[Cider Jim]

Why would Marshall ever care enough about us to make it a rivalry?

Even though Marshall is older than WVU, Marshall is often thought of as the "little brother" in their home state, similar to how LU is so much younger than UVa or that cow college in Blacksburg. Plus, Marshall fans used to love to cross the state line and play VMI, but both Marshall and LU have out grown VMI, and they would make a good rivalry. And Huntington and Lynchburg are about the same size, and are both located on a river with nice downtown areas to visit.

[thepostman]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to play Marshall on a regular basis. I'm just not sure I see anything that would turn it into a rivalry.

[ATrain]

I explained why I believe ODU makes sense for a regional rival. I'm not sure why any school with tradition or history would care about liberty enough to make a change in whatever traditional rivalry they already have.

ODU and LU are both Virigina schools, they are both new the FBS and they both could use some kind of rivalry. It makes a lot of logical sense to me.

Regardless, I'm not a huge fan of manufacturing rivalries. So I guess we will see what develops in the coming years.

I agree that I'm not a huge fan of manufacturing rivalries, but we did manage to do good job of manufacturing one with Coastal. They still hate us even though most of us have moved on (except my amusement at us still being in their heads).

There is currently a great opportunity to have a natural rivalry develop with ODU. We're both in-state schools, and not only that we're the only two FBS schools in Virginia that aren't in the ACC, thus the "little brothers," of Tech and UVA. Tech and UVA play for the "Commonwealth Cup," - we could play ODU for the "460 Cup," or something like that.

BYU also has the potential to develop into a great rivalry, but we'd have to schedule each other more often. The religious aspect is interesting, but if that's the basis for a rivalry then BYU should already be rivals w/ Notre Dame and Baylor. Still, they are currently our best shot at having a "national," rival.

Other East Coast indies could also develop into rivalries (UMass, UConn, Army, etc...), but again, we'd have to schedule them consistently.

Marshall could be a rival, but I just don't see the value of developing one with the Herd. West Virginia isn't the hotbed of football talent that the 757 and the rest of the Commonwealth is, no one outside of Huntington cares about them (Cider Jim being the exception to the rule), and their football program is more known for a tragic accident and a subsequent movie than on-field success.

[Purple Haize]

Yeah, the BYU dynamic is certianly an interesting one. They also posses a lot of intangibles that could make for a fun rivalry. Their fans are so dang nice so it would be hard to have any real animosity but I'm all for a BYU rivalry. They have a great fanbase.

Which makes it perfect!
“The Worlds Nicest Rivalry “
“The Polite Fight”
“The Jesus Bowl”
“The Testament Tussle”
“The Worlds Largest Prayer Meeting”
“The Revival”
“The Communion Cup”

This would be an awesome annual meeting. Think of all the odd ball awesome good natured traditions that could be started.
ODU still makes the most sense Regionally and as both teams grow so does the rivalry. Having a secondary rivalry with BYU isn’t a bad idea. They’d still have the Utes LU would have the Monarchs. For comparison see USC. Their big rival is UCLA but also their annual ND game is big.

[ballcoach15]

ODU is barely above FCS

[chris leedlelee]

I vote for the "Communion Cup" where the trophy has actual wine in it that is poured Gatorade-style on the coach that wins.

[Cider Jim]

The nice thing about a Marshall rivalry is that many of their fans and alumni have moved to Virginia or the Carolinas for jobs, so it would be an easy commute for them and much closer than driving back to Huntington. And for those Marshall fans & alumni still stuck in WV, Lynchburg is a closer drive for most of those fans than Morgantown is.

And Ballcoach, to your comment about ODU being "barely above FCS," even Coach Freeze will tell you that many, if not most, of his players on his current LU team were recruited to play FCS football. Thankfully, that will soon change with a few more recruiting classes.

[Purple Haize]

The nice thing about a Marshall rivalry is that many of their fans and alumni have moved to Virginia or the Carolinas for jobs, so it would be an easy commute for them and much closer than driving back to Huntington. And those Marshall fans & alumni still stuck in WV, Lynchburg is a closer drive for most of those fans than Morgantown is.

And Ballcoach, to your comment about ODU being "barely above FCS," even Coach Freeze will tell you that many, if not most, of his players on his current LU team were recruited to play FCS football. Thankfully, that will soon change with a few more recruiting classes.

But what is the “It” that would make an LU - Marshall rivalry? There’s no there there.
Obviously West Virginia’s Junior College would love to beat its Varsity brethren in Morgantown so that’s obvious. We even gave them several chances to no avail. But THAT is a rivalry. Where is that with LU? It’s just not there. It would be a nice game to have on the schedule but certainly not a rivalry

[Cider Jim]

Where is that with LU? It’s just not there. It would be a nice game to have on the schedule but certainly not a rivalry

I'm not against manufacturing a rivalry. Most BYU fans didn't even know who we were, but we considered it a rivalry game. Let the LU marketing people give it a shot. Nothing wrong with a manufactured rivalry.

