John Czarnecki

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-15-2023

American football is about trying to make points by passing, carrying, or kicking an oblong ball (with two pointed ends) into your opponent's end zone. Football is a rough-and-tumble game with its own jargon, including some terms that are just plain odd. For example, a strong safety is a defender, and a regular safety is a play that scores two points — go figure. But knowing the lingo (including the fun slang) and the players, not to mention common penalties, can take you a long way toward getting a handle on this popular American sport.

Article / Updated 01-24-2023

Almost every year, the highest-rated show on network television is the Super Bowl, with whatever the number-two show is running a distant second. Of the ten most-watched shows in the history of television, four of them are Super Bowl games. Clearly, the Super Bowl has become an event that all of America, both casual and hard-core fans alike, focuses on. Even if it’s the only game they watch all season, people tune into the Super Bowl and attend Super Bowl parties in massive numbers (would you believe these parties are more popular than New Year’s Eve parties?). The Super Bowl has also become an international event. More than 200 countries and territories, including Slovenia and the People’s Republic of China, televised 2014’s Super Bowl XLVIII. In the United States, an estimated 112.2 million fans watched the game, making it the most watched show in the history of American television. People all over the world saw the Seattle Seahawks defeat the Denver Broncos on that Super Bowl Sunday. The main reason the Super Bowl is so popular is that pro football is the only major professional team sport with a single-elimination playoff system. The other major sports declare their champions after a team wins four games in a best-of-seven series. The Super Bowl is do-or-die; that’s what makes the game so special. And it isn’t just the game itself that attracts viewers. Companies pay advertising firms lots of money to create commercials. In fact, watching the Super Bowl to see the commercials has become a part of what makes Super Bowl Sunday so special. All the commercials are judged and summarized because hundreds of millions of potential customers are watching, making the commercial stakes almost as high as those on the field.

Article / Updated 01-11-2023

After the regular football season, the National Football League (NFL) schedule moves into the playoffs, which decide who advances to the Super Bowl. In regular-season games, teams compete for the best win-loss records, and those teams with the best records advance to the playoffs. The NFL schedules all those regular-season games — 256 in a typical season — to separate the good teams from the bad. On every level of sports, people want to declare a champion. In the NFL, a total of 12 teams qualify for what amounts to the road to the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is the NFL championship game. It pits the winner of NFL's American Football Conference (AFC) against the champion of the NFL's National Football Conference (NFC). The game was born out of the merger agreement between the former American Football League and the NFL in 1966. Wild card and divisional playoff games Each conference has four divisions: North, South, East, West. Six teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs, with the four division winners qualifying automatically. These winners are joined by two teams called wild card teams, who qualify based on the win-loss records of the remaining teams in each conference that didn’t finish first in their respective divisions. The two division winners with the highest winning percentages host second-round games, skipping the first round of competition. The third and fourth division winners host the wild card teams in the first round. The winners of the two wild card games advance to the second round of contests, called divisional playoff games. The lowest-rated wild card winner plays the division winner with the best record, and the other wild card winner plays the division winner with the second-best record. Both division winners enjoy home field advantage, meaning that they host the games. Conference championship games For the Conference Championship games (the third round), any surviving division champion automatically hosts the game. If two division winners survive, the team with the better winning percentage hosts the championship game. If the two surviving teams have identical records, home field is based on how the two teams performed in head-to-head competition during the season, and then on who had the best winning percentage in conference games. The Super Bowl is such a huge television and fan attraction that cities routinely bid for the game, offering to defray many of the league’s expenses for hotels and travel. In fact, the Super Bowl is so large that cities are selected three to four years in advance. This gives the cities the necessary time to prepare. In the two weeks between the two conference championship games and the Super Bowl, plenty of hype and hoopla about the game arises. The two teams usually arrive in the host city on the Sunday prior to the game, along with more than 2,500 members of the media. The event has a national flavor to it. With ticket prices from $500 to $700, and most fans paying five times that amount via ticket scalping, the Super Bowl has become more of a corporate event than a bastion for hard-core football fans. You almost have to be somebody important or know somebody important to attend. The Commissioner’s Party — which owners, coaches, and NFL executives attend on the Friday night prior to the game — is an even tougher ticket to acquire.

