Gardner-Webb and Charleston Southern have announced the creation of college football's most heated rivalry -- indirect heat, that is, smoked over hours.
The Bulldogs and the Buccaneers will compete for the North-South Barbecue Bowl, where both sides will vie for the honor of their football and their smoked meats.
The rivalry is the continuation of a three-way rivalry started in 2021 with Campbell, a fellow Carolina-based school that has left for the Colonial Athletic Association.
As the last two original football-playing members of the Big South Conference, the North Carolina and South Carolina-based schools christened the rivalry with a trophy and a ritual.
The trophy will feature a "hefty" hog adorned with a placard commemorating each year's score and, even more fun, the loser will have to supply a barbecue feast for the winner.
If Gardner-Webb wins, the Bulldogs will dine on North Carolina "Western" style fare, which uses a red sauce derived from vinegar, tomatoes and red pepper flakes, and uses the pork shoulder of the pig. Charleston Southern victories will be toasted with South Carolina-style barbecue, which is most commonly associated with mustard-based sauces.
“This is going to be fun, and I’m grateful to CSU President Keith Faulkner who quickly accepted the friendly challenge when I reached out to him,” said Gardner-Webb President Dr. William Downs. “We all love our football. We all love some good barbecue. Anybody who lives in the region knows just how much we all love to talk about who does both better, and now we can look forward each year to settling the score on the gridiron. There’s nothing like raising the stakes a bit to build fan interest and team rivalry, so bring it on!”
“As a North Carolina native and now anchored in the best place to live in South Carolina (and arguably the world), I am looking forward to establishing a new pigskin tradition with our conference rivals, Gardner-Webb. Before our Bucs dominate the field, we’ll crown the ultimate state champion in the battle of the best BBQ," added CSU president Keith Faulkner.
The first installment of the North-South Barbecue Bowl will take place Nov. 2 in Charleston. GWU leads the all-time series 12-9, and the Bulldogs won the 2023 meeting, 34-10.
At press time, there was no word on whether the North-South Barbecue Bowl winner would make the trek west to face a Texas-based FCS school to taste actual superior barbecue.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.