Chemistry - School rivalry

Pairs of schools, especially when they are close to each other either geographically or in their areas of specialization, establish a school rivalry with each other over the years. This rivalry can extend to both academics and athletics , the latter being typically more well-known to the general public.

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United States

School rivalries are important in the United States, especially in intercollegiate sports.

Harvard University and Yale University, early 18th century, the oldest rivalry
University of Michigan and Ohio State University, a rivalry based originally on a territorial dispute between the States of Michigan and Ohio
Cornell University and Harvard University, primarily an ice hockey rivalry
Princeton University and Rutgers University, the first rivalry in intercollegiate sports, outside Harvard-Yale. (The rivalry is historical, and is today largely one-sided, with Rutgers students occasionally vandalizing property at Princeton.)
United States Military Academy and United States Naval Academy— for their annual football game, see Army-Navy Game
University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University—for their annual football game, see Big Game
University of Washington and Washington State University—for their annual football game, see Apple Cup
University of Texas at Austin and University of Oklahoma—for their annual football game, see Red River Shootout
University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University—see Lonestar Showdown
University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University—The Bedlam Series
Arizona State University and University of Arizona—for their annual football game, see Territorial Cup
University of Southern California (USC) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
University of Oregon and Oregon State University—for their annual football game, see Civil War
University of Cincinnati and Xavier University—a vicious crosstown basketball rivalry (Xavier does not have a football program); the annual game between the two is called the Crosstown Shootout

Universities in the Southeastern U.S. have perhaps the most complex jumble of rivalries, almost all associated with annual football games and often having colorful nicknames:

University of Alabama and Auburn University—the "Iron Bowl", formerly played in Birmingham, Alabama, but now played alternately in Tuscaloosa and Auburn
University of Alabama and University of Tennessee--the Third Week of October game
University of Arkansas and Louisiana State University--the "Golden Boot" game
Auburn University and University of Georgia--"The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry"
Clemson University and University of South Carolina
Duke University and University of North Carolina, primarily a basketball rivalry
University of Florida and Florida State University
University of Florida and University of Georgia--"The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" in Jacksonville, Florida
University of Florida and University of Miami--the "War Canoe" game
University of Florida and University of Tennessee--the Third Week of September game
University of Georgia and Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)--"Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate"
University of Kentucky and University of Louisville--the "Governor's Cup" game in football, but even more significant as a basketball rivalry
University of Kentucky and Indiana University, locally significant in football and nationally important in basketball
University of Kentucky and University of Tennessee
Louisiana State University (LSU) and University of Mississippi ("Ole Miss")
Louisiana State University (LSU) and Tulane University--the "Battle for the Rag"
University of Mississippi ("Ole Miss") and Mississippi State University--the "Egg Bowl"
University of North Carolina and University of Virginia--"The South's Oldest Rivalry"
University of Tennessee and University of Connecticut (UConn)—a nationally important rivalry in women's basketball
University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt University

Universities in the Big Ten Conference in the Midwest have nearly as many rivalries as schools in the Southeast. In football, these rivalries are usually marked by traveling trophies, which are indicated in the list below:

University of Michigan and Ohio State University—the best-known Big Ten rivalry nationally; no trophy
University of Illinois and Northwestern University—Sweet Sioux Tomahawk
University of Illinois and Ohio State University—The Illi-Buck (a statue of a turtle)
University of Illinois and Purdue University—The Purdue Cannon
Indiana University and Purdue University—The Old Oaken Bucket
Indiana University and Michigan State University—The Old Brass Spittoon
University of Iowa and University of Minnesota—Floyd of Rosedale (a bronze statue of a pig)
University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin—Heartland Trophy (a bronze statue of a bull)
University of Michigan and Michigan State University—Paul Bunyan Trophy
University of Michigan and University of Minnesota—The Little Brown Jug
Michigan State University and Pennsylvania State University ("Penn State")—The Land Grant Trophy
University of Minnesota and Pennsylvania State University ("Penn State")—Governor's Victory Bell
University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin—Paul Bunyan's Axe