The 10 wildest rivalry origin stories: A Border War, a halftime brawl and an eligibility fight

The article highlights the historical significance of college football rivalries, stating they are fundamental to the sport and deeply intertwined with American history, often colored by conflict, politics, and strong emotions.

It focuses on providing examples of the wildest rivalry origin stories, specifically detailing the case of Hunter Carpenter. Carpenter played for Virginia Tech from 1899, fueled by a desire to beat rival Virginia. After losing to Virginia again in 1903 (making him 0-5 against them), he left Virginia Tech and played for North Carolina in 1904, explicitly stating his goal was to help UNC beat Virginia. UNC lost that season finale to Virginia.

Carpenter returned to Virginia Tech in 1905 to face Virginia. Before the game, Virginia's student paper accused him of being a paid professional. Carpenter and others signed affidavits affirming their amateur status. During the game, Carpenter helped Virginia Tech build an 11-0 lead before being ejected (reports vary on whether he threw a football or a punch at an opponent). Virginia Tech held on to win 11-0, finally giving Carpenter his coveted victory over Virginia.

The controversial 1905 game resulted in the two rivals refusing to play each other for 18 years. However, they resumed playing and have met 96 times in the last 102 years, with Virginia Tech leading the all-time series 62-38-5.

The article also briefly mentions the Notre Dame-Navy rivalry as another significant one, noting they played every season from 1927 to 2019 (interrupted only by COVID-19), highlighting its sacred status for Notre Dame.