(11-07-2020 11:29 AM)texoma Wrote: (11-06-2020 02:49 PM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote: True Rivals
UCF - USF, ECU
USF - UCF
Houston - Rice, Texas
Tulane - LSU, Southern Miss, Auburn, Ole Miss
Memphis - Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Arkansas State, Louisville, Cincinnati
Cincinnati- Miami (OH), Memphis, Louisville, Pitt
ECU - NC State, North Carolina, App State, Marshall, UCF
Temple - Villanova, Penn State
Navy - Army, Air Force, Notre Dame, SMU
SMU - TCU, North Texas, Rice, Navy
Tulsa - Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Arkansas
This thread seems to have gotten away from the op's topic of AAC rivals. However, to me a rival or a rivalry exists when BOTH teams have an intense desire to beat the other team. Therefore some of your examples fail the definition of rivals.
Houston might consider Texas a rival, but Texas does not consider Houston a rival.
Tulane might consider LSU, Auburn and Ole Miss rivals, but they do not consider Tulane a rival
ECU might consider NC State and No. Carolina rivals, but they do not consider ECU a rival.
The same goes for Temple and Penn State.
Tulsa might consider OSU, OU and Arkansas rivals, but they do not consider Tulsa a rival.
Disagree slightly about Temple and Penn State (and some other historically-competitive intra-state rivalries) for these reasons:
First, they have played a long series of 45 games, dating back to 1931, and the series represents one of three FBS-level intra-state rivalries (Penn State-Temple, Temple-Pitt, and Pitt-Penn State).
Second, while Penn State has dominated the series, Temple has been quite competitive in 25 of their 45 contests, 21 of which were decided by a margin of 14 points or less.
Third, while an intra-state rivalry isn't as nationally consequential as - - for example - - Michigan vs. Ohio State - - it is regionally important because the games are well attended, high viewership contests that have consequences with respect to statewide recruiting, etc.
Fourth, any long-standing series that generates emotion on both sides is to some extent a rivalry, even if the series has generally been dominated by one team, due to the power of tradition.
- - Why? Because the historically dominant team has to play hard, lest they get knocked off by their old/former/"traditional" rival, which is usually pumped up for the game.
- - In addition, traditional "bragging rights" are at stake, and some of these games have dedicated trophies (e.g., Michigan vs. Minnesota's "Little Brown Jug," Tulane vs. LSU's "Battle for the Rag").
- - Another element of a rivalry, even though it may be more of a one-way rivalry in many cases, is the "revenge factor." The dominant team may not consider an opponent that they have beaten regularly to be a rival, but every now and then the revenge factor raises its head and proves the power of a rivalry, much to their chagrin.
Fifth, if you don't think that Penn State has an intense desire to beat Temple when they play the Owls, you've got another thing coming!