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Welcome to that most glorious time of the year, when we gather with family, stuff ourselves with food and then ungather from that same family, angrily stomping off to our own private corners of the house because we refused to endure the treasonous slander that our supposed loved ones just spoke about a place and a people that they damn well know we hold near and dear to our hearts.

Thanksgiving? No. Rivalry Week!

When teams play the latest edition of games in which they have competed for a century or more. When schools fight for cups and buckets and other brass mementos that look like they came from the back shelf of a junktique store. When thousands of people pay hundreds of dollars to sit in the snow and lose their voices as they watch all that happen. And during this high holiest of college football weeks, that makes all the sense in the world.

But what really makes a rivalry a rivalry? What factors combine to take an annual game to a whole different level of intensity and fun? As it turns out, there are many to consider, and we’ve documented a few here.

So what’s the best and strangest of Rivalry Week? Grab a turkey leg, read on and find out.

Jump to:
Bad blood | Geography | Tradition
Iconic plays | Bizarre moments
Title implications | Bands and game-day atmosphere
Trophies and game names

BAD BLOOD

Florida State-Florida

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Florida and Florida State players nearly break out into a scuffle on the field prior to their heated rivalry match.

There’s the Choke at Doak, 1994. First, the setup. Earlier that year, multiple Florida State football players went on a shopping spree at Foot Locker, paid for by an agent in violation of NCAA rules, leading to one of the all-time great quips from Florida coach Steve Spurrier.

“You know what FSU stands for, don’t you? Free Shoes University,” Spurrier said. Needless to say, those connected to Florida State were not amused.

Then, the game. Florida held a 31-3 lead after three quarters. Easy going from there, right? Not so fast. Florida State stormed back to tie the game at 31, leading to one of the greatest nicknames ever given to a game anywhere. Period. After the game, late Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said, “It is a pretty dang good win … I mean tie.”

In 1996, Florida State handed the Gators their first loss of the season, and Spurrier accused Bowden and his players of taking “cheap shots” and trying to injure quarterback Danny Wuerffel. Bowden said his team would “hit until the echo of the whistle.” The teams played a rematch in the 1997 Sugar Bowl for the national championship, where the Gators stomped the Noles 52-20.

But there was more to come. In 1997, Florida used a two-quarterback system to shock No. 1 Florida State to ruin the Seminoles’ undefeated season and national championship hopes. In 1998, there was a pregame brawl in which Florida quarterback Doug Johnson nearly hit Bowden in the head with a football (Johnson later apologized and said he was not aiming at Bowden). Star safety Tony George was ejected for throwing a helmet after two walk-ons taunted him.

In 2001, Spurrier and running back Earnest Graham accused Darnell Dockett of intentionally injuring Graham. The following year, Mo Mitchell admitted to chop blocking a Florida State player, injuring his knee. Dockett believed it was retaliation for the previous year. Then in 2003, Florida State players celebrated a win in Gainesville by jumping up and down on the Florida logo at midfield, leading to a brawl.

While the animosity between the schools reached its greatest heights in the Bowden-Spurrier years, the bad blood extends to 1947, when Florida State went from being an all-girls school to co-ed and shortly thereafter decided to play collegiate athletics. As the flagship public university in the state, Florida was less than thrilled and refused to play Florida State. The animosity grew so heated Florida governor LeRoy Collins had to broker a deal to get the schools to begin playing each other. Their first game was in 1958, and they have played every year since except 2020 (due to the pandemic).

“There was an overriding feeling of disrespect from the Gator program and fan base as looking down on Florida State’s program through the years,” said Mark Richt, who was Florida State offensive coordinator for 14 years under Bowden, and is a Miami graduate and former Georgia head coach. “From my personal experience, being at Florida State, Miami and Georgia, it was hard to find any love for the Gators.”

“I think there is a big brother-little brother dynamic that exists in the state,” former Florida receiver Chris Doering said. “It’s kind of like a mini Alabama-Auburn vibe. Even though FSU has grown to an equal in college football, that dynamic has been passed along from the older generations to the next. FSU focuses on UF because they don’t really have any other true rivals. We have rivalries with UGA, [Tennessee] and LSU that are at least as important to us as the FSU game is. The difference is that there is an underlying respect that exists for those SEC rivals. We don’t respect our little brother a bit. It’s just complete disdain.”

“From my experience, there’s a level of healthy bad blood,” former Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel said. “Being an implant from Virginia, I didn’t feel the weight of the rivalry until I played in the game. Simply put, [there were] in-state bragging rights that would be remembered for a lifetime.” — Andrea Adelson

HONORABLE MENTION

Ole Miss-Mississippi State: A big Mississippi State fan and owner of a website covering the Bulldogs, Steve Robertson, was involved in exposing some of the phone calls to escort services that was the last straw in bringing down former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze in 2017.

Alabama-Auburn: There’s a lot of ground to cover here, but it can be summed up with one name — Harvey Updyke, the Alabama fan who did prison time for poisoning the iconic oak trees at Toomer’s Corner in 2010.

Michigan-Ohio State: Don’t dare wear anything that’s remotely red in or around the Michigan football complex or dare say the word “Michigan” in or around Ohio State’s football complex, or you could find yourself doing pushups. And of course there’s Woody Hayes’ famous quote when he explained that he went for two against Michigan late in the 1968 game while leading 50-14 “because I couldn’t go for three.”

Clemson-South Carolina: In 1992, South Carolina quarterback Steve Taneyhill drew the ire of Clemson fans by pretending to autograph the famed Tiger paw at midfield at Death Valley after throwing a touchdown pass. Clemson fans still fume any time it’s brought up.

Georgia-Georgia Tech: The tradition of Georgia Tech players tearing up some of the hedges around Georgia’s Sanford Stadium and parading around with pieces in their teeth following wins over the Bulldogs would qualify in this category, but for these rivals, the bad blood extends even into the record books. The Georgia records reflect two fewer Bulldogs losses in this series than the Tech record book, thanks largely to longtime UGA sports information director Dan Magill. In 1943 and ’44, during World War II, Georgia Tech was used as a training school for the U.S. Navy, and its student body included officer candidates and prospective sailors. Georgia’s teams, however, had to draw primarily from students who were too young or physically unable to enter the military. Tech posted lopsided wins both years, 48-0 in ’43 and 44-0 in ’44. After the war, Magill decided to remove those games from the series record because he thought the Bulldogs were at an unfair disadvantage, and those games are still marked with an asterisk in the Georgia media guide.


