[johndoe]

[Class of 20Something]

Welcome to the board!

Any chance you could link that forum? I'm sure both sides would love to talk about this some.

Thanks for sharing. We've been discussing this for a while. The biggest hang-up is the two schools are really respectful of each other. There's not vitriol there. The ADs really need to come out together and broach that to the fanbases. Call it a tradition or whatever, but I really enjoyed interacting with BYU fans surrounding that game. It was outright pleasant.

[LU 57]

Agreed. Their fans were off the charts respectful and complimentary of our team.

Their sports radio jocks, not so much. They gave us no shot. One guy even said they had 100% chance to win their last 3 games. Granted, the 2 after us are FCS Idaho State and UMASS.

Not sure you could really manufacture much vitriol unless the Baptists vs. Mormons angle was played up.

[thepostman]

I am sure if the Baptists said what they really thought of the Mormon church then it would be easy to manufacture a rivalry but I don't see that happening. We need as many friends as we can get!

[olldflame]

I am sure if the Baptists said what they really thought of the Mormon church then it would be easy to manufacture a rivalry but I don't see that happening. We need as many friends as we can get!

I remember Dr. Hindson doing a lecture on Mormanism back in the days. Let's just say he didn't mince any words.

[ATrain]

I'd be find having the "Friendliest rivalry in college football." Although we all know it only takes a few perceived bad calls in a close game in order for it to become pure, unadulterated loathing.

[Class of 20Something]

I'd be find having the "Friendliest rivalry in college football." Although we all know it only takes a few perceived bad calls in a close game in order for it to become pure, unadulterated loathing.

That's it.

Zondervan presents The Bible Belt! "The Friendliest Rivalry is College Football"

[Purple Haize]

I'd be find having the "Friendliest rivalry in college football." Although we all know it only takes a few perceived bad calls in a close game in order for it to become pure, unadulterated loathing.

Hold on a second. That is brilliant. There’s already The Worlds Largest Cocktail Party, The Backyard Brawl. Used to be Convicts v Catholics. etc. The Worlds Friendliest Rivalry could get some serious play. It would fit the perceptions of each school. They could have traditions of doing “nice” things for each school/fan base
I think you are on to something

[thepostman]

You'd have to take twitter away from Jr first.

[LU 57]

I am sure if the Baptists said what they really thought of the Mormon church then it would be easy to manufacture a rivalry but I don't see that happening. We need as many friends as we can get!

This is very true!

[Jonathan Carone]

I am sure if the Baptists said what they really thought of the Mormon church then it would be easy to manufacture a rivalry but I don't see that happening. We need as many friends as we can get!

Unless there’s an election coming and the republican nominee is a Mormon. They’ll bend over backwards to normalize it then.

[DomCasual]

I am sure if the Baptists said what they really thought of the Mormon church then it would be easy to manufacture a rivalry but I don't see that happening. We need as many friends as we can get!

As someone who grew up Baptist, became a Latter-day Saint after high school, went on a mission, went to BYU, and has now raised a family in the church, I'll share a couple things with you.

First, the idea that BYU fans consider Liberty their biggest rival is, well, silly. Utah is BYU's biggest rival. Utah State is a very distant second. Boise State is getting on the radar, after some particularly ugly incidents in the recent past (plus, they're reasonably geographically close, and they have been on the schedule nearly every year in the recent past, and the foreseeable future). There are others that could easily get there, with more exposure. Texas is one that BYU has pounded the last few times out. I notice some real hate for BYU on various Longhorn message boards. But Texas has very little to gain from scheduling BYU more often. Especially in basketball, San Diego State seems to take things to a fairly unpleasant level. Before this year, most BYU fans couldn't have told you what state Liberty was in.

Second - regarding the post to which I am replying - Baptists think about Latter-day Saints a lot more than Latter-day Saints think about Baptists. (IMO, Baptists think about just about everybody more than just about everybody thinks about Baptists - but that's maybe a discussion for a different day.) The stuff I heard about Latter-day Saints, growing up, turned out to be mostly misguided (and oftentimes, deliberately dishonest). There are obviously some serious theological differences. But there are even more similarities. As a general rule, Latter-day Saints seem to turn more of their attention inwardly. They can tell you minute details about their own theology. But ask a Latter-day Saint, for example, what the difference was between a Baptist, a Pentecostal, and a Methodist, and they're very likely to respond, "Well, gosh, they're all Christians, right?" On the other hand (and I will concede that not all Baptist churches are exactly the same), ask a Baptist about the difference between, say, Latter-day Saints and Catholics, and your answer is likely to be, "You mean, besides the fact that they're all going to hell?"

