What is a good "ole fashioned" college football rivalry without a catchy name and a symbolic trophy? That's one thing the Western Carolina football team is missing, after the "Battle for the Old Mountain Jug" went the way of MySpace in 2013. Ever since Appalachian State moved to the Sun Belt, Western hasn't had a signature rival.
That all changes now.
The Catamounts will face East Tennessee State this weekend in what is now dubbed "The Blue Ridge Border Battle." On the line is a trophy featuring a large rock harvested from the Appalachian Trail, on the North Carolina-Tennessee border.
The WCU-ETSU rivalry dates back to 1932. The series went on hiatus in 2003, when ETSU ended its football program due to financial reasons. It was restored in 2016, when ETSU re-joined the Southern Conference.
In 47 meetings, Western has the series lead 24-22-1.
The rivalry renews this Saturday at 3:30pm in Johnson City.