New York, November 28, 2025
Rivalry Week 2025 unleashes 37 decisive college football games across multiple divisions from November 28-29, with high playoff stakes that could determine postseason placement for numerous teams. The intense slate features key matchups in the Power Conferences and FCS First Round, highlighting a critical weekend in the college football calendar.
Black Friday Rivalry Highlights
The kickoff on Friday, November 28, includes pivotal contests that may significantly shape the College Football Playoff picture. No. 7 Ole Miss meets in-state rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, with the Bulldogs aiming to disrupt Ole Miss’s playoff trajectory. Concurrently, No. 4 Georgia hosts No. 23 Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a game that, if won by the Bulldogs, would practically guarantee their CFP berth.
The marquee Black Friday showdown features No. 3 Texas A&M hosting No. 16 Texas in a night game with monumental implications. Texas seeks a win that could validate a playoff berth as a potential three-loss team, a historic first, while defending undefeated Aggies aim to preserve their perfect record and SEC title hopes. Additional notable Friday rivalries include Iowa vs Nebraska and Arizona vs Arizona State, maintaining tradition alongside high-stakes outcomes.
Saturday’s Broad Championship-Caliber Games
On Saturday, November 29, the schedule expands with several crucial rivalry games carrying championship implications. The noon kickoff features No. 1 Ohio State traveling to face No. 15 Michigan in Ann Arbor, renewing an intense rivalry underscored by Michigan’s recent successes against the Buckeyes.
Other significant Saturday contests include Clemson at South Carolina, No. 19 Tennessee hosting No. 14 Vanderbilt—with the latter’s upset potentially catapulting Vanderbilt into playoff contention—Alabama at Auburn, and Florida at Florida State. Additional ranked matchups adding to the weekend’s weight are No. 7 Oregon at Washington, No. 8 Oklahoma hosting LSU, and No. 13 Miami at Pittsburgh. The full roster also includes Kentucky vs Louisville, Northwestern at Illinois, North Carolina at NC State, Virginia Tech at Virginia, and Houston at Baylor, creating one of the most comprehensive rivalry weekends in recent history.
Lower-Division FCS Playoff First-Round Breakout
Complementing the Power Conference clashes, the Football Championship Subdivision begins its playoff tension with eight first-round games on Saturday. Matchups such as Rhode Island hosting Central Connecticut State, Villanova welcoming Harvard, and Youngstown State playing Yale signify the broad collegiate impact of this weekend’s contests, illustrating Rivalry Week’s influence beyond the top tier.
The extensive slate of 37 games over two days places tremendous emphasis on team performance and playoff implications, capturing significant attention from sports professionals and enthusiasts alike.
As the weekend unfolds, each contest’s outcome will carry profound consequences for postseason positioning, magnifying Rivalry Week 2025 as a pivotal moment in college football’s competitive calendar.