GEOGRAPHY

NC State-UNC

Carter-Finley Stadium, home of the NC State Wolfpack, and Kenan Memorial Stadium, home of the North Carolina Tar Heels, are only 22 miles apart. That stretch of Tobacco Road serves as the DMZ that divides one of the nation’s most under-appreciated rivalries. It doesn’t have a trophy or a name (it’s just “Carolina-State”) and only recently was it finally moved to its rightful scheduling slot here amid Rivalry Week.

It also isn’t a basketball game. But spend an afternoon driving along those 22 miles, through Cary, Morrisville, and even the southern edge of Durham, and you can feel the tension of rubbing all of that red and black up against all of that light blue. You can see it in BBQ joint parking lots via the opposing bumper stickers on pickup trucks and BMWs (“That ain’t tar on those heels”), neighboring but not neighborly yard signs, opposing porch flags flapping in the fall Piedmont wind or even — gulp — mixed marriages!

Since 1894, when the schools first played and did so twice in one week, Carolina and State have represented the two dueling personalities of the state known as Carolina, the tech and agricultural giant in Raleigh repping the country and the lawyers and bankers of Chapel Hill symbolizing the city folk. Is that a gross oversimplification of two diverse universities? Absolutely. But did that keep UNC quarterback Drake Maye from joking “people who go to State just can’t get into Carolina” or Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren describing an interaction with a Heels fan as they waited in line to pick up their dry cleaning as “you know, typical, in his khakis, shoes and a fancy belt with UNC things on it and a light blue shirt with the collar up.” Absolutely not. — Ryan McGee

HONORABLE MENTION

Oregon-Oregon State: 36 miles from Eugene to Corvallis

Georgia-Georgia Tech: 61 miles from Athens to Atlanta

Louisville-Kentucky: 70 miles from Louisville to Lexington

Kansas-Kansas State: 73 miles from Lawrence to Manhattan

Ole Miss-Mississippi State: 75 miles from Oxford to Starkville

UCF-South Florida: 77 miles from Orlando to Tampa

Purdue-Indiana: 89 miles from West Lafayette to Bloomington

Source: distance-cities.com


TRADITION

Notre Dame-USC

For the nearly 100 years the USC-Notre Dame rivalry has been played, there has been plenty of memorable moments on and off the field. This is a rivalry that began when teams were still traveling by train — famously, Knute Rockne argued for keeping the rivalry despite the long travel times in anticipation that air travel would soon be ubiquitous — once had 120,000 fans in attendance at Soldier Field, won eight national titles combined from 1960 to 1982 and features a trophy that is a bejeweled club made of oak from Ireland.

But no discussion of the rivalry can begin or end without a mention of the 2005 “Bush Push” game (more on that in the “Game-Changing Plays” section). Games when Rockne and Howard Jones patrolled the sidelines were legendary in their own right, even as scores sometimes barely cracked double digits, but in the modern era, no matchup between the teams is as memorable as this one.

This game marked a stretch of USC dominance in the rivalry throughout most of the 2000s when players like Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Carson Palmer and Mark Sanchez fueled the Trojans to an eight-game winning streak from 2002 to 2009. The Irish, however, have the overall edge in the game, with a 56.7% winning percentage.

There’s little to no reason a yearly game between a Pac-12 team and an independent should exist, let alone be this big of a rivalry, but the fact that it is underlines the kind of national prominence both teams have. There is no regional connection, just two teams who won a combined 11 national championships each. In other words, the history and tradition is in the winning. — Paolo Uggetti

HONORABLE MENTION

Minnesota-Wisconsin: The real granddaddy of them all. This rivalry has had 131 meetings and was first played in 1890.

Purdue-Indiana: 123 meetings; first played in 1891

Oregon-Oregon State: 125 meetings; first played in 1894

Kansas-Kansas State: 119 meetings; first played in 1902

South Carolina-Clemson: 118 meetings; first played in 1896

Ole Miss-Mississippi State: 118 meetings; first played in 1901

Michigan-Ohio State: 117 meetings; first played in 1897

Georgia-Georgia Tech: 115 meetings; first played in 1893

Washington-Washington State: 113 meetings; first played in 1900

North Carolina-NC State: 111 meetings; first played in 1894

Virginia-Virginia Tech: 103 meetings; first played in 1895

Arizona-Arizona State: 95 meetings; first played in 1899


ICONIC PLAYS

Auburn-Alabama

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On Nov. 30, 2013, Auburn improbably beats Alabama as Chris Davis returns a field goal attempt for a touchdown as time expires.

“Chris Davis is going to drop back into the end zone. A single safety. I guess if this comes up short, he can field it and run it out.”

Rod Bramblett, Auburn radio’s play-by-play announcer, remarked on what few others had noticed in real time when Adam Griffith lined up a potential game-winning 57-yard field goal with 1 second left in the 2013 Iron Bowl. Alabama’s kicking team certainly wasn’t prepared for the possibility of anything other than a win or the game going into overtime.

“All right,” Bramblett said right before the snap, “here we go.”

The rest is history. The kick fell short, defensive back Chris Davis caught it and took off, veering left and then hugging the sideline. Once he got past the holder, Cody Mandell, he was home free.

Pick your favorite Bramblett line after that. Here are a few:

“There goes Davis!”

“They’re not going to keep them off the field tonight!”

“Holy cow! Oh my God! Auburn wins!”

Stan White, Bramblett’s partner as color analyst, was astonished. Listen closely, he said, and you can hear the sound engineer turn down his volume because he was shouting too loudly, “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!”

White has witnessed some incredible Iron Bowls. He was Auburn’s starting quarterback in 1993 when the Tigers knocked off the defending champs and secured an undefeated season. But 2013 stands alone.

White said Bramblett’s call of Davis’ return has to be among the best in sports history — alongside Al Michaels and the “Miracle on Ice.”

What makes it especially poignant is how it has become a reminder of the life and legacy of Bramblett, who died alongside his wife in a car crash in 2019. Bramblett was beloved and respected at Auburn and throughout the SEC before that night in 2013. But voicing the “Kick Six” made an entire country aware of his gift for finding the right words, at the right decibel, at the exact right moment.

White remembers being at the SEC championship game the week after the Iron Bowl when someone knocked on the door. It was Kirk Herbstreit. Then another knock. It was Verne Lundquist. Both came to congratulate Bramblett.

