes for Richmond fans and VCU. The Rams have an immense basketball history that Richmond doesn’t.  The Spiders have won their fair share of NCAA Tournament games, but when it comes to this rivalry, it has been very one-sided.

No. 15 Georgetown vs St. John’s

St. John’s leads the series 69-57

The best part about rivalries is that they are not a what have you done for me lately type of thing.  Historically, these are two of the best programs in the Big East that fell on hard times over the last 20 years.  St. John’s is back, or at least it appears they are back, and Georgetown is getting better, but still feels like they are a long way from making the tournament consistently every year.

The rivalry reached its peak in the 1984-1985 season when the Hoyas and Red Storm were ranked #1 and #2 in the country.  The teams met 4 times throughout the Big East and for the final time in the Final Four. Georgetown won that game en route to the Hoyas' second NCAA Finals appearance.  The Red Storm are currently on a nine-game winning streak, and given the current strength of St. John’s, they are likely to extend that this year.

No. 14 Missouri vs Kansas

Kansas leads the series 175-96

The casual fan would say every school has a rivalry with the Jayhawks; they are the most historic program in the country.  The first-ever coach at Kansas invented the game. Missouri has its own and has had its run of fantastic teams, but nothing that will ever touch what Kansas did.  That doesn’t mean that the Border War is ever short on drama, even if Kansas has dominated the rivalry.

Missouri has the most significant margin of victory at Allen Fieldhouse ever, when they beat Roy Williams by 30. The Tigers are also the team that dealt Kansas a second straight loss last season as the number one team.  Kansas headed to Columbia after losing at Creighton, and then losing a game to Missouri in which they never led.  It’s a shame that Missouri is in the SEC now, and the two teams don’t play twice a year anymore.

No. 13 Florida vs Florida State

Florida leads the series 49-28

This rivalry is known and is popular in college football, but it still has a lot of relevance in the college basketball world. Florida has won three national championships in the last 20 years, and Florida State has had a great run in the ACC under head coach Leonard Hamilton.  The schools get elite talent and have won a lot of games.  Over the last 20 years, the rivalry has been highly competitive.

The Gators are currently on a four-game winning streak, following a 7-game winning streak by the Seminoles. Florida State is breaking in a new coach this year, and the Gators are coming off a National Championship and have a ton of momentum.  This game could get a lot more lopsided quickly if Florida State doesn’t get a lot better quickly.

No. 12 Arizona vs UCLA

UCLA leads 64-50

Arizona joined the Pac-12 in 1978, and then the rivalry kicked off.  It was hard for Arizona to gain any ground at the beginning of the rivalry, given that John Wooden still coached UCLA, and he turned them into the best team in the country and the most historic team ever. Lute Olson arrived in 1984, and that is when the Arizona and UCLA rivalry took a huge step forward.  The intensity got turned up a notch as well.

Since that point, those two teams have combined for 23 of the last 31 Pac-12 titles.  The winner of this game is usually the team that won the league title that season.  The Pac-12 no longer exists, and there is a fear that this rivalry won’t exist anymore.  UCLA and Arizona are scheduled to play through 2027, but beyond that is anyone’s guess.

A couple more things on this rivalry.  The fan bases don’t dislike each other or have a hatred for the other school.  There is mutual respect between the teams.  UCLA is the most successful program of all time, and Coach Olson has built the Arizona program into a national powerhouse.  That earns you the respect of your peers. I hope this rivalry continues solely because of the high quality of basketball played.

No. 11 Arkansas vs Kentucky

Kentucky leads the series 36-15

In a rivalry that dates back long before John Calipari was the coach of either team, many people say that the game got turned up a notch when Coach Calipari left Kentucky to coach at Arkansas. The rivalry intensified significantly when Arkansas joined the SEC, and the team went on to have the same level of success as Kentucky in their new conference. Nolan Richardson and Rick Pitino were the two coaches you can credit with creating this rivalry.

Each team owned a block of the 90s, and each was one of the most successful programs in the country in the decade.  The matchups were one-sided after Arkansas fired Nolan Richardson, but now that John Calipari is the head coach at Arkansas, the hatred for the Razorbacks among Big Blue Nation is at an all-time high again, and the rivalry has turned up a notch.  The fact that Arkansas got players to switch from Kentucky doesn’t help fan the flames of discontent among Kentucky fans.  This rivalry will get interesting in the coming years.

