College football’s calendar has been reshaped by conference realignment and scheduling priorities, but three rivalries — Nebraska vs. Oklahoma, Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia (the Backyard Brawl) and Notre Dame vs. Michigan — stand out as games that merit permanent return. Each pairing carries historical significance, intense local interest and, in some cases, national championship implications; restoring them regularly would reconnect present-day fans with enduring traditions.
- Nebraska–Oklahoma, Pitt–West Virginia and Notre Dame–Michigan are historic rivalries interrupted by realignment and scheduling changes.
- Pitt–West Virginia has already been revived with competitive games since 2022; Nebraska–Oklahoma and Notre Dame–Michigan have had sporadic renewals or scheduled future games.
- Permanent revival would preserve tradition and fan engagement but requires coordination between schools, conferences and broadcasters, a point not resolved by the sources.
Why some rivalries disappeared
Conference realignment and television-driven scheduling choices separated historically annual opponents. When leagues shifted and schools pursued different conference paths, long runs — such as the Nebraska–Oklahoma series that ran annually from 1927 through 1997 — were interrupted. That break in continuity makes it harder for rivalries to retain the annual cultural rhythms that once defined college football Saturdays.
Nebraska vs. Oklahoma: a rivalry with national history
The Nebraska–Oklahoma matchup produced high-stakes games across much of the 20th century, including contests with conference and national title implications. The two programs met every year from 1927 to 1997, producing what many fans remember as some of the sport’s defining moments. Oklahoma currently leads the series 47–38–3, and the teams have staged occasional renewals in recent years — meetings in 2021 and 2022, plus a scheduled home-and-home for 2029–2030 — but those sporadic dates leave long gaps.
Advocates for a permanent return argue the rivalry’s national profile and shared history justify making the game a regular fixture, irrespective of conference alignment. Opponents note logistical and contractual complications tied to conference schedules and television windows; the evidence packet does not resolve how those hurdles could be overcome.
Pitt vs. West Virginia: the Backyard Brawl and regional passion
Pittsburgh and West Virginia first met in 1895 and had played 104 times before the series was put on pause after 2011. Proximity — roughly 75 miles separates the campuses — and local passion have long defined the Backyard Brawl. The rivalry returned in 2022 and produced tightly contested games: Pitt won the first three meetings after the revival, West Virginia won in 2023, and Pitt prevailed again in 2025.
Because the schools are geographically close and the series has resumed, the Backyard Brawl is a strong candidate to become an annual rivalry-weekend staple. The case for permanence is framed less by national title implications than by regional identity and continuity of fan engagement. The sources do not provide details on any formal agreement to make the series annual.
Notre Dame vs. Michigan: marquee brands, sporadic scheduling
Notre Dame and Michigan have met in several prominent games with national audiences. Michigan leads the all-time series 25–17–1, but the matchup has not been played since 2019. The programs have agreed to renew the rivalry with games in 2033 and 2034, demonstrating mutual interest in continuing the series at times, though those gaps again show how irregular scheduling has become.
Supporters say two of college football’s most recognisable programs should face each other more frequently because such matchups generate national attention and meaningful nonconference tests. The evidence does not include any plan to schedule Notre Dame–Michigan on an annual basis, and it does not detail the obstacles — contractual, competitive or logistical — that prevent more frequent meetings.
What a permanent revival would mean for college football
Bringing these rivalries back on a regular basis would preserve historical continuity and offer marquee nonconference events for fans and networks. For regional rivalries like the Backyard Brawl, annual games would reconnect local communities and fuel recruiting and ticket revenues. For nationally visible series such as Nebraska–Oklahoma and Notre Dame–Michigan, regular meetings would create additional high-profile weekends that can influence College Football Playoff positioning.
At the same time, permanent revivals raise practical questions not settled in the sources: how to reconcile annual nonconference commitments with conference schedules, how TV rights would be negotiated, and whether institutional priorities (for example, protecting home scheduling balance and strength-of-schedule targets) would align.
Timeline of notable revival and scheduling points
- Nebraska–Oklahoma: annual series from 1927 through 1997; meetings in 2021 and 2022; home-and-home scheduled for 2029–2030.
- Pitt–West Virginia (Backyard Brawl): first meeting in 1895; 104 games played before 2011 hiatus; rivalry revived in 2022 with Pitt winning the initial renewal games, WVU winning in 2023, and Pitt again in 2025.
- Notre Dame–Michigan: series notable for high-profile games; not played since 2019; games agreed for 2033 and 2034.
Unresolved points and potential next steps
Key open questions remain. The sources argue for permanence on historical and cultural grounds but do not specify mechanisms for making these matchups annual. Any move toward permanently restoring these rivalries would require coordination between athletic departments, conferences and broadcast partners. Fans and stakeholders seeking change could focus on encouraging institutional agreements for recurring home-and-home contracts or the creation of neutral-site rivalry weeks that preserve scheduling flexibility.
Bottom line
Nebraska–Oklahoma, Pitt–West Virginia and Notre Dame–Michigan each embody different reasons rivalries matter: national significance, regional passion and marquee branding. The evidence supports that these series were interrupted by larger structural changes in college athletics and that limited revivals have already occurred in two instances. Making them permanent again would restore continuity and fan meaning, but doing so would require resolving scheduling, contractual and broadcast challenges not addressed in the available reporting.
