October 6, 1998

Parting is such sweet sorrow

More than likely, a great tradition has ended; the tradition of Wake Forest and Appalachian football games. Often, this game has been the biggest draw of the season for Wake Forest and a game that both teams and their fans have looked forward to.

Sadly enough, the NCAA has made new rules concerning Division I-A teams playing I-AA opponents.  The rules say that a win against a Division I-AA opponent can only count as a bowl qualifier every four years.

It looks like Wake Forest has taken the ball and ran with it.  Wake Forest, in a long history of screw-ups concerning football, scheduled Appalachian State well into the next century. The Deacons have already bought out next year’s game, and are probably going to buy out the last two games in the series.

Or maybe not.

The rules say that a win can count toward a bowl every four years. But they say nothing about a loss. Because of ASU’s 30-27 win, Wake still has a future win against a Division I-AA opponent that they can count toward a bowl. Why not play next year?

Because ASU would win again.  The embarrassment is simply too great for them to lose to a Division I-AA opponent like us.  They are in the Atlantic Coast Conference.  And ACC schools love to think of themselves as being better than they are.

In year’s past, it seemed like the people at Wake Forest transcended such snobbery.  They were a lot more humble than they are now.  However, it seems things have changed.

Just who does Wake Forest think they are? Have they mistaken themselves for a football school? Do they really think they’re going to make a bowl anyway? We’re talking about one of the ACC’s perennial scrubs.

Wake Forest would do far better for the city of Winston-Salem  to keep the game with Appalachian State instead of trying for a bowl that they have a snowball’s chance in hell making. Many people in Winston-Salem either went to App or are ASU students now, and that will always make the game a popular one.

It is a shame that a great college football rivalry is going to end because of a stupid NCAA rule and the fact that people at Wake are afraid of ASU.