I greatly looked forward to BYU playing Liberty, on the other hand. Most of my high school friends went to Liberty (I went to a small Baptist high school). Some of them are my great friends, to this day. Many of them basically stopped speaking with me, when I went through my spiritual evolution. I had always looked forward to a game more along the lines of a 55-7 variety. Even five years ago, I think that's probably what we would have seen. With respect to the strides Liberty has made since Jerry Sr. has passed, the programs have been (and mostly still are) on different levels. BYU is a program with an NFL-sized stadium, a national championship, a Heisman Trophy winner, and multiple winners of just about all the other major college football awards (Maxwell, Davey O'Brien, Doak Walker, Outland, etc). Liberty is - well, Liberty has a stadium that, when filled, would have attendance more in line with a college basketball game. As for all those other accolades - no, none of those. Clearly, Liberty has closed the gap, talent-wise. But I think the closeness of that game was somewhat anomalous. We'll see how it plays out, in the future.

Anyway, having stumbled upon the post I quoted, I just had to respond. "thepostman" is a Baptist being honest here, in a typically pretentious manner. That's more along the lines of what I have come to expect.

A few of you asked for more vitriol. I'm just doing my best to contribute to the cause.

[thepostman]

First, welcome to the board! Happy to have you!

Secondly, and most important, I am not a Baptist! I grew up going to independent, fundamental Baptist churches so I am all too familiar with their way of thinking. I don't go to a Baptist Church now and I can't imagine that ever changing.

Thank you for your perspective. It is appreciated. I hope you stick around.

[TH Spangler]

I am sure if the Baptists said what they really thought of the Mormon church then it would be easy to manufacture a rivalry but I don't see that happening. We need as many friends as we can get!

As someone who grew up Baptist, became a Latter-day Saint after high school, went on a mission, went to BYU, and has now raised a family in the church, I'll share a couple things with you.

First, the idea that BYU fans consider Liberty their biggest rival is, well, silly. Utah is BYU's biggest rival. Utah State is a very distant second. Boise State is getting on the radar, after some particularly ugly incidents in the recent past (plus, they're reasonably geographically close, and they have been on the schedule nearly every year in the recent past, and the foreseeable future). There are others that could easily get there, with more exposure. Texas is one that BYU has pounded the last few times out. I notice some real hate for BYU on various Longhorn message boards. But Texas has very little to gain from scheduling BYU more often. Especially in basketball, San Diego State seems to take things to a fairly unpleasant level. Before this year, most BYU fans couldn't have told you what state Liberty was in.

Second - regarding the post to which I am replying - Baptists think about Latter-day Saints a lot more than Latter-day Saints think about Baptists. (IMO, Baptists think about just about everybody more than just about everybody thinks about Baptists - but that's maybe a discussion for a different day.) The stuff I heard about Latter-day Saints, growing up, turned out to be mostly misguided (and oftentimes, deliberately dishonest). There are obviously some serious theological differences. But there are even more similarities. As a general rule, Latter-day Saints seem to turn more of their attention inwardly. They can tell you minute details about their own theology. But ask a Latter-day Saint, for example, what the difference was between a Baptist, a Pentecostal, and a Methodist, and they're very likely to respond, "Well, gosh, they're all Christians, right?" On the other hand (and I will concede that not all Baptist churches are exactly the same), ask a Baptist about the difference between, say, Latter-day Saints and Catholics, and your answer is likely to be, "You mean, besides the fact that they're all going to hell?"

I greatly looked forward to BYU playing Liberty, on the other hand. Most of my high school friends went to Liberty (I went to a small Baptist high school). Some of them are my great friends, to this day. Many of them basically stopped speaking with me, when I went through my spiritual evolution. I had always looked forward to a game more along the lines of a 55-7 variety. Even five years ago, I think that's probably what we would have seen. With respect to the strides Liberty has made since Jerry Sr. has passed, the programs have been (and mostly still are) on different levels. BYU is a program with an NFL-sized stadium, a national championship, a Heisman Trophy winner, and multiple winners of just about all the other major college football awards (Maxwell, Davey O'Brien, Doak Walker, Outland, etc). Liberty is - well, Liberty has a stadium that, when filled, would have attendance more in line with a college basketball game. As for all those other accolades - no, none of those. Clearly, Liberty has closed the gap, talent-wise. But I think the closeness of that game was somewhat anomalous. We'll see how it plays out, in the future.