Lundquist’s CBS television partner, Gary Danielson, came to Auburn for a memorial held for Bramblett and his wife years later. Before the service ended, Bramblett’s call of the Kick Six was played in Auburn Arena. Hearing the joy in his voice — rising as Davis passes midfield — you couldn’t help but smile.

If they had played video from the booth, they would have shown White hugging Bramblett in celebration.

“It’s rare to have that type of call and that type of moment in a broadcaster’s lifetime,” White said. “And he captured it so eloquently and he relayed the energy that everyone was feeling, but he was so professional about it.

“When you think about that play, you have to think about Rod. It’s a call that will stand the test of time.” — Alex Scarborough

HONORABLE MENTION

Notre Dame-USC: With seven seconds to play in the 2005 game, USC trailed 31-28 but was on the Irish 1-yard line. Trojans coach Pete Carroll appeared to call on quarterback Leinart to spike the ball so USC could go for a tying field goal, but that was a decoy. Instead Leinart attempted a QB sneak but was stopped cold — until running back Reggie Bush gave him a forceful nudge around the end of the goal-line pileup, which was illegal but not called. Hence the “Bush Push” was etched into the rivalry’s lore.

Michigan-Ohio State: Desmond Howard’s 93-yard punt return and celebratory Heisman pose in 1991 remains the most famous play from one of the sport’s greatest rivalries.


BIZARRE MOMENTS

Ole Miss-Mississippi State

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Elijah Moore’s touchdown cuts Ole Miss’ deficit to one point, but an unsportsmanlike penalty pushes the Rebels’ extra-point attempt back and it’s missed by Luke Logan.

In 2019, Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral, who had completed a fourth-and-24 play from the Rebels’ own 14 to start the final drive, threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Moore with four seconds left to ostensibly tie the game against Mississippi State.

But Moore celebrated his touchdown by mimicking a dog urinating in the end zone in a nod to DK Metcalf, who did the same to the Bulldogs two years before. Moore was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, forcing Ole Miss to attempt a 35-yard extra point.

The Rebels missed, of course, losing the game 21-20 and falling to 4-8 on the season. The fallout was swift as Rebels coach Matt Luke was fired, followed shortly after by MSU coach Joe Moorhead, who was fired after a loss in the Music City Bowl and a 6-7 finish.

“It just happened spur of the moment,” Moore told ESPN in advance of the 2020 Egg Bowl. “It wasn’t planned. A lot of people thought it was planned. It wasn’t planned.”

Lane Kiffin was hired to replace Luke, and Moore was one of the first players Kiffin sought out after taking the job.

“You hear people say, ‘Well, that’s not who he is,’ or, ‘Man, that was so out of character for him,’ and maybe you think they’re just making excuses for a guy, trying to have his back,” Kiffin said ahead of the 2020 game. “But the moment I met him, I knew that was for real. Anyone who knows Elijah knows that’s not who he is.” — David Wilson

HONORABLE MENTION

Notre Dame-USC: In 1977, Notre Dame coach Dan Devine had a plan to fire up his team. After the Irish warmed up in their traditional blue jerseys, they returned to the locker room to a surprise — new bright green game jerseys. The players loved it, as did the fans, who roared as the team stormed out of the tunnel trailed by a giant Trojan horse. Irish receiver Kris Haines said some USC players told him years later, “We knew it was all over at that point.” Right they were: Notre Dame rolled over No. 5 USC 49-19 and went on to win the national championship.

Oregon-Oregon State: In 1983, the field was swamped with rain and the game included four missed field goals, five interceptions and 11 fumbles. Oh, it ended in a tie. It’s why the game earned itself the name, the “Toilet Bowl.”

Washington-Washington State: A legendary snow game in 1992, an ugly incident including bottle throwing after a Wazzu loss in 2002 and a sophomore running back quitting and changing into street clothes at halftime: The Apple Cup has rarely been dull.

LSU-Texas A&M: In 2018, the teams played an epic, seven-overtime, 74-72 Aggies win, setting a record for the most points scored in a single game and the most OTs. There also was a brawl on the field after the game, with LSU offensive analyst Steve Kragthorpe saying he got punched in his pacemaker by Cole Fisher, A&M coach Jimbo Fisher’s nephew.


CHAMPIONSHIP IMPLICATIONS

Michigan-Ohio State

The game that became The Game first took place in October 1897. Michigan and Ohio State began playing annually in 1918, but the introduction of the AP poll in 1936 added a new element to the rivalry. The 1941 game marked the first in which both teams were ranked. The following year, Michigan came in at No. 4 and Ohio State at No. 5.

There were three more top-10 matchups in the 1940s, but the series reached a new stratosphere when Michigan hired Bo Schembechler as coach after the 1968 season. Between 1970 and 1977, Ohio State and Michigan had five top-five meetings. Schembechler’s first 10 games against Ohio State coach Woody Hayes were labeled the “Ten-Year War,” where Michigan held a 5-4-1 edge. But the most memorable result came in 1973, as the teams both came into Michigan Stadium undefeated and played to a 10-10 tie.

Which team would go to the Rose Bowl? Big Ten athletic directors voted to send Ohio State, in part because Michigan quarterback Dennis Franklin sustained a broken collarbone against the Buckeyes. But Michigan had seemingly been the better team, and Schembechler lashed out, saying “petty jealousies were involved” in the decision.

The rivalry had provided just about everything except a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup, which arrived in 2006. The day before the game, Schembechler collapsed and died, adding drama to a game that needed none. Ohio State won 42-39 and advanced to play for the national title.

Ten years later, The Game came down to a controversial fourth-down spot, where No. 2 Ohio State was awarded a first down and went on to beat No. 3 Michigan in overtime. Michigan lost eight straight to the Buckeyes and 15 of 16 before shocking Ohio State in the snow last year to reach its first Big Ten championship game, followed by the College Football Playoff semifinal. And the stakes are sky high again this year. — Adam Rittenberg

HONORABLE MENTION

Auburn-Alabama: The Tigers and Crimson Tide have met as top-10 teams eight times, including 2017 and 2013, when Auburn knocked off No. 1 Alabama. From 2009 to 2013, five consecutive Iron Bowl winners went on to play in the BCS national title game.