No. 10 Purdue vs Indiana

Purdue leads the series 128-93

Indiana is known for its basketball, and given the history of the two biggest schools in the state, it isn't surprising that those schools have an intense rivalry that goes back to the early 1900s.  Purdue has won the Big Ten 26 times, and Indiana has won it 22 times.  The Hoosiers have won 5 National Championships, and while Purdue has not won any, they are still one of the winningest programs in the history of the sport.

The two fan bases don’t like each other. The game means a lot, especially to Purdue.  Indiana is the team everyone mentions as being one of the best, most historic programs ever, because of their National Championships.  We are all guilty of forgetting Purdue as one of the most historic programs as well.  Purdue is treated like little brothers in Indiana, but given the domination the Boilers have shown in this rivalry, they are the furthest thing from little brothers.

No. 9 Iowa vs Iowa State

Iowa leads the series 48-30

Do many people outside of the Midwest pay much attention to this rivalry?  If you live in the Midwest and follow either of these schools, you would understand how important it is to win this game.  It is part of the annual Cy-Hawk challenge, which awards points to the winner of matches in Men’s and Women’s basketball, Football, wrestling, volleyball, soccer, golf, gymnastics, swimming, and cross country.

The football game is the most popular in this rivalry, but the basketball game has some great games.  Yet another rivalry that involves a lot of hatred between the fan bases.  Cyclones fans are tired of being treated like little brothers by Iowa.  The Hawkeye fans are tired of Iowa State fans treating this game like the most important game on their schedule.  At least that is what I gather from the slew of friends that I have on both sides of the fence in this rivalry.

No. 8 Michigan vs Ohio State

Ohio State leads the series 108-84

Outside of Duke and North Carolina, this is the best rivalry game in college basketball. It is also one of the best football rivalries.  These are two of the premier programs in the Big Ten. Each has a national championship, each team has multiple Final Four appearances, and this is another one of those games where the results matter a great deal.  The results just don’t matter to the fan bases; they matter to the schools.  Ohio State doesn’t like Michigan, and Michigan doesn’t like Ohio State.  

Basketball is different than football because of the sheer number of games, but there is not a single Ohio State or Michigan fan who would tell you that the season was a success if they lose this game.  The game rules everything, even if Ohio State and Michigan were to win a conference title or a National Championship.  Don’t lose this game, or face the wrath of an upset fan base. 

No. 7 Cincinnati vs Xavier

Cincinnati leads the series 51-40

The Crosstown Shootout is another one of those intense rivalries that is due for a huge moment or a fight at any moment. There are not going to be many schools from separate conferences that have a shorter distance than the three miles that separate these schools.  The fact that both of these schools have a lot of basketball history makes the rivalry that more intense.

That is what makes this a rivalry, but what makes this game one of the best rivalry games.  The sheer hatred of each other is a good starting point.  The likes of Pete Rose and Oscar Robertson regularly attended the game.  It has consistently been one of the hottest tickets in town, especially when the game is at Fifth Third Arena. The brawl in 2011 is the most significant moment of the rivalry, not to be overshadowed by Trevon Bluiett scoring 40 points in 2017, and finally, the outright refusal of Bearcats coach Bob Huggins to shake Xavier coach Pete Gillen’s hand at the end of the 1994 game.  There are very few games you will find throughout the season that have as much intensity as this one does every year.

No. 6 Alabama vs Auburn

Auburn leads the series 103 to 69

The most important rivalry in the sport of College Football.  However, since Busting Brackets is a basketball site, the rivalry is still a big one, but not nearly the biggest in college basketball.  Given the utter domination by Auburn, many people outside of the state of Alabama and the SEC forgot about it.

Fast forward to the present day of the rivalry, and this game is just as heated as the football game.  Over the last few seasons, the stakes have been as high as the football game as well.  Alabama under Nate Oats has consistently been one of the best teams in the country, and Auburn, under coach Bruce Pearl, has been the same.  Last season saw the teams face off in a number 1 vs number 2 matchup for the first time in the rivalry.  Auburn and Alabama are going to be two of the top teams in the country again this year.  This game is going to be intense in the coming years.