Article / Updated 07-21-2022

Today, the National Football League (NFL) is divided into two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference consists of 16 teams and is divided into four divisions — East, West, North, and South — of four teams each. These division titles don’t necessarily correspond to geographic parts of the country, though. For example, the St. Louis Rams are in the NFC West, yet St. Louis is smack-dab in the middle of the United States. The American Football Conference Here are the four regional divisions for the American Football Conference (AFC): East Division: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets West Division: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers North Division: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers South Division: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans These teams in the AFC were once part of the old American Football League (AFL): Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New York Jets Denver Broncos Kansas City Chiefs Oakland Raiders San Diego Chargers Cincinnati Bengals Tennessee Titans The National Football Conference The National Football Conference (NFC) is divided into the following regional groups: East Division: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders West Division: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks North Division: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings South Division: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers These three teams once formed the original NFL: Arizona Cardinals Chicago Bears Green Bay Packers

Article / Updated 11-15-2019

To understand and enjoy American football, get familiar with key terms and what they mean. Until you grasp basic football lingo, listening to announcers call an NFL football game can be like listening to monkey gibberish. The following list fills you in on the basic American football terms you need to know: Backfield: The group of offensive players — the running backs and quarterback — who line up behind the line of scrimmage. Down: A period of action that starts when the ball is put into play and ends when the ball is ruled dead (meaning the play is completed). The offense gets four downs to advance the ball 10 yards. If it fails to do so, it must surrender the ball to the opponent, usually by punting on the fourth down. Drive: The series of plays when the offense has the football, until it punts or scores and the other team gets possession of the ball. End zone: A 10-yard-long area at each end of the field. You score a touchdown when you enter the end zone in control of the football. If you're tackled in your own end zone while in possession of the football, the other team gets a safety. Extra point: A kick, worth one point, that's typically attempted after every touchdown (it's also known as the point after touchdown, or PAT). The ball is placed on either the 2-yard line (in the NFL) or the 3-yard line (in college and high school) and is generally kicked from inside the 10-yard line after being snapped to the holder. It must sail between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goalpost to be considered good. Fair catch: When the player returning a punt waves his extended arm from side to side over his head. After signaling for a fair catch, a player can't run with the ball, and those attempting to tackle him can't touch him. Field goal: A kick, worth three points, that can be attempted from anywhere on the field but is usually attempted within 40 yards of the goalpost. Like an extra point, a kick must sail above the crossbar and between the uprights of the goalpost to be ruled good. Fumble: The act of losing possession of the ball while running with it or being tackled. Members of the offense and defense can recover a fumble. If the defense recovers the fumble, the fumble is called a turnover. Handoff: The act of giving the ball to another player. Handoffs usually occur between the quarterback and a running back. Hash marks: The lines on the center of the field that signify 1 yard on the field. Before every play, the ball is spotted between the hash marks or on the hash marks, depending on where the ball carrier was tackled on the preceding play. Huddle: When the 11 players on the field come together to discuss strategy between plays. On offense, the quarterback relays the plays in the huddle. Incompletion: A forward pass that falls to the ground because no receiver could catch it, or a pass that a receiver dropped or caught out of bounds. Interception: A pass that's caught by a defensive player, ending the offense's possession of the ball. Kickoff: A free kick (meaning the receiving team can't make an attempt to block it) that puts the ball into play. A kickoff is used at the start of the first and third quarters and after every touchdown and successful field goal. Line of scrimmage: An imaginary line that extends from where the football is placed at the end of a play to both sides of the field. Neither the offense nor the defense can cross the line until the football is put in play again. Offensive line: The human wall of five men who block for and protect the quarterback and ball carriers. Every line has a center (who snaps the ball), two guards, and two tackles. Punt: A kick made when a player drops the ball and kicks it while it falls toward his foot. A punt is usually made on a fourth down when the offense must surrender possession of the ball to the defense because it couldn't advance 10 yards. Red zone: The unofficial area from the 20-yard line to the opponent's goal line. Holding an opponent to a field goal in this area is considered a moral victory for the defense. Return: The act of receiving a kick or punt and running toward the opponent's goal line with the intent of scoring or gaining significant yardage. Rushing: To advance the ball by running, not passing. A running back is sometimes called a rusher. Sack: When a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of yardage. Safety: A score, worth two points, that the defense earns by tackling an offensive player in possession of the ball in his own end zone. Secondary: The four defensive players who defend against the pass and line up behind the linebackers and wide on the corners of the field opposite the receivers. Snap: The action in which the ball is hiked (tossed between the legs) by the center to the quarterback, to the holder on a kick attempt, or to the punter. When the snap occurs, the ball is officially in play and action begins. Special teams: The 22 players who are on the field during kicks and punts. These units have special players who return punts and kicks, as well as players who are experts at covering kicks and punts. Touchdown: A score, worth six points, that occurs when a player in possession of the ball crosses the plane of the opponent's goal line, when a player catches the ball while in the opponent's end zone, or when a defensive player recovers a loose ball in the opponent's end zone.

