House Divided: Thanksgiving Football Rivalries

by Ashley Pitts

Thanksgiving break always arrives with stellar timing, right when students need a breather from papers, exams, and the swirl of campus life. But for SMU fans, that break also brings football. This season, the Mustangs will take on Cal in a Thanksgiving weekend matchup that is sure to have students and alumni alike glued to their TV screens between servings of turkey and pie.

SMU Football and a Holiday Weekend Showdown

The SMU football team is entering the field with smoke in the background

While SMU vs. Louisville might not spark the same level of rivalry intensity as a good old-fashioned clash with TCU, the game promises to spark debates, activate group texts, and inspire family watch parties across the country. Because if there’s one thing college football does best, it’s revealing just how divided a household can become, especially around the holidays.

When Rivalries Come Home

Thanksgiving brings families together. Football reminds people who they root for. “As soon as November hits, my house becomes a Big Ten family feud,” says SMU senior Rileigh Chalmers. Rileigh grew up surrounded by West Coast football tension. “My brother went to USC, my dad went to UCLA, and they won’t watch the game in the same room. It’s crazy.” This year, Rileigh plans to sit quietly in the middle wearing SMU colors, just hoping to survive until dessert.

For other Mustangs, the SEC drama takes center stage. “My mom is a huge Auburn fan, but my grandparents met at Alabama and my boyfriend currently goes there,” says SMU CCPA student, Hailey Schugel. “So every Iron Bowl, we try to have a friendly watch party…until it gets to overtime,” Schugel laughs.

Then, there’s the classic Lone Star chaos. “Thanksgiving is calm until Texas and A&M come on TV,” claims SMU student-athlete Chance Johnson. Chance, a senior, says his Texas and Texas A&M family dynamic is “all fun and games until kickoff.” He even mentioned that the losing team often waits to serve themselves last, a rule proclaimed by the UT side of his family.

Divided, Yet United

For many SMU students, Thanksgiving isn’t just turkey season; it’s rivalry season. From the Iron Bowl to the Lone Star Showdown and everything in between, the week brings some of the most iconic matchups in college football. It’s the one time of year when family reunions share the spotlight with fourth-quarter drama and decades-old traditions.

Despite all the tension, teasing, and strategic seating arrangements, rivalry weekends do something special: they bring families closer together. Rivalries give households a chance to laugh, debate, reminisce, and remember where their school pride comes from. They turn siblings into competitors, grandparents into sports commentators, and parents into self-appointed referees. Even when the living room looks like a stadium split down the 50-yard line, the act of watching together matters more than who wins. And next year still promises another game, another house divided, and another chance to rewrite the family bragging rights.