Florida-Florida State: No rivalry can match the high stakes of Gators-Seminoles from 1990 to 2000. In that span, the teams met 13 times, and every one was a top-10 matchup, with six of them a top-five matchup. That includes the Sugar Bowl in 1995 and 1997, which served as the Bowl Alliance’s national championship game. Florida rolled 52-20 in that one, but Florida State had the upper hand overall, 8-4-1.

Notre Dame-USC: The Irish and Trojans have met as top-10 teams 18 times, the first in 1938 and the most recent in 2006. The teams staged a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown in 1988 at the L.A. Coliseum, with Notre Dame winning 27-10 en route to the national title.


BANDS AND GAME-DAY ATMOSPHERE

Grambling-Southern

It’s just good planning to have your annual rivalry game a mile or so from Bourbon Street. New Orleans gives itself to the Bayou Classic over Thanksgiving weekend, and thousands make a weekend of it. The game itself tends to draw well over 65,000 to the Superdome, which is impressive enough. But Friday night’s Battle of the Bands and Greek show can draw up to 30,000 by itself.

The Battle is a sight to behold. The crowd — filling up nearly half the Superdome just to watch two bands play — is engaged and loud. The bands, both great and both huge, are even louder. They march in to hype videos. They trade songs for over an hour. Their fans talk smack to each other, then they all wander down to fill Bourbon Street for the rest of the night. It has been a uniquely full and worthwhile weekend before the game, which is often very close, has even started.

You might remember the 2014 Classic. It went viral when a former Southern fullback, Calvin Mills Jr., proposed to his girlfriend during the halftime show with Southern’s band, the Human Jukebox, spelling out “Marry Me.” (The game itself was incredible, too, with Southern winning via a last-second goal-line stand.)

Afterward, he gave the best possible summary of what makes the weekend — from the Battle to Bourbon Street to the game — so special.

“People plan their whole Thanksgiving around the Classic,” he said. “It’s like one big family reunion. It’s a fun rivalry. You have families with kids who have gone to both schools.” And both schools have an absolute blast before, during and after the game. — Bill Connelly

Clemson-South Carolina

Clemson and South Carolina like to kick off their rivalry week with fire. Lots and lots of fire.

The current iteration of “Cocky’s Funeral” at Clemson and the “Tiger Burn” at South Carolina dates to 1902. According to South Carolina, the idea started after students from both schools had a standoff following the game that year, in which the Gamecocks upset the Tigers 12-6 — winning for the first time since they began playing in 1896.

At issue was a poster depicting a gamecock standing on top of a tiger and holding its tail. Clemson students found the poster to be insulting, and fights between both sides broke out. They agreed to burn the poster to ease the tensions — hence, the tradition of both sides setting their rivals’ respective mascots on fire.

To accomplish this, student-led organizations at both schools spend months planning. At Clemson, there is a group of 35 students on the alumni council responsible for creating a Gamecock out of wood, chicken wire and tissue paper. This year’s Gamecock is set to be 13 feet tall.

In the past, a casket has been involved and a eulogy read before they light their Gamecock on fire. (Not to worry, fire marshals are on hand to ensure everyone’s safety at both schools). But this year, students have given Cocky’s funeral more of a pep rally feel. It’s the first time they’re able to hold the event in their traditional way since 2019, before the pandemic. Anne Horton, assistant director of Cocky’s funeral, has a long line of Clemson alumni in her family, dating back to her great-grandfathers in the 1930s. She always dreamed of being a part of the event.

“In my application to the alumni council, I wrote I wanted to be the one to light Cocky on fire,” she said. “It always stood out to me. I’ve always loved the rivalry. I love that friendly competition that USC and Clemson have and how cool it is that we all get to get together on that Saturday.”

At South Carolina, the school’s chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers is in charge of building their large scale tiger, with the help of a few other organizations. This year’s tiger is going to be its largest yet, about 32 ½ feet tall. The build started in July. The day of the burn, it is transported to a large field outside Williams-Brice Stadium, then put together to reach its full height. At this year’s event, the university president, coach Shane Beamer, the band and cheerleaders are scheduled to attend.

“The whole goal in building something is for it to be strong and stand up,” said Jackson Goldsmith, president of the ASME. “But there’s nothing more satisfying than watching the tiger get caught on fire.” — Andrea Adelson

HONORABLE MENTION

Ohio State-Michigan: Yes, the Wolverines have an iconic fight song, but the Ohio State marching band has a “signature” move, with a veteran sousaphone player stepping out to dot the “i” of his bandmates’ script “Ohio.”

Notre Dame-USC: Yes, the Irish have an iconic fight song, but the Trojan marching band has a platinum album from its 1979 collaboration with Fleetwood Mac, “Tusk.”

The Ramblin’ Wreck, Georgia-Georgia Tech: The 1930 Ford Model A Sport coupe that leads the Georgia Tech football team onto the field adds a touch of whimsy and nostalgia. (Rumor has it Georgia fans have stolen the Wreck on at least two occasions.)


TROPHIES AND GAME NAMES

Minnesota-Wisconsin

Paul Bunyan’s Axe. It wasn’t the first prize at stake for Minnesota and Wisconsin. Beginning in 1930, the rivals played for a slab of bacon, but the trophy — actually a slab of black walnut wood with a carving of a football — disappeared after the 1943 game, only to be found in 1994 inside a storage room at Wisconsin. Needing a replacement, Wisconsin’s lettermen group, the National W Club, introduced the axe, named after the mythical Midwestern lumberjack and featuring Wisconsin cardinal and Minnesota gold on each side.

Scores of all the games lined the axe’s handle until filling it, prompting the first trophy to be retired after the 2003 game, and donated to the College Football Hall of Fame. In 2004, the current axe debuted with a six-foot handle. Wisconsin won it that first year and didn’t relinquish it until 2018, the longest win streak by either team in a rivalry dating back to 1890.

The most dramatic axe moments come when it exchanges hands. Players sprint across the field, grab the axe, congregate around each goal post and begin to chop. In 2013, Minnesota players tried to prevent the “chop” around their goal post, leading to an altercation. The following year, the axe was not kept in the bench area, but presented in the end zone, as Wisconsin won again.

