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What do you think is the best FCS rivalry, historically, presently, whatever.

MINE
Maine-New Hampshire- Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket- First played: 1903
In recent years, its been the battle for the CAA North Title. Now with the schedule changes, we play UNH on October 2. There won't be a snow bowl this year in Orono, we'll save that for JMU

Brawl of the Wild - Montana/Montana State

Harvard-Yale. Ain't even close.

Ivytalk wrote:Harvard-Yale. Ain't even close.

Yeah, that one determines the Ivy autobid a lot of years, right?

(oh, I crack myself up)

FCS id have to say the Brawl of the Wild between Montana and Montana State. However i think the greatest rivalry of all time is Army vs Navy

W&M - UR is a pretty good one. I got to go to that one last year and had a blast.

I know GSU's rivalries don't go back nearly as far as many of the rivalries throughout the FCS, but IMO they rank among the best.

GSU vs. Furman - you can't name a rivalry that has had more nationally significant games in IAA/FCS over the years, which includes a national semifinal and two national championship games.

GSU and App. State - Just because of the stature of the two programs. Pretty much every year from when GSU joined the SoCon in the early 90s up through today at least one of the teams is a national powerhouse.

The best overall would be Brawl of the Wild, though.

I'd say the Battle for the Dakota Marker is a neat one that is turning into a fierce one rather rapidly. Not necissarily the best, but I'd throw it out there. I mean who else plays for a sick ass rock.

Nuff said...

Willie wrote:Nuff said...

Word, but it looks like it might be turning into a non-rivalry again...

I know a lot of people are saying if/when the Griz move up that the Cat/Griz game will cease to exist...well I call straight bullshit on that. They will make it happen. It's in the top 5 for longest running rivalries, it won't die.

Southern vs. Grambling

We are Elon and WCU's biggest rival. It's adorable how mad they can get. Elon wants to beat us in this lifetime and WCU wants some coffee table centerpiece we have.

We finds the most cruel ways to beat Furman. It's the Curse of the Lamb. Ever since he became their coach in 2002, we have beaten them every single year.

Georgia Southern is hillbillies versus rednecks. We're like oil and water. Heck we even argue which one is oil and which one is water.

Since we're five-time defending conference champions and on a 21-game conference winning streak (34-3 the last five years), everyone thinks we're their biggest rival.

well for the Spiders it has to be W&M, the oldest rivalry in the south and third most played in FCS. Though, our games with JMU have certainly risen to a point where the hatred is ridiculously strong. From Scotty McGhee's heroics of two years ago, to Parker's strip of Thorpe last year, this rivalry has had it all the last few years, including the road team winning 6 straight.. Now outside of my school, I think Harvard-Yale and of course Lehigh-Lafayette have to be considered two of the best rivalries in all of FCS

I don't think Furman's are the best nationally by any stretch but

Oldest, the Citadel. played since the 30s and was pretty even until the 80s. Important differences for a rivalry. Low country versus upstate. Military versus up scale private (and in years past baptist). Storied not only in reality but in literature as Pat Conroy has enshrined some of the rivalries greatest moments, including the horse that was kidnapped (and blinded) by the Cadets and the Cadet raid on Furman that was foiled when a Highway patrolman alerted Dr Bonner of their impending arrival on the FU campus. The few cadets that made the trip were apparently greeted at the entrance by a very large welcoming party. Taft ruined the rivalry by changing the play date from the last game of the year to the middle of the season because he didn't want to play Furman prior to El Cid going to the playoffs.

Current biggest would be GSU. Important parts told above by a different poster. First two times we played were for National Championships unfortunately on the other side of the country. The problem with this rivalry though is that it appears to be heated only when the teams are at the top of their game and in their division. Doesn't mean we dislike each other less, but it loses fire when we aren't playing for something more than just the game between us.

Future rival I think will be Wofford. Wofford folks hate us probably because they spent years in the shadows playing NAIA and DII. Furman fans still can't quite muster the hatred for the l'il dogs but I think that will change the longer WC and Furman play every year and as long as the series stays competitive. Another good basis for a rivalry (different than The Citadel) is the similarity. Small schools. Religion based. Similar academics. proximity. Both upstate but the rivalry between Greenville and Spartanburg adds fuel to the fire. Of course Greenville wins that one hands down and hopefully Furman will too. But the rivalry isn't quite there yet because the hate is still too one sided.

Top 5 in no order...

Harvard/Yale
Montana/Montana St
Grambling/Southern
Lehigh/Lafayette
NDSU/SDSU

Can't believe everyone's missed the elephant in the room:

93henfan wrote:Can't believe everyone's missed the elephant in the room:

I thought West Chester was our rival?

89Hen wrote:

93henfan wrote:Can't believe everyone's missed the elephant in the room:

I thought West Chester was our rival?

You might be THEIR rival, but until UD pulls a Montana State there isn't really a true rivalry there

bandl wrote:

89Hen wrote: I thought West Chester was our rival?

You might be THEIR rival, but until UD pulls a Montana State there isn't really a true rivalry there

I know of another one way rivalry.

Personally I have to go with App State and Georgia Southern. Both high profile programs where there is good ole fashioned hate involved. Regardless of which team is "up" most games are highly contested bloodbaths both on and off the field. I have more fun going to Statesboro that any other away game just because of the passion of both schools supporters. As someone else said "hillbillies vs. rednecks" has got to be fun.

From what I know Montana vs Montana State might be the biggest on a national basis. I'm not that knowledgeable about the history of some of the historically black colleges and universities but I would guess matchups like Grambling and Southern would have a lot of history behind them too. Don't they draw more than 40K for their biggest matchups?

I know what isn't a rivalry anymore....Nova vs. UD...and I don't see that changing this year.

GAD wrote:Southern vs. grambling

fixed it. can't stand seeing that capital G. and to make it even better we only have to travel 87 miles for the game but they have to travel 317. that works for me.

Cat/griz

The Brawl of the Wild is something the media trumped up a few years ago, it's always been Cat/griz.

SpeedkingATL wrote:Personally I have to go with App State and Georgia Southern. Both high profile programs where there is good ole fashioned hate involved. Regardless of which team is "up" most games are highly contested bloodbaths both on and off the field. I have more fun going to Statesboro that any other away game just because of the passion of both schools supporters. As someone else said "hillbillies vs. rednecks" has got to be fun.

From what I know Montana vs Montana State might be the biggest on a national basis. I'm not that knowledgeable about the history of some of the historically black colleges and universities but I would guess matchups like Grambling and Southern would have a lot of history behind them too. Don't they draw more than 40K for their biggest matchups?

Bayou Classic attendance has been dropping but over the last 5 years the average is still 53K.