re: Rank your school's rivalries

Playing a team more than any other team doesn’t make that school a rival. There is no LSU-Mississippi State football rivalry. We play them every year but usually there isn’t much at stake. LSU-Ole Miss was a rivalry until the 1970s. Now it’s not really a rivalry.

For a series to truly be a rivalry, both teams have to be in title contention and win their fair share, have a mutual hatred, a geographic tie or some combination of the three.

LSU doesn’t really have a true mutual rival. We have rivalries, but we’re not on par with Alabama, Auburn hates Alabama more, Florida hates Georgia more, and Texas A&M hates Texas more. Ole Miss may hate LSU more than Mississippi State but it’s been 50 years since LSU and Ole Miss have both been consistently relevant.

Auburn and Florida are the closest series we’ve had to a true rivalry in the last 20 years.