“In the celebrations, you see the creativity come out,” Wisconsin interim coach Jim Leonhard, an All-America safety/returner for the Badgers who went 2-2 in Axe games, told ESPN. “It’s one of those trophies that everybody recognizes. It’s been fun to be a part of it. It’s never a good feeling to be on the losing side, but it really is an amazing experience to keep the axe or to run across to get it back from the other team.” — Adam Rittenberg

HONORABLE MENTION

The Old Oaken Bucket, Purdue-Indiana: In 1925, the Chicago chapters of Indiana’s and Purdue’s alumni associations decided to introduce a rivalry trophy, and agreed that a bucket from an Indiana well would meet their vision. They found one on the Bruner family farm in southern Indiana, and created a chain with blocks in the shape of a “P” or an “I” for each team’s rivalry win.

The Territorial Cup, Arizona-Arizona State: Certified by the NCAA as college football’s oldest rivalry trophy, the Territorial Cup dates to 1899, when Arizona wasn’t yet a state but a U.S. territory (hence the name). In that first game, the University of Arizona played the Arizona Territorial Normal School, which evolved into Arizona State. (The “Normals” won 11-2.) The trophy’s whereabouts were unknown for close to 80 years until it was found in the basement of a church near the Arizona State campus. The tradition of the cup being passed to the winning team each year started in 2001.

The Egg Bowl, Ole Miss-Mississippi State: The Golden Egg trophy, a regulation-size gold-plated football — which looks like a golden egg — mounted on a wooden pedestal, was introduced in 1927 in an effort to calm fans and add dignity and decorum with a postgame ceremony after a chair-throwing brawl broke out following the previous year’s game. What was called “The Battle of the Golden Egg” was dubbed the Egg Bowl by The Clarion-Ledger newspaper in 1978, when neither team was bowl eligible, and the name stuck.

The Apple Cup, Washington-Washington State: Why the Apple Cup? Washington state produces more than 10 billion apples each year. (Sometimes it’s that simple.)

The Game, Michigan-Ohio State: If the game is known as The Game, it must be pretty important.

The Iron Bowl, Auburn-Alabama: Auburn coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan is credited with coming up with this name in 1964. It references the influence of the steel industry in Birmingham, home of Legion Field, the neutral site where the game was most often played through the early 1990s.

Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate, Georgia vs. Georgia Tech: What says Thanksgiving weekend more than clean, old-fashioned hate?

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Journalism 3-1 morning line favorite for Derby

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Journalism 3-1 morning line favorite for Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Red-hot Journalism is the 3-1 morning line favorite for the 151st Kentucky Derby with a favorable No. 8 post position that has tied for the second-most victories in horse racing’s marquee event.

Sovereignty is the 5-1 second choice of 20 horses and will start from the No. 18 post outside Sandman, who drew the No. 17 spot on Saturday night and is the 6-1 third choice for the $5 million Grade 1 race at Churchill Downs.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s two entrants face longer odds in his return to Churchill Downs after a four-year suspension by the historic track after now-deceased colt Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test after crossing the finish line first in 2021. Rodriguez is a 12-1 choice from the No. 4 post while Citizen Bull is a 20-1 longshot after drawing the No. 1 post.

“Well, we got the 1 [spot] out of the way,” joked Baffert, who seeks a record seventh Derby victory. “I’m glad I didn’t get the 2 with the other horse.”

Filly Good Cheer is the 6-5 favorite from the No. 11 post for the 151st Kentucky Oaks on May 2. La Cara drew the No. 7 post of 14 entrants with 6-1 odds for the $1.5 million showcase for 3-year-old fillies. Simply Joking (No. 2 post) and Ballerina d’Oro (No. 6) are co-third choices at 10-1 odds.

Journalism’s spot drew the most attention for horse racing’s marquee event on May 3 for 3-year-olds. He has been the presumptive favorite with a four-race winning streak. including both starts this year, along with a fourth in his debut last fall at Santa Anita.

“I’m very pleased,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “What’s not to like?”

The No. 8 spot has yielded nine wins in 94 starts since the starting gate was first used in 1930, tied for second-most with the No. 10 post (88 starts). The No. 5 post has forged 10 victories in 95 starts.

The most recent Derby winner from the No. 8 post was Mage two years ago.

Those other two spots went to Todd Pletcher-trained Grande (20-1, No. 10), while D. Wayne Lukas’ American Promise is a 30-1 long shot from the No. 5. Japan-based Admire Daytona is also a 30-1 choice.

California-based Journalism is coming off a three-quarter-length victory over Baeza, an also-eligible Derby entrant, in the Grade 1 San Anita Derby on April 5. It was the bay colt’s third straight graded stakes win, earning him 122.5 points during the qualifying season, good for third.

Sandman, trained by Mark Casse, was second on the Derby trail with 129 points after winning the Arkansas Derby. Bill Mott-trained Sovereignty was seventh with 110 and enters with a runner-up finish in the Florida Derby to Tappan Street, whom Louisville-born trainer Brad Cox scratched Saturday morning with a leg injury.

That defection allowed Render Judgment into the field, giving trainer Kenny McPeek a chance to repeat as Derby winner after Mystik Dan’s victory last May, a day after filly Thorpedo Anna won the Oaks.

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Minus Hagel, Lightning storm back, dodge 3-0 hole

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Minus Hagel, Lightning storm back, dodge 3-0 hole

SUNRISE, Fla. — Without suspended winger Brandon Hagel in the lineup, the Tampa Bay Lightning stormed back to defeat the Florida Panthers 5-1 Saturday, cutting their deficit in this Eastern Conference first-round series to 2-1.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 33 shots, and Tampa Bay registered five unanswered goals in front of a stunned crowd at Amerant Bank Arena that was hoping to celebrate a commanding 3-0 series lead in this playoff matinee.

Hagel was suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Friday night for what it labeled “an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent” that injured Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2 at Amalie Arena.

Barkov, Florida’s captain, returned to action in Game 3, registering five shots in his 18:52 time on the ice. But it wasn’t enough, as Tampa Bay set up a pivotal Game 4 on Monday and handed Florida its first postseason loss since Game 6 of last season’s Stanley Cup Final.

“Obviously, we had a great start,” Barkov said. “We did the right things, but they’re a great team also. They played really well and won the game today. All we’ve got to do is learn.”

Tampa Bay’s offense came alive, with goals from Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, Nick Paul and Luke Glendening. Anthony Cirelli added an empty-netter with five minutes left, and Nikita Kucherov had three assists.

“To be honest, you would have never known sitting in the locker room after Game 2 that we were down 0-2,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “And, so, riding into this game wasn’t going to guarantee the result, but I knew damn well how the effort was going to be. And they delivered”

Paul gave the Lightning their first lead of the series when he slipped a shot just inside the pad of Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period. Guentzel made it a two-goal lead just 21 seconds into the third before the Lightning pulled away later in the period.