Article / Updated 10-09-2019

When two opposing American football teams meet on the gridiron (playing field), the player positions depend on whether the football team is playing offense or defense. Football pits the offense, the team with the ball, against the defense, which tries to prevent the offense from scoring. Each side lines up facing the other with the football in the middle. Football offensive positions: The offensive side is the side who has possession of the football. The offense’s primary job, as a team, is to move the ball down the field towards the opponents end zone to score — either by touchdown or kicking a field goal. There are other ways to score as well, but those are primarily left to special teams. Within the offense, the functions are divided amongst key positions: Quarterback: The leader of the team. He calls the plays in the huddle, yells the signals at the line of scrimmage, and receives the ball from the center. Then he hands off the ball to a running back, throws it to a receiver, or runs with it. Center: The player who snaps the ball to the quarterback. He handles the ball on every play. Running back: A player who runs with the football. Running backs are also referred to as tailbacks, halfbacks, and rushers. Fullback: A player who's responsible for blocking for the running back and also for pass-blocking to protect the quarterback. Fullbacks, who are generally bigger than running backs, are short-yardage runners. Wide receiver: A player who uses his speed and quickness to elude defenders and catch the football. Teams use as many as two to four wide receivers on every play. Tight end: A player who serves as a receiver and also as a blocker. This player lines up beside the offensive tackle to the right or the left of the quarterback. Left guard and right guard: The inner two members of the offensive line, whose jobs are to block for and protect the quarterback and ball carriers. Left tackle and right tackle: The outer two members of the offensive line. Football defensive positions: In American Football the defense’s primary job, as a team, is to keep the offense from scoring points — by intercepting the ball, tackling members of the offense, and in general preventing the offense from moving the ball closer to their end zone to create a scoring opportunity. Within the defense, the functions are divided among key positions. Defensive tackle: The inner two members of the defensive line, whose jobs are to maintain their positions in order to stop a running play or run through a gap in the offensive line to pressure the quarterback or disrupt the backfield formation. Defensive end: The outer two members of the defensive line. Generally, their jobs are to overcome offensive blocking and meet in the backfield, where they combine to tackle the quarterback or ball carrier. On running plays to the outside, they're responsible for forcing the ball carrier either out of bounds or toward (into) the pursuit of their defensive teammates. Linebacker: These players line up behind the defensive linemen and generally are regarded as the team's best tacklers. Depending on the formation, most teams employ either three or four linebackers on every play. Linebackers often have the dual role of defending the run and the pass. Safety: The players who line up the deepest in the secondary — the last line of defense. There are free safeties and strong safeties, and they must defend the deep pass and the run. Cornerback: The players who line up on the wide parts of the field, generally opposite the offensive receivers.