[Purple Haize]

Where is that with LU? It’s just not there. It would be a nice game to have on the schedule but certainly not a rivalry

I'm not against manufacturing a rivalry. Most BYU fans didn't even know who we were, but we considered it a rivalry game. Let the LU marketing people give it a shot. Nothing wrong with a manufactured rivalry.

What I’m asking is where are the items needed to even manufacture one? No one said it was a rivalry game because it was the first meeting. Not really possible to form a rivalry prior to actually meeting. But elements are there to build one. Same with ODU. I’m just not seeing it with Marshall

[tyndal23]

I would like to schedule BC and do long term 1 for 1 home and home and alternate the home games on years we go to UMass. P5 but Catholic and with right incentives might be open to having a traditional annual non con. I could see them playing LU UMass and UConn a lot. Doesn’t make much sense distance wise but perfect in all other aspects. ( I don’t want to bother trying to establish rivalries with any G5. ODU can be our annual FCS game replacement. )

[Logic]

BYU is the one. It will take some time, but look for annual matchups with BYU in the future assuming we both stay independent.

[ballcoach15]

All it would take to develop a LU-Marshall rivalry , is for the 2 teams schedule each other every season. After 4 or 5 years, the rivalry would be there.

Cider can wear a Marshall hat and LU shirt to each game.

[thepostman]

It takes way more than playing every year to become a real rivalry. Marshall and Liberty have very little in regards to a connection.

Both BYU and ODU have some very obvious connections that could develop into a rivalry.

What is it about Marshall ballcoach?

[Logic]

BYU is the one.

[JK37]

BYU feels like the one.

I see the benefits to annual game with BC as very one-sided. What’s in it for them? We could beat them! ACC team can’t be having that.

The first few years of FBS scheduling look nice enough. Beat a few P5’s, and watch how hard it becomes to schedule them until we are officially classified as a P5 equivalent by conferences.

Beat LU? So what, they’re brand new FBS, barely G5. Lose to LU? OMG!!! WTF!!!!!! TSIF!!!!!!!!!!

[Cider Jim]

Cider can wear a Marshall hat and LU shirt to each game.

It wouldn't be the first time that I've done that. The last (and only) time we played Marshall in football, the Flames lost 63-3. That would NEVER happen to a Hugh Freeze coached team.

[ballcoach15]

I recall seeing a LU professor at a Liberty vs Marshall softball game, wearing a Herd hat.

[Liberty22]

I recall seeing a LU professor at a Liberty vs Marshall softball game, wearing a Herd hat.

Snitch

[Purple Haize]

It takes way more than playing every year to become a real rivalry. Marshall and Liberty have very little in regards to a connection.

Both BYU and ODU have some very obvious connections that could develop into a rivalry.

What is it about Marshall ballcoach?

My point earlier is that both could be rivalries at the same time. It’s like that at a lot of schools.
Asking fraudcoach “why” about anything is a fool’s errand. It’s like a KJV only person. If it’s good enough for Paul (ballcoach) it’s good enough for me. I don’t need your pesky facts

[Purple Haize]

I recall seeing a LU professor at a Liberty vs Marshall softball game, wearing a Herd hat.

Snitch

You know what happens to snitches

[ballcoach15]

No name was mentioned.

[sstaedtler]

I'd much rather play BYU, Notre Dame, or Army every year rather than New Mexico State, UConn, and UMass. I hope we play 3 ACC teams every year, I good Independent (Army, BYU, or Notre Dame), and then add one other P5 game, whether it is Rutgers, Arkansas, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, etc.

[tyndal23]

BYU feels like the one.

I see the benefits to annual game with BC as very one-sided. What’s in it for them? We could beat them! ACC team can’t be having that.

The first few years of FBS scheduling look nice enough. Beat a few P5’s, and watch how hard it becomes to schedule them until we are officially classified as a P5 equivalent by conferences.

Beat LU? So what, they’re brand new FBS, barely G5. Lose to LU? OMG!!! WTF!!!!!! TSIF!!!!!!!!!!

Agree with last 2 points 100 percent - big reason we need to announce it now and schedule ASAP as P5 Equivalent with ACC supporting it - otherwise road just gets tougher for scheduling. As for BC I stated incentivize because they are only ACC small enough and religious enough that might find it intriguing but we would have to foot the bill. BYU and any Independents are a given - I am looking for P5 potential like Vandy and BC - possibly North Western TCU types

[ballcoach15]

I am hoping for an invitation to AAC or Big 12.