Matthew Tkachuk scored for the Panthers, his third of the series. Bobrovsky finished with 17 saves in the loss.

Vasilevskiy had given up seven goals in the first two games but was huge on Saturday. He bounced back from an early Panthers punch and withstood a flurry of Florida shots in the second and third.

Tkachuk, who scored twice in the opener, got on the board 2:43 into the game when he tapped a feed from Sam Bennett past Vasilevskiy, giving the star his 20th playoff goal with the Panthers. The Lightning responded when Guentzel’s shot bounced off Point and past Bobrovsky later in the first to give the NHL’s highest-scoring team in the regular season its first goal in nearly five periods.

In addition to Barkov’s return, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad was also back with his team. The veteran blueliner returned from a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Browns select Shedeur Sanders, topping list of notable father-son combos

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Browns select Shedeur Sanders, topping list of notable father-son combos

After a longer than expected wait, Shedeur Sanders is finally an NFL player after the Cleveland Browns traded up with the Seattle Seahawks to select him with the 144th pick in the fifth round in the 2025 NFL draft.

Sanders, whose father is Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, played two seasons each with Jackson State and Colorado before declaring for the draft. He threw for 14,327 yards and 134 touchdowns during that span. Deion famously played nine MLB seasons while being an eight-time NFL Pro Bowler. Shedeur will suit up for the Browns, topping a long list of father-son combos across professional and collegiate sports.

Here is a look at other successful father-son combos in sports history.


Multiple sports

Deion Sanders/Deion Sanders Jr./Shilo Sanders/Shedeur Sanders

Father’s accomplishments: Deion played 14 seasons in the NFL. He was drafted No. 5 overall in 1989 by the Atlanta Falcons after being named a two-time All-American at Florida State. Sanders was named a Pro Bowler eight times with 53 interceptions throughout his career and two Super Bowl wins. He also played nine seasons of professional baseball for the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. He famously played in a game for the Falcons against the Miami Dolphins, then immediately flew to Pittsburgh to dress for his baseball game with the Braves against the Pirates in the NLCS. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

How his sons followed: Deion Sanders Jr. was a two-star athlete in the 2012 class, signing with SMU as a wide receiver and kick returner. As a sophomore kick returner, Sanders was named a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection. Shilo was the No. 287-ranked prospect in the 2019 class and signed as a cornerback with South Carolina.

Shilo and Shedeur were coached by their father during their college football seasons with the Jackson State Tigers and Colorado Buffaloes. The Browns selected Shedeur with the No. 144 pick in Round 5 in the 2025 NFL draft.


MLB

Ken Griffey Sr./Ken Griffey Jr.

Father’s accomplishments: Ken Griffey Sr. played 19 seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds. He was part of the Big Red Machine that won World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Griffey Sr. was a three-time All-Star and finished his career with a .296 batting average, 152 home runs and 859 RBIs. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1980 All-Star Game and has been inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame.

How his son followed: Ken Griffey Jr. also had a long career, playing 22 seasons in the big leagues, including 13 with the Seattle Mariners and nine with Cincinnati. Griffey Jr. was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. He is seventh all time with 630 career home runs, was a 13-time All-Star and won 10 Gold Gloves for his play in center field. He was the American League MVP in 1997 and led the AL in home runs four times during his career.

In 1990, Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr., both playing for the Mariners, made history when they became the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs in a game.

Bobby Bonds/Barry Bonds

Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Bonds played the majority of his 14 seasons with the San Francisco Giants and became just the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays. He set records for most times leading off a game with a home run in a season (11) and in a career (35) — both of which have since been broken. Bonds was a three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner.

How his son followed: Barry Bonds played 22 seasons, mostly with the Giants, and was a seven-time National League MVP. Bonds holds the records for most career home runs, with 762, and most home runs in a season, with 73. He was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time Silver Slugger Award winner and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner. Bonds tied his father for the most seasons with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, with five. He also holds the MLB records for walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688) in a career.

Sandy Alomar/Roberto Alomar/Sandy Alomar Jr.

Father’s accomplishments: Sandy Alomar Sr. competed in 15 seasons and could play all infield and outfield positions. He was an All-Star in 1970 and played a full 162-game season that year and in 1971. Alomar Sr. was a talented bunter and aggressive on the base paths, totaling 227 stolen bases in his career, including 39 in 1971.

How his sons followed: Twelve-time All-Star Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. He won World Series championships with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. He won more Gold Gloves (10) than any other second baseman and finished his 17-year career with a .300 batting average, 2,724 hits and 210 home runs. Sandy Alomar Jr. was the first rookie catcher to start an All-Star Game, and he won Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove Award in 1990. Alomar Jr. was named an All-Star six times during his 20-year career and had a 30-game hitting streak in 1997.

Cecil Fielder/Prince Fielder

Father’s accomplishments: Cecil Fielder was a three-time All-Star and won a World Series title with the New York Yankees in 1996. In 1990, he was the first player since George Foster in 1977 to hit at least 50 home runs in a season. Fielder led the American League in home runs in 1990 and 1991 and in RBIs from 1990 to ’92. He hit 319 career home runs, recorded 1,008 RBIs and was a two-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award.

How his son followed: Fielder was the youngest player (23) to hit 50 home runs in a season. Prince Fielder was a six-time All-Star and won the Home Run Derby twice — once as an NL All-Star and once as an AL All-Star. He totaled 319 career home runs, the same number as his father, and drove in 1,028 runs. Fielder was a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.

Cecil and Prince Fielder are the only father-son duo to each hit 50 home runs in a season.

Vladimir Guerrero/Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Father’s accomplishments: Guerrero spent 16 seasons playing in the MLB for the Montreal Expos, Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles. He was a nine-time All-Star, the 2004 American League MVP and an eight-time winner of the Silver Slugger award. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 and finished his career with 2,590 hits.

How his son followed: Guerrero Jr. signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015 and made his major league debut in 2019. He hit 48 home runs in the 2021 season and became the second father-son duo to hit 40 home runs in a season, joining Prince and Cecil Fielder in accomplishing that feat. Guerrero has since been a four-time All-Star and a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner for the Blue Jays.