Anyway, having stumbled upon the post I quoted, I just had to respond. "thepostman" is a Baptist being honest here, in a typically pretentious manner. That's more along the lines of what I have come to expect.

A few of you asked for more vitriol. I'm just doing my best to contribute to the cause.

A good friend of mine, Mike "Smith" made the opposite transition. He broke from his family tradition and departed the LDS church to become a Methodist. His family has not spoken to he or his wife in 20 years over it. I would enjoy hearing you and he discuss what you referred to as, " serious theological differences". That's one thing you two would agree on. And on your hell reference , no one who repents and places ALL hope in Christ goes to hell. Some "teaching" make that truth harder to discover.

That being said, I love playing you guys in sports. And in the very near future we'll be kicking your butt regularly in your BIG NFL style stadium ..... and on our little high school field and gym in Lynchburg. Let the rivalry begin!

[Cider Jim]

The last official statistic I saw (and it was years ago), is that LU is only 40 percent Baptist. My guess is that percentage has decreased since then.

[TH Spangler]

The last official statistic I saw (and it was years ago), is that LU is only 40 percent Baptist. My guess is that percentage has decreased since then.

Now Liberty would qualify more as a protestant University founded by a Baptist church.

[Purple Haize]

I am sure if the Baptists said what they really thought of the Mormon church then it would be easy to manufacture a rivalry but I don't see that happening. We need as many friends as we can get!

As someone who grew up Baptist, became a Latter-day Saint after high school, went on a mission, went to BYU, and has now raised a family in the church, I'll share a couple things with you.

First, the idea that BYU fans consider Liberty their biggest rival is, well, silly. Utah is BYU's biggest rival. Utah State is a very distant second. Boise State is getting on the radar, after some particularly ugly incidents in the recent past (plus, they're reasonably geographically close, and they have been on the schedule nearly every year in the recent past, and the foreseeable future). There are others that could easily get there, with more exposure. Texas is one that BYU has pounded the last few times out. I notice some real hate for BYU on various Longhorn message boards. But Texas has very little to gain from scheduling BYU more often. Especially in basketball, San Diego State seems to take things to a fairly unpleasant level. Before this year, most BYU fans couldn't have told you what state Liberty was in.

Second - regarding the post to which I am replying - Baptists think about Latter-day Saints a lot more than Latter-day Saints think about Baptists. (IMO, Baptists think about just about everybody more than just about everybody thinks about Baptists - but that's maybe a discussion for a different day.) The stuff I heard about Latter-day Saints, growing up, turned out to be mostly misguided (and oftentimes, deliberately dishonest). There are obviously some serious theological differences. But there are even more similarities. As a general rule, Latter-day Saints seem to turn more of their attention inwardly. They can tell you minute details about their own theology. But ask a Latter-day Saint, for example, what the difference was between a Baptist, a Pentecostal, and a Methodist, and they're very likely to respond, "Well, gosh, they're all Christians, right?" On the other hand (and I will concede that not all Baptist churches are exactly the same), ask a Baptist about the difference between, say, Latter-day Saints and Catholics, and your answer is likely to be, "You mean, besides the fact that they're all going to hell?"

I greatly looked forward to BYU playing Liberty, on the other hand. Most of my high school friends went to Liberty (I went to a small Baptist high school). Some of them are my great friends, to this day. Many of them basically stopped speaking with me, when I went through my spiritual evolution. I had always looked forward to a game more along the lines of a 55-7 variety. Even five years ago, I think that's probably what we would have seen. With respect to the strides Liberty has made since Jerry Sr. has passed, the programs have been (and mostly still are) on different levels. BYU is a program with an NFL-sized stadium, a national championship, a Heisman Trophy winner, and multiple winners of just about all the other major college football awards (Maxwell, Davey O'Brien, Doak Walker, Outland, etc). Liberty is - well, Liberty has a stadium that, when filled, would have attendance more in line with a college basketball game. As for all those other accolades - no, none of those. Clearly, Liberty has closed the gap, talent-wise. But I think the closeness of that game was somewhat anomalous. We'll see how it plays out, in the future.