No. 5 Gonzaga vs St. Mary’s

Gonzaga leads the series 82-37

It doesn’t feel like this rivalry got rolling until the last 20 years.  That is when Randy Bennett, the coach from St. Mary’s, turned them into one of the best mid-major schools in the country.  Then there is Gonzaga, arguably the best program on the West Coast over the last 30 years.  There is nothing quite like this game anywhere else in basketball.  The game has national relevance; it gets talked about, and no game features two teams with drastically different styles more than this one.

These two schools are almost always competing for the West Coast Conference regular season and conference tournament crown. Every time they play, it's the battle of Gonzaga's get up and down, score at will style versus St. Mary's' slow you down, grind it out with efficient offense.  The two teams play physically every year, and there is mutual respect, unlike some other rivalries.  This one is always a ton of fun, but it's on late, so many don’t tune in.

No. 4 BYU vs Utah

BYU leads the series 134-130

If you could describe this game, it would be pure hatred.  There is no love lost between these two schools, and the Holy War gets intense.  It is a true rivalry as Utah is a public school and BYU is a school owned by the Latter-day Saints. Each school has a large population of LDS members, but Utah is a secular school. This game is truly about religion. 

The oldest rivalry in the game, dating back to the 1890s, is so intense that team records and individual players don’t matter in this game.  It is truly a toss-up every year.  The game has had some unbelievable individual performances, though.  Jimmer Fredette, Keith Van Horn, Shawn Bradley, and Andre Miller have all had huge performances in this rivalry game.  Head coach Rick Majerus and Roger Reid helped the rivalry reach new heights in the 80s when this rivalry got extremely chippy.

No. 3 Kentucky vs Louisville

Kentucky leads the series 40-17

Look at that, another series and rivalry that Kentucky has dominated.  This one is against a team with far more history than Arkansas.  Louisville boasts a rich history on the basketball court, having won National Championships and shared a legendary coach with Kentucky.  That only scratches the surface of the intensity of this rivalry.

The state of Kentucky has passionate fans who support their teams in all sports, much like the North Carolina and Duke rivalry, which is passionate because both teams are elite.  Louisville and Kentucky are the same.  What is different is that these teams are not in the same conference, and they only get to play once per year.  That only adds to the intrigue of the games.  These games are fantastic, and it is one of the best rivalries in the country every year.

No. 2 Marquette vs Wisconsin

Wisconsin leads the series 71-60

The I-94 rivalry is one of the best games in the Midwest between two of the best teams in the Midwest.  Breaking this rivalry down, you can see why it is one of the best in the entire country, not just the Midwest.  The total point differential is just 34 points.  Given that there have been 131 extremely close games. Each school has been to a Final Four, ranks in the top 50 in the country in total wins, and two legendary coaches have built the programs.

Al McGuire is the legendary coach for Marquette who helped this rivalry reach new heights.  Wisconsin just so happened to have some lean years while McGuire was at Marquette.  The Golden Eagles were built into a national powerhouse and beat the Badgers 15 years in a row.  Once Bo Ryan took over for Wisconsin, the rivalry became highly competitive, and no one has been able to win more than three games in a row since the Bo Ryan days.  This is my favorite game to watch every year.

No. 1 Duke vs North Carolina

North Carolina leads the series 145-120

Where do we begin with the battle of Tobacco Road? The game featured the Tyler Hansbrough elbow on Gerald Henderson, the Austin Rivers buzzer beater, and North Carolina ending the legendary run of Coach K in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.  Those just scratch the surface of the most intense rivalry in sports.

What makes this the greatest rivalry in sports?  Duke and North Carolina are two schools that need no introduction.  These are two of the most historic franchises in the sport.  The winner of the Tobacco Road games usually wins the ACC regular season, tournament championship, and in extreme circumstances, the National Championship. Let us also not forget that the schools are 8 miles apart.

Duke is currently on a three-game winning streak and holds a 51-49 advantage over the last 100 games. North Carolina won 16 out of 17 games in the ’70s and flat-out dominated the rivalry until the 2000s.  Since that point, Duke has had streaks of 15 out of 17 and 11 out of 15 games.  It's heated, it's fun, and it is one of the purest rivalries in any sport, college or pro.

Rivalries are always a ton of fun, and they bring so much to the game of basketball.  I will never be an advocate for violence, especially over sports, which will always take it too far.  I am one for intensity and physicality while maintaining a respect for your opponent.  That is the case with most of these rivalries among the teams and coaching staffs. The fanbases, I cannot say the same about.  This is just a preview of what should be some of the best games of the season.