NBA

LeBron James/Bronny James/Bryce James

Father’s accomplishments: LeBron James is still going strong in his 22nd NBA season. He’s the league’s all-time scoring leader and eclipsed 40,000 points last season. LeBron has won four NBA championships and made an NBA-record 20 straight All-Star appearances.

How his sons followed: The Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, pairing him with his dad, LeBron, in the NBA. The two appeared in a game together in October 2024, becoming the first father-son duo to do so in NBA history. Bronny is expected to split time between the Lakers and their G-League affiliate. Bryce, LeBron’s youngest son, committed to Arizona in January as part of the Wildcats’ 2025 class.

Dell Curry/Stephen Curry/Seth Curry

Father’s accomplishments: Dell Curry retired as the Charlotte Hornets‘ career scoring leader (9,839 points) and ranked first in 3-pointers made (929). Curry was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1994 and averaged 11.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his 16-year career.

How his sons followed: Stephen Curry has led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships and been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player twice. Curry is a 10-time All-Star and was the NBA scoring champion in 2016 and 2021. He holds the NBA record for most made 3-pointers in a regular season, with 402, and most consecutive regular-season games with a made 3-pointer, with 268. Seth Curry was a two-time NBA D-League All-Star and has spent time with several NBA teams. He averaged 12.8 points over 70 games in 2016-17 with the Dallas Mavericks.

Doc Rivers/Austin Rivers

Father’s accomplishments: As a player, Doc Rivers was known for his defense, but he averaged a double-double during the 1986-87 season, with 12.8 points and 10.0 assists per game. He was an NBA All-Star in 1988 and played with four teams during his 13-year career. Rivers was named Coach of the Year in 2000 with the Orlando Magic and led the Boston Celtics to an NBA title as their coach in 2008. He was the head coach of the LA Clippers from 2013-2020 and Philadelphia 76ers from 2020-2023. He was announced as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach in January 2024.

How his son followed: In 2015, Austin Rivers was traded to the Clippers and became the first NBA player to play for his father. Rivers has averaged 9.2 points per game in his seven-year career, including 15.1 PPG in 2017-18 with the Clippers. He then played for the Wizards, Rockets, Knicks, Nuggets and the Timberwolves.

Mychal Thompson/Klay Thompson

Father’s accomplishments: Mychal Thompson, the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA draft, won back-to-back NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and ’88. Thompson was on the All-Rookie team in 1979 and went on to average 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his career. He averaged a double-double in 1981-82, with 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.

How his son followed: Klay Thompson won four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors. Mychal and Klay Thompson became just the fourth father-son duo to each win an NBA title as a player and the first to each win back-to-back championships. Klay is a five-time All-Star, was named to the All-Rookie team in 2012 and won the 3-point contest in 2016. He holds the NBA playoff record for most 3-pointers made in a game, with 11.

Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant/Kobe Bryant

Father’s accomplishments: Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA before heading to Europe and playing seven seasons with teams in Italy. He scored 53 points in a game twice during the 1987-88 season with Pistoia. Bryant played into his 50s, suiting up for the American Basketball Association.

How his son followed: Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is fourth in career scoring, with 33,643 points. He played 20 seasons for the Lakers and was named an All-Star 18 times. Bryant was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008 and the Finals MVP in 2009 and ’10. He was the NBA scoring champion in 2006 and ’07 and was named to the All-NBA first team 11 times and the All-Defensive first team nine times. Kobe had both his No. 8 and his No. 24 retired by the Lakers.


NFL

Archie Manning/Peyton Manning/Eli Manning

Father’s accomplishments: Archie Manning was a quarterback in the NFL for 13 seasons, mostly with the New Orleans Saints. Despite never leading a team to a winning record, Manning made the Pro Bowl in 1978 and ’79. He threw for 125 touchdowns and rushed for 18 during his career. He has been inducted into the Saints’ Ring of Honor and the Saints’ Hall of Fame.

How his sons followed: Peyton Manning was the first pick in the 1998 NFL draft and holds the NFL records for career passing yards (71,940) and passing touchdowns (539). He is the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl for two franchises. A 14-time Pro Bowler, Manning was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player five times and a first-team All-Pro seven times.

Eli Manning was the first pick in the 2004 NFL draft and led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles, earning Super Bowl MVP honors both times. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, ranks sixth in passing yards in NFL history and started 210 consecutive games from 2004 to 2017, the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history.

Howie Long/Chris Long/Kyle Long

Father’s accomplishments: Eight-time Pro Bowl selection Howie Long played his entire 13-year career with the Raiders organization. The defensive end helped the Raiders win the Super Bowl in 1984, and he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985. Long finished his career with 84 sacks and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He also made 10 fumble recoveries and two interceptions during his time in the NFL.

How his sons followed: Chris Long was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NFL draft and won back-to-back Super Bowls — with the New England Patriots in 2017 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. The defensive end recorded 70 sacks in his 11-year career.

Kyle Long, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, was a guard for the Chicago Bears. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2014 and made the All-Rookie team in 2013.

He returned from his 2019 retirement with a one-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2021 season but did not play due to injuries.

Clay Matthews Jr./Clay Matthews III/Casey Matthews

Father’s accomplishments: Clay Matthews Jr. played 19 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in 278 games, the most by a linebacker, and recorded 1,561 tackles, 69.5 sacks and 16 interceptions in his career. Matthews was a four-time Pro Bowler and was first-team All-Pro in 1984, recording 12 sacks that season.

How his sons followed: Clay Matthews III, a six-time Pro Bowler, helped the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl title after the 2010 season. The linebacker was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and totaled 91.5 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and six interceptions in his 11-year career.

Linebacker Casey Matthews played from 2011 to ’14 for the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded 2.5 sacks.

Christian McCaffrey/Ed McCaffrey

Father’s accomplishments: Ed McCaffrey’s 13-year NFL career included three Super Bowl wins and one Pro Bowl appearance. He earned 7,422 receiving yards and notched 55 receiving touchdowns, a majority of which came with the Denver Broncos. Ed McCaffrey played a key role in the Broncos winning back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998.

How his son followed: A highly touted recruit out of Stanford, Christian McCaffrey has lived up to the hype in the NFL. In his eighth season, the running back has rushed for 6,224 career yards and 52 touchdowns, including a league-leading 1,459 yards in 2023, when he earned Offensive Player of the Year honors.


Jeremiah Trotter Jr./Jeremiah Trotter

Father’s accomplishments: Drafted by the Eagles in the third round, Jeremiah Trotter suited up for the franchise in eight of his 11 NFL seasons, starting at middle linebacker for the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and member of the All-Pro team once. Trotter recorded 723 solo tackles and nine interceptions during his career.