Anyway, having stumbled upon the post I quoted, I just had to respond. "thepostman" is a Baptist being honest here, in a typically pretentious manner. That's more along the lines of what I have come to expect.

A few of you asked for more vitriol. I'm just doing my best to contribute to the cause.

More proof this can be the Friendliest Rivalry in Sports.

[olldflame]

The "poll" is a joke. Anyone who knows anything about BYU sports (or college sports for that matter) knows that Utah is their rival, and it isn't close. Looking forward to closing that gap. It's really a no-brainer for the 2 schools to compete on a regular basis in multiple sports.

[LUOrange]

The poll is kind of silly and premature. We played one good close game, and everyone was shaking hands, patting butts, and helping each other up. Not exactly rival stuff. But I'm all in on building that "friendliest rivalry" thing. I'd love it to play BYU regularly/every year in football, MBB, WBB, and Baseball. I think we did host them in swimming or diving or something.

[olldflame]

The poll is kind of silly and premature. We played one good close game, and everyone was shaking hands, patting butts, and helping each other up. Not exactly rival stuff. But I'm all in on building that "friendliest rivalry" thing. I'd love it to play BYU regularly/every year in football, MBB, WBB, and Baseball. I think we did host them in swimming or diving or something.

We also played them in softball last year, and that would be a good thing to continue, although looking at the murderous schedule Dot put together for this year, she may not consider them enough of a "challenge"

Of our first 13 games this year 12 are against P5 conference opponents. The other one? A little outfit called TEAM USA. Ouch!

[Purple Haize]

The "poll" is a joke. Anyone who knows anything about BYU sports (or college sports for that matter) knows that Utah is their rival, and it isn't close. Looking forward to closing that gap. It's really a no-brainer for the 2 schools to compete on a regular basis in multiple sports.

Party Pooper
Absolutely the Utes are BYU’s biggest rival. BUT that doesn’t mean there can’t be another Rivalry. Especially if you take a unique marketing approach. Honestly how many “rivalries “ are there in College athletics that most people outside of those schools don’t know about ? This has the added benefit of catching on because of its uniqueness. Much more so than the manufactured Beach Chicken rivalry

[olldflame]

The "poll" is a joke. Anyone who knows anything about BYU sports (or college sports for that matter) knows that Utah is their rival, and it isn't close. Looking forward to closing that gap. It's really a no-brainer for the 2 schools to compete on a regular basis in multiple sports.

Party Pooper
Absolutely the Utes are BYU’s biggest rival. BUT that doesn’t mean there can’t be another Rivalry. Especially if you take a unique marketing approach. Honestly how many “rivalries “ are there in College athletics that most people outside of those schools don’t know about ? This has the added benefit of catching on because of its uniqueness. Much more so than the manufactured Beach Chicken rivalry

Oh, I totally agree this situation is made to order for a "friendly" rivalry" The reason I said the poll is a joke is because Utah wasn't even given as one of the choices.

[BYU_Rich]

BYU fan here...

Count me as a BYU fan that would love for BYU to play Liberty in football every year. This could be great for both schools.

I attended the game in Provo, and the Liberty fans were great. As a BYU fan, you get used to playing schools with fanbases that bash on your religion, and that are flat out bigots. Liberty fans weren't like that, and were very friendly and respectful. It almost felt like BYU and Liberty are cousins to each other. It was fun!

Also, since both schools are Independent, it makes sense. The key to successful scheduling as an Independent is making sure that you have 3-4 annual rivalries. This is the formula that Notre Dame has followed to great success. For the schools, it probably looks like this for annual rivalries:

NOTRE DAME - Stanford, USC, Navy, Purdue/Michigan State

BYU - Utah , Utah State, Boise......Liberty (east coast rival)?

LIBERTY: BYU? ????, ???? (not sure who Liberty's current annual rivals are.... Maybe UConn?)

Anyway, I'd love to get this friendly rivalry going. Also, I think Liberty has more upside than BYU long term, because Liberty's administration seems like it has a much stronger desire to be relevant nationally (hired Hugh Freeze and Ian McCaw, despite some red flags for both). Liberty and BYU, let's get this thing going!

[BYU_Rich]

I'll add, I think some BYU fans think it wouldn't be worth scheduling Liberty, and that Liberty is sort of a Sun Belt level program (since it is new to FBS).

But I think that is a short view. I think Liberty is investing in its program and will be pretty strong in about 3-4 years time.

[Cider Jim]

Does BYU have a quiz bowl team?