Florida-Georgia still a top-5 SEC rivalry after addition of Red River matchup

The Southeastern Conference’s expansion to 16 teams this year with the addition of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners is a monumental moment in collegiate sports — much less college football.

The two historic schools bring along with them a flourishing rivalry that is among the best in the nation. The thing is, though, the SEC is the home of some of the top rivalry games as well, many of which are as storied if not more than the Red River Rivalry.

However, it appears that the UT-OU game reigns supreme in their new league, as CBS Sports writer Will Backus ranks it as the current top rivalry in the SEC. Still, epic matchups like the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs facing off on neutral ground in Jacksonville (mostly) remain among the top five, with the UGA-UF game ranking fourth.

The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party

“A rivalry so intense that there’s a heated debate about which team should be listed first (they’re just in alphabetical order here), Florida-Georgia games and the accompanying tailgates get so rowdy that the event is colloquially known as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party,” Backus begins.

“On the field, this rivalry has featured college football giants like Vince Dooley and Steve Spurrier, and it often decided the eventual winner of the now-defunct SEC East. Long may its importance last into the new era.”

The Bulldogs lead the Gators in the all-time series, 55-44-2.

Other top 5 SEC rivalry games

While Texas and Oklahoma inhabit the top spot, the Iron Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers come in second, with the Egg Bowl between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels wrapping up the top three.

Georgia and Auburn make a second appearance in the rankings at fifth in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.

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