SAC Rivalries

[BEARS]

Saw this question on a PSAC thread. Who do you see your schools biggest rival(s) as being?

I've often thought of this as a LR fan. Historically our biggest rival has been Catawba. The two schools started in the same county and have been in the same conference since the creation of each other's athletics programs - we just met for the 100th time on the gridiron back in 2019. I've always seen the rivalry as being more of a friendly one because the schools are so close and many people have friends/family who are associated with Catawba, also neither school has been good at football at the same time for a while now.

Newberry is a natural rival as the only other D2 Lutheran school in the southeast and I really think they should create an actual "Bishops Trophy." Wingate has always felt like more of an athletic department rivalry because they just tend to be good at all the sports that LR is good at, not just football. But for my money the games I've gotten up for the most in recent times have been Carson-Newman. Despite the lopsided record this decade, we've seen some epic matchups with the Eagles, especially in the playoffs (the 2012, 2013, and 2019 matchups especially come to mind).

[Hailscarlet&gray]

For Newberry, Presbyterian was our rival for over 80 years. The two schools are only 19 miles apart, and though they had much greater success over Newberry in most sports over the years, we had some great football games. While I was at Newberry (81-86) we got the best of them in football. Though North Greenville is not in the SAC, they are a natural rival for Newberry simply becuase of proximity and we go after many of the same athletes on the recruiting trails.

Lenior-Rhyne would be our Lutheran rival and we have also had some really good games the past few years.

[pm2011]

Saw this question on a PSAC thread. Who do you see your schools biggest rival(s) as being?

I've often thought of this as a LR fan. Historically our biggest rival has been Catawba. The two schools started in the same county and have been in the same conference since the creation of each other's athletics programs - we just met for the 100th time on the gridiron back in 2019. I've always seen the rivalry as being more of a friendly one because the schools are so close and many people have friends/family who are associated with Catawba, also neither school has been good at football at the same time for a while now.

Newberry is a natural rival as the only other D2 Lutheran school in the southeast and I really think they should create an actual "Bishops Trophy." Wingate has always felt like more of an athletic department rivalry because they just tend to be good at all the sports that LR is good at, not just football. But for my money the games I've gotten up for the most in recent times have been Carson-Newman. Despite the lopsided record this decade, we've seen some epic matchups with the Eagles, especially in the playoffs (the 2012, 2013, and 2019 matchups especially come to mind).

They do have an actual Bishop's Trophy. It is currently sitting outside Newberry's locker room. ;)

[BEARS]

Lol clearly I haven’t seen it in two years 😂😂

[canadarican]

They do have an actual Bishop's Trophy. It is currently sitting outside Newberry's locker room. ;)

This was hilariously well played haha

[Bearhof]

Hands down biggest LR rival of all time would have been App. State or Tweetsy Tech home of the Boone goons as we called them. Lots of pranks performed before these games through the years by each others fraternities. Biggest game I recall was 1975 in Hickory with over 12,000 in attendance and App scores first ten points but Bears score next thirty one for the beat down. That was also the first year of the SAC conference and LR was the champions. Sad thing was LR went into hibernation for several years after that.

[pm2011]

Lol clearly I haven’t seen it in two years 😂😂

Lol. Though, it might have a new home after next week. But I know Newberry definitely gets up for the LR game. Rivalry games are almost always toss-ups.

LR-Newberry rivalry is big b/w us clergy and pastors, 😋

[MrCorso]

Lol. Though, it might have a new home after next week. But I know Newberry definitely gets up for the LR game. Rivalry games are almost always toss-ups.

LR-Newberry rivalry is big b/w us clergy and pastors, 😋

Newberry could beat Clemson one week and lose to Byrnes High School the next. Not a game I would put money on 😁

[canadarican]

Newberry could beat Clemson one week and lose to Byrnes High School the next. Not a game I would put money on 😁

Absolute truth. I would never gamble Newberry games.

I've said before, they could win at UGA, then lose to a community college flag football team the next.

[Bearhof]

Didn’t Newberry beat WFla and then lose the next po game to Bowie a couple years ago. Kinda states what’s been said.

[canadarican]

Didn’t Newberry beat WFla and then lose the next po game to Bowie a couple years ago. Kinda states what’s been said.

Was that the year Bowie had a 1st round bye?

[BEARS]

No, Bowie had just beat LR. I believe they were the second seed that year.

[cavsfan94]

For UVA-Wise, it's easily Emory & Henry

[Bearhof]

That’s correct second seed and I had to eat a lot of crow after those two losses. Still have a bad taste from that embarrassment of a performance from the Bears.