Article / Updated 08-20-2019

Good offensive football coaches try to get into the head and minds of the defense. When calling a specific play, offensive coaches want to not only beat you, but also make you look a little foolish. Football coaches work hard to develop new offensive plays to accomplish those goals. Some new offensive football plays include the fly sweep, run-pass option and bubble screen. Take a look to learn about these offensive football strategies. Fly sweep This offensive football play has become common in the last decade as teams with versatile receivers use them as runners. As you can see below, the receivers line up in their normal positions, and one of them goes in motion toward the quarterback. After the ball is snapped, the quarterback simply flips the ball to receiver as he passes in front of him. The play is blocked like a typical sweep run. Teams that use this play a lot, like the Los Angeles Rams, can also use the fly sweep design as deception, faking the handoff and then either throwing to the receiver as he runs downfield or to another receiver. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Run-pass option For a quarterback to run this offensive football play, he must possess the skills and toughness of a running back. But he also must correctly read the intent of defenders. The beauty of the play, if performed correctly, is the stress it puts on the defense. Not only can the quarterback pull the ball back from the running back and take off running, but he can step back and throw to a receiver running a slant pass. In high school and college, teams with exceptional athletic quarterbacks can have a high-scoring offense because defenses at that level generally don’t have enough speedy defenders to stop this offensive football play. As you can see in the image below, the quarterback reads a second-level defender and decides whether to pass the ball or hand it off based on the defenses post-snap movement. If he doesn’t like either of those options, the quarterback can elect to run where the blockers planned to block for the running back or make a split-second decision to find his own running lane. If the “read” defenders attacks the line of scrimmage to help against the run, the QB throws to the WR running a slant. The WR should be open with the defender vacating his area of the field. If the “read” defender decides to defend the slant pass, the QB hands the ball off to the RB. Now the offense has as many blockers as the defense has run defenders in the tackle box. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Opt for possession passes with the bubble screen Possession passes offer another option for an offensive play in football. Most of the time, a possession pass is a short throw, between 8 and 10 yards, to either a running back or a tight end. The intent isn’t necessarily to gain a first down but to maintain possession of the ball while gaining yardage. Often, teams call possession passes several times in a short period to help the quarterback complete some easy passes and build his confidence. One high-percentage pass is the bubble screen pass in which three potential receivers align to one side of the offensive formation, allowing the quarterback to throw to one of them while the other two receivers block on the play against whatever defenders are aligned to that side. Often the play can pick up big yardage if the blocking receivers do their job effectively. Also, with such a formation, overloaded to one side, teams have been known to run or even throw in the oppostive direction, kind of a misdirection play. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Here’s something you should know about offensive plays in football: No perfect play exists for every occasion. In strategy sessions prior to a game, a play may look like it will result in a long gain, but in reality it may not succeed for various reasons. It may fail because someone on the offensive team doesn’t execute or because a defensive player simply anticipates correctly and makes a great play. Things happen!

Article / Updated 08-20-2019

Football helmets and masks play a very important role in player safety. The football helmet and face mask are designed to protect a player’s face and head from serious injury. Many players also wear a mouth guard to protect their teeth and prevent themselves from biting their tongues. A few players even wear another protective cap on the outside of the football helmet for added protection. Football helmets are equipped with chin straps to keep them snugly in place. To prevent serious concussions, many helmets have air-filled pockets inside them. A player tests his helmet by sticking his head inside it and then shaking it for comfort, also making sure that it’s snug. If it’s too tight, he simply releases air from the air pockets. Player safety is an increasingly important issue with concussions and other head injuries becoming a major concern. The NFL and the NFL Players Association, the union that represents all players, have worked together for years on uniform and football helmet improvements to better protect players from injury. As part of the NFL’s “Play Smart, Play Safe” initiative, the league allocated $60 million toward the development of better protective equipment, including helmets. Because of the increase in concussions, the NFL reached a one-billion-dollar concussion settlement in 2017 with former players and their dependents. Families of all football players, from Pop Warner to high school, to college to the NFL, should be aware that many constructive and valuable helmet designs have been made in the last few years. The NFL has worked with the players and its biomedical experts to assess 34 helmet models made by six companies that were worn in the 2018 season, determining which was best at reducing head impact severity experienced by players on the field. The VICIS ZERO1 helmet ranked number one. However, 15 other helmets from Schutt, Xenith and Riddell are listed in the top performing group after laboratory testing. The NFL went so far as to ban 10 helmet models, although four of those designs were permitted to be worn by veteran players like Tom Brady and Drew Brees who were comfortable with the older football helmets and didn’t want to change. However, rookies were forbidden to wear similar models to what Brady and Brees use. When you're watching a game, you may notice players wearing football helmets of slightly different shapes and designs. Players are allowed to choose the helmet design that works best for them as long as the helmet design is certified by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. All football helmets are equipped with face masks. The rounded metal material that composes all face masks can’t be more than 5/8-inch in diameter. Most linemen wear a face mask called a cage, which has a bar extending down from the middle and top of the football helmet to below the nose area. There, this bar joins two or three bars that extend from both sides that completely prevent an opponent’s hands from reaching inside the face area and under the chin. However, few quarterbacks and receivers have a face mask with a bar coming between their eyes, because they want to ensure they can see clearly; many also leave the chin exposed. Twenty years ago, some quarterbacks wore a helmet with a single bar across the face. Today, you may see a punter or kicker with a helmet that has a single bar, but players who encounter more contact during games want more protection. Some football helmets also have a sunshade across the eyes to prevent sun glare from interfering with the player’s vision. This sunshade also keeps opponents from seeing the player’s eyes, which may give the player an advantage because opponents can’t see where the player is looking. Regardless which football helmet design you choose, it is very important to take the necessary precautions to keep players safe and protected.