How his son followed: The Eagles also selected Trotter Jr., this time in the fifth round. Hailing from the Clemson Tigers, Trotter had 25 combined tackles in his first season. He appeared in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX victory, recording one tackle.


NHL

Bobby Hull/Brett Hull

Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Hull received the Hart Memorial Trophy twice as the NHL’s most valuable player and earned the Art Ross Trophy three times as the NHL’s leading points scorer. The left wing won the Stanley Cup in 1961 with the Chicago Blackhawks and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. Hull led the NHL in goals seven times and was the second-leading goal scorer in NHL history, with 610, when he retired. Hull won back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards in 1970 and ’71.

How his son followed: Brett Hull scored 741 goals in his career, the fourth-highest total in NHL history. The right wing won Stanley Cups in 1999 with the Dallas Stars (including scoring the championship-winning goal) and in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings. Hull scored at least 50 goals in five consecutive seasons, and his 86 goals in 1990-91 are the third most in a season in NHL history. He was named the NHL’s MVP that season and received the Hart Memorial Trophy. Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, joining his father to become the first father-son duo in the Hall.

Keith Tkachuk/Matthew Tkachuk/Brady Tkachuk

Father’s accomplishments: Keith was selected 19th overall in the 1990 NHL draft and played for 18 years with four different teams. He finished his career with 527 goals and 1,065 points. At the time that he scored his 500th goal, he was just the fourth American-born player to achieve that milestone and was the sixth American-born player with 1,000 points.

How his sons followed: Matthew was selected sixth in the 2016 NHL draft by the Calgary Flames but has since been traded to the Florida Panthers, where he helped lead the team to a 2024 Stanley Cup title.

Brady was taken with the fourth pick in the 2018 draft by the Ottawa Senators. He was named the team’s captain in 2021 and has scored 171 regular-season goals in his career.


Auto racing

Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Father’s accomplishments: Dale Earnhardt won 76 Winston Cup races, including the 1998 Daytona 500. Earnhardt claimed seven NASCAR Winston Cup championships, tying Richard Petty for the most all time. It was 22 years before Jimmie Johnson matched the accomplishment in 2016. Earnhardt died as a result of a collision on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 and was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2010.

How his son followed: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won 26 Cup series races, including the Daytona 500 twice (2004, 2014). He had 260 top-10 finishes in Cup races in his career. Junior was a fan favorite, winning the Most Popular Driver award 15 times. He was the Busch Series champion in 1998 and ’99 before being named NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2000. He is retired and a broadcaster now.


Next generation

Gilbert Arenas/Alijah Arenas

Alijah Arenas, a five-star, 6-foot-6 guard from Southern California, announced his commitment to USC in January 2025. He picked the Trojans over his father’s alma mater, the Arizona Wildcats, while also receiving offers from the Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats. He reclassified in December from the class of 2026 to 2025.

Carmelo Anthony/Kiyan Anthony

A four-star shooting guard from New York, Kiyan Anthony announced his commitment to Syracuse in November 2024. Kiyan follows in the footsteps of his father, Carmelo, who averaged 22.5 points and 6.2 rebounds across a 19-season NBA career. Carmelo spent a season at Syracuse, leading the Orange to the 2003 national championship.

Dikembe Mutombo/Ryan Mutombo:

Ryan followed in his father’s footsteps and played for the Georgetown Hoyas as a 7-foot-2 center. He transferred to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets after three seasons with the Hoyas.

Penny Hardaway/Jayden Hardaway/Ashton Hardaway:

Both Jayden and Ashton played for their father with Memphis. Jayden is a guard who averaged 3.1 points per game in the 2023-24 season, while Ashton averaged 2.3.

Dajuan Wagner/D.J. Wagner:

D.J. spent the 2023-24 season with the Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. He transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks after the season.

Dennis Rodman/DJ Rodman:

DJ was a 6-foot-6 forward for USC. He averaged 8.4 points per game and made 36.2% of his 3-point shots in the 2023-24 season for the Trojans. He went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft.

Shaquille O’Neal/Shaqir O’Neal:

Shaqir is a 6-foot-8 forward at Florida A&M. He averaged 1.8 points per game in the 2023-24 season for Texas Southern.

Peja Stojakovic/Andrej Stojakovic:

Andrej was a McDonald’s All-American out of high school before committing to the Stanford Cardinal. He averaged 7.8 points per game as a freshman for the Cardinal. He transferred to UC Berkeley after the 2023-24 season.

Jerry Rice/Brenden Rice:

Brenden transferred to the USC Trojans from the Colorado Buffaloes prior to the 2022 season and led the Trojans with 12 touchdown receptions in 2023. He had 791 yards receiving on the year and was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2024 NFL draft.

Marvin Harrison/Marvin Harrison Jr.:

Harrison Jr. won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best wide receiver and finished the 2023 season with 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was selected No. 4 by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL draft as one of the best receiver prospects available.

Frank Gore Sr./Frank Gore Jr.:

Gore Jr. was No. 32 among all FBS running backs in rush yards in 2023 with 1,131. He had 10 rushing touchdowns and averaged 4.9 yards per rush. Gore Jr. went undrafted in 2024 but signed with the Buffalo Bills.

Emmitt Smith/E.J. Smith:

E.J. had a slow start to his collegiate career with just 587 rush yards and five touchdowns in four seasons with Stanford. He transferred to Texas A&M in 2024.


Honorable mentions

Ray Boone/Bob Boone/Bret Boone/Aaron Boone; Felipe Alou/Moises Alou; Tom Gordon/Dee Gordon/Nick Gordon; Rick Barry/Brent Barry/Jon Barry; Bill Walton/Luke Walton; Larry Nance/Larry Nance Jr.; Tim Hardaway/Tim Hardaway Jr.; Bruce Matthews/Jake Matthews/Kevin Matthews; Jackie Slater/Matthew Slater; Gordie Howe/Mark Howe; J.P. Parise/Zach Parise; Peter Stastny/Paul Stastny; Lee Petty/Richard Petty/Kyle Petty; Mario Andretti/Michael Andretti/Jeff Andretti/Marco Andretti; Ken Norton Sr./Ken Norton Jr.; Calvin Hill/Grant Hill; Peter Schmeichel/Kasper Schmeichel

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