rivalry week
Annual grudge matches
Rivalry week is a period in a sports season when teams face their traditional rivals—opponents with long histories of intense competition.
The term is most common in American college football and basketball, where conference schedules build toward matchups between geographic neighbors or historic adversaries: Ohio State–Michigan rivalry week, Iron Bowl week.
The games often carry outsized emotional stakes for fans and alumni regardless of standings.
- big gameLarge hunted wildlife
- gamedayScheduled competition date
- game timeScheduled contest start
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
matchup · bragging rights · trophy · tailgate · sold out · hatred · tradition · alma mater · crosstown · trash talk · bitter · opponent · clash · stadium · home field · red zone · fight song · upset
- footballfootball, touchdown, field goal, quarterback, end zone
- rivalriesenemy, nemesis, derby, opponent, competitor
- Sports Rivalryarchrival, grudge match, bragging rights, derby, showdown
- school athleticsbasketball game, football game, baseball game, volleyball game, track meet
- sports calendarregular season, postseason, preseason, off-season, offseason
- Sports Seasonsregular season, preseason, postseason, offseason, playoffs
rivalry weekbye week
Scheduled break from play
exhibition game · preseason · scrimmage · preseason game · garbage time
rivalry, week, rival, rivals, rivaled, rivaling, rivalled, rivalling, rivalries