Article / Updated 04-24-2017

Making sense of the penalties in American football can be tough — unless you have a handy list of common football penalties to refer to as you watch a game. Here are some brief explanations most common football penalties in National Football League (NFL): List of Football Penalties Penalty Description Penalty Yardage (NFL) Encroachment When a defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage and makes contact with an opponent before the ball is snapped. 5 yards False Start When an interior lineman on the offensive team moves prior to the snap of the ball, or when any offensive player makes a quick, abrupt movement prior to the snap of the ball. 5 yards Offside When any part of a player’s body is beyond the line of scrimmage or free kick line when the ball is put into play. 5 yards Holding (Offensive) When an offensive player uses his hands, arms, or other parts of his body to prevent a defensive player from tackling the ball carrier. 10 yards Holding (Defensive) When a defensive player tackles or holds an offensive player other than the ball carrier. 5 yards Automatic First Down Pass Interference A judgment call made by an official who sees a defensive player make contact with the intended receiver before the ball arrives, thus restricting his opportunity to catch the forward pass. Spot of the foul Automatic First Down Helmet to Helmet Collision When one player uses his helmet to hit into another player’s helmet. 15 yards Automatic First Down Horse Collar Tackle When one player tackles another by grabbing inside their shoulder pads (or jersey) from behind and yanking them down. 15 yards Automatic First Down Face Mask When a player grabs the face mask of another player while attempting to block or tackle. 15 yards Automatic First Down Roughing the Kicker When a defensive player makes any contact with the punter, provided the defensive player hasn’t touched the kicked ball before contact. 15 yards Automatic First Down Roughing the Passer hen a defensive player makes direct contact with the quarterback after the quarterback has released the ball. 15 yards Automatic First Down Personal Foul An illegal, flagrant foul considered risky to the health of another player. 15 yards Delay of Game An action which delays the game; for example, if the offense allows the play clock to run out 5 yards

