Ranking Okaloosa County's top football rivalries: No. 1 may surprise you

When it comes to ranking Okaloosa County football rivalries, myriad factors are taken into account.

Sure, parity is important. But so are the stakes of the game, the respect (or lack thereof) between the programs and off-the-field factors that bleed into the bad blood.

With that said, let's have some fun grading the rivalries you know and love. This is just one man's opinion, by the way, crafted through covering these programs for a 12th straight year. Share your opinion by voting below.

Top 5 QBs on the Emerald Coast: Winslette, Orr, Freeman, Hawk, Pfiester in line to shine

Top 5 RBs on the Emerald Coast: Tabb, Shorts, Love Jr., Parks, Mckenzie primed for big years

1. Crestview at Niceville, Sept. 29 at Eagle Stadium

Respectability: 8/10, Competitiveness 10/10; Region Implications 10/10; Hate Index: 10/10

Score: 38/40

Story time.

In 2021, on a night where Crestview's rowdy student section entered Eagle Stadium wearing black T-Shirts that read, "Us vs. The Recruiters," there were rumblings of Niceville playing ineligible transfers from Crestview's camp. Even as Niceville rolled to a 42-7 halftime lead, Crestview insiders promised a bombshell soon to drop. Two months later, right before Christmas, Niceville was ordered to forfeit both its previous football and baseball seasons.

Of course in February of 2022, Niceville was cleared of any wrongdoing by the FHSAA Board of Directors in an appellate vote of 14-1. Niceville was vindicated. Crestview was big mad.

Flash forward to Nov. 11 of last season, Crestview strolled into Eagle Stadium and — after losing 13-9 to Niceville six weeks prior at Jack Foster stadium — ended Niceville's season in a 26-21 region quarterfinal win. First-year head coach Thomas Grant was on Cloud 9. As was his team, which lingered at Eagle Stadium well into the night. Players even went so far as to snap photos with the bronze Eagle on the field.

Yep, Sept. 29 is going to be fun. As for parity, every great rivalry has it. As such, the programs are 5-5 since 2015. Forget The Panhandle, you could argue there's no more heated rivalry in the entire Sunshine State.

2. Choctaw at Niceville, Sept. 22 at Eagle Stadium

Respectability: 10/10; Competitiveness: 4/10; Playoff Implications: 8/10; Hate Index: 7/10.

Score: 29/40

Speaking of parity, or lack thereof, Choctaw hasn't beaten Niceville since 2012. This is an undeniable fact holding the rivalry back. But Choctaw's resurgence in 2022 resurrected what's been lost for the last decade.

I believe yours truly has a hand in that. You see, I ranked the Big Green ahead of Niceville in last year's initial power ranks. To say that didn't sit well with the Eagles is an understatement. It also didn't age well when Choctaw began 1-4 and lost their 11th straight against Choctaw during the regular season, albeit a 23-13 battle. So what has breathed new life into the county rivalry? Well, Choctaw finished 2022 on a 6-2 tear, upset top-ranked Pine Forest in the Sweet 16 and was the last area team standing after advancing to the region finals, where the Big Green were an overtime loss away from the Final 4.

Considering the return of Cole Tabb and Jesse Winslette for Choctaw and the improvement made with Niceville's offense, this year's game could be a coin flip. The running-clock results suffered by the Big Green from 2019-2021 are a thing of the past.

3. Choctaw at FWB, Oct. 27 at Steve Riggs Stadium

Respectability: 9/10; Competitiveness: 2/10; Playoff Implications: 9/10; Hate Index: 7/10.

Score: 27/40

Ah, "The Game." Once upon a time, in what is recognized as the longest prep football rivalry on The Panhandle, these cross-town programs were deadlocked at 21-21. Now, following last year's 48-0 rout by the Big Green, Choctaw has won nine of 10 in the rivalry and sports a 30-22 record over the Vikings.

Bobby Clayton, like Chip Petree did briefly in 2020, is trying to renew parity to the rivalry. Not just by beating Choctaw, but by being relevant in the playoff discussion. The last time both teams were collectively relevant as playoff contenders was 2011, when the teams battled in a 31-23 Big Green win. Choctaw went on to finish 11-3 that year and Fort Walton Beach 6-5.

Lore has it that the ticket line into Joe Etheredge Stadium used to extend to Racetrack Road when these rivals squared off. One day we'll get back there.

4. Choctaw at Crestview, Sept. 8 at Jack Foster Stadium

Respectability: 8/10; Competitiveness: 9/10; Region Implications: 5/10; Hate Index: 3/10.

Score: 25/40

Last year, Choctaw and Crestview combined for nearly 800 yards of offense in a 35-34 Big Green win. The year before, Choctaw won a 16-13 defensive battle. The back-to-back wins are Choctaw's response to Crestview's four-game win streak in the rivalry from 2015-2020.

Considering the teams are in different classes and have bigger rivalries elsewhere, the implications and hate index are low on this one. But aren't these one-possession outcomes fun?

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: What are the top high school football rivalries in Okaloosa County?