Century-old rivalry games in Week 3? Welcome to the new reality of college football
The rubble that remains from the collapse of the Pac-12 Conference a year ago created the situation that will play out Saturday with the oddest of rivalry weekends
By TIM BOOTH
Published - Sep 11, 2024, 05:35 PM ET
Last Updated - Dec 16, 2024, 07:20 PM EST
A matchup between the Big Ten and the Pac-12 traditionally would be a clash of differing styles between schools from the Midwest and the West Coast.
Better yet, it could invoke images of the San Gabriel Mountains and the manicured grass of the Rose Bowl in “The Granddaddy of Them All.”
This year, it means a pair of century-old rivalry games oddly placed in Week 3 of the season between in-state schools now bitterly divided by the new reality of college football.
The game formerly known as The Civil War a nonconference game? The Apple Cup played at a neutral site with fans on both sides of the debate calling for an end to the yearly matchup? Neither game played in November or December?
