Where CBS Sports ranks Michigan football vs. Ohio State rivalry

Michigan football and Ohio State fans say that The Game is the best rivalry in all of sports, yet, you’ll often find a lot of arguments of other rivalries, not just in sports, but even in college football, that some proclaim to be better.

Those arguments are wrong, but they exist.

Some will claim that there are others with more panache — The Red River Rivalry, Army vs. Navy, USC vs. Notre Dame, and the like. But when it comes to the Big Ten, no rivalry comes close.

CBS Sports ranked the top rivalries now that the Big Ten is being retooled with four new additions to the conference officially arriving on July 1, and unsurprisingly, The Game comes in at No. 1.

1. Michigan vs. Ohio State

It’s not only the biggest rivalry in the Big Ten, but it’s also in the running as the biggest rivalry in college football if not all American sports. It’s referred to simply as The Game, and it’s played between the two schools that have historically dominated the Big Ten. Coaches get fired for losing this game despite other accomplishments, while winning it consistently buys you time. No matter how large the Big Ten gets, this will always be the matchup the league considers its crown jewel. Michigan leads all-time series 61-51-6

Of course, that’s not Michigan’s only rivalry within the conference. The Wolverines also have a heated in-state rivalry that’s, at times, been utterly toxic.

The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry was once cherished but given the heated nature, sometimes it’s more frustrating than anything — even in years where the preferred team wins. Still, it’s ranked the No. 5 rivalry, according to CBS Sports.

5. Michigan vs. Michigan State (Paul Bunyan Trophy)

There’s plenty of hate here, as you’d expect from two public schools that share a state and battle each other on and off the field. However, while I appreciate that anger and the trophy is rock solid, the rivalry has been too one-sided to rank any higher than this. Plus, you know, Michigan State isn’t Michigan’s primary rival. Still, whenever the words “little brother” are thrown around as often as they are here, you can count on fireworks. Michigan leads 73-38-5

Not to be left out, the Minnesota rivalry (the Little Brown Jug) is No. 11 and the newly-minted Northwestern rivalry (the George Jewett Trophy) comes in at No. 17.