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Any list of the ten most intense college football rivalries is bound to cause a stir because each fan has his or her own favorites. This list takes into account the number of years a rivalry has been going and whether the teams involved have consistently been at the top of the national standings. More important, these rivalries aren't ranked from most to least intense — it would cause entirely too much strife. Instead, this list presents the rivalries in good ol’ alphabetical order. Alabama versus Auburn In a football-happy state like Alabama, the annual contest — called the Iron Bowl — between Alabama and Auburn is bound to be contentious. The rivalry between these teams dates to 1893, when the Auburn Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 32–22. Incredibly, the annual game wasn’t played between the years 1907 and 1948 because the teams couldn’t agree on where to obtain officials. But now that the game is on again, the rivalry is as intense as ever. In fact, it’s been said that while the Iron Bowl is being played, all human activity, except for watching football, ceases in the state of Alabama. Army versus Navy The annual Army-Navy game pits the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York (the Cadets) against the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland (the Midshipmen). At the game’s end, the winning and losing teams stand together and sing one another’s alma mater in a show of mutual respect and admiration. Winning players may wear gold stars on their sweaters to commemorate their victory on the football field. The Army-Navy game is traditionally the last of the college regular season and is played in Philadelphia. California versus Stanford Called “The Big Game,” the annual contest between the University of California Bears and the Stanford University Cardinal isn’t just the occasion for a football game, although the football game is most certainly the main event. Students engage in all kinds of activities in the week prior to the game, including theatrical productions, choral celebrations, bonfires, and hockey and water polo games between the schools. The winner of The Big Game gets to keep the Stanford Axe, an axe-head mounted on a plaque that lists the scores of past Big Games. The first Big Game was played in 1892 on neutral ground in San Francisco (future president Herbert Hoover managed the Stanford team). Florida versus Georgia The annual game between the University of Florida Gators and the University of Georgia Bulldogs is known as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” It dates to 1912. As of 2010, Georgia holds a 47–40–2 lead in the series by its reckoning. Florida insists it’s 46–40–2. In any case, the Gators have won 18 of the past 21 meetings. The Gators-Bulldogs rivalry is one of only a handful of games played on a neutral site (in this case Jacksonville, Florida). Harvard versus Yale The annual battle between the Harvard Crimson and the Yale Bulldogs is known simply as “The Game.” The rivalry originated in 1875, when Harvard won 4–0 to capture the national championship. The Game is the second-oldest football rivalry — between Lafayette-–Lehigh (1884), the third oldest, and Princeton-Yale (1873), the oldest. According to legend, Harvard coach Percy Haughton strangled a bulldog (the bulldog is Yale’s mascot) in the locker room before the 1908 game to motivate his players. Prior to 1920, Harvard and Yale were football powerhouses. In the years 1875 to 1919, these teams earned 25 national championships between them, with the Harvard-Yale game often deciding the national champion. Lafayette versus Lehigh The Lafayette College and Lehigh University annual meeting is known as “The Rivalry.” It is on this list because, dating to 1884, it’s the most played rivalry in college football. The teams have met a record 146 times (as of 2010), with Lafayette winning 76 contests and Lehigh winning 65 (there were 5 ties). A rivalry this old is bound to be surrounded by folklore. My favorite story has to do with Lehigh halfback “Snooks” Dowd, who in 1918 supposedly ran 115 yards for a touchdown. His run, having begun in the wrong direction, took him around his own team’s goalposts. Michigan versus Ohio State The annual matchup between the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes is called “The Game” and dates to 1897. The two teams have decided the Big Ten title between themselves over 20 times. Often in this rivalry, one team spoils the other’s chances of winning a national championship. Each year from 1970 to 1975, Michigan went into its annual regular-season finale versus Ohio State without a loss. The Wolverines went 1–3–2 against the Buckeyes in those years. But Michigan has played the spoiler as well. In 1993, 1995, and 1996, an undefeated Ohio State team played Michigan and lost. Minnesota versus Wisconsin Dating to 1890, the rivalry between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Wisconsin Badgers is the most-played in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football. The teams have met 120 times as of 2010. The winner each year is awarded Paul Bunyan’s Axe, a large ceremonial axe bearing the scores and winners of games dating back to 1907. Before the Axe became the traditional trophy, the winning team was awarded the Slab of Bacon, a piece of black walnut wood with the letter W or M carved into it (the letter you saw depended on which way you turned the trophy). The Slab was lost in a melee after the 1945 game. Notre Dame versus USC The winner of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish–USC Trojans game has gone on to win the national championship 21 times. Between them, the University of Southern California and the University of Notre Dame have had more All-Americans and Heisman Trophy winners than any other combination of two schools — all of which has made for great football viewing over the years (not to mention a great rivalry!). Notre Dame versus USC is the only rivalry in which geography or conference membership doesn’t play a role. The rivalry began in 1926 when the wife of USC Athletic Director Gwynn Wilson persuaded the wife of Notre Dame Coach Knute Rockne that a trip away from snowy Indiana to sunny California every other year to play USC would be kind of nice for the players, coaches, and coaches’ wives. The wives then convinced their husbands to play the annual game. Oklahoma versus Texas The annual battle between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns is called “The Red River Shootout” because the winner is supposed to be awarded, until the teams’ next meeting, ownership of the Red River (this river forms part of the boundary between Oklahoma and Texas). The Oklahoma-Texas game is played on neutral ground in Dallas, about halfway between the two schools’ stomping grounds: Norman, Oklahoma, and Austin, Texas. This rivalry is so old (it dates to 1900) that it started when Oklahoma was a territory, not a state.