What’s Wrong with “Brawl of the Wild”??

It's that time of the year before that time of the year, when Montana football fans around the world gather around TVs to watch the annual rivalry game, the Cat-Griz.

But apparently there is an issue with the nickname for the game.  Radio host Aaron Flint started Tuesday's show with this:

Sometimes I can't let a comment go without reply.

What is wrong with "Brawl of the Wild"?  It is a clever play on the classic of American literature by Jack London (says this writer with an English degree).  And the mascots of both universities are Rocky Mountain predators, hence the Wild part.

And it's just a nickname.  Of course most Montana football fans know it as the Cat-Griz Game.  A nickname is no harm.

In Utah, where I had lived for twenty years, their rivalry game was the University of Utah Utes versus the Brigham Young University Cougars.  Utes vs. Cougars.  BYU is a very LDS Mormon school with very high standards of conduct in a very Mormon state.  The nickname of their game: the Holy War.

Other Rivalry Game Nicknames

The best source I found for other college football rivalries is Wikipedia.  I scanned the long list and found some standout nicknames.

Baylor vs. TCU (Texas Christian Univ.) and referencing the Texas state flower: the Bluebonnet Battle

Auburn vs. Georgia: Deep South's Oldest Rivalry

Iowa State vs. Kansas State: Farmageddon

Marshall vs. West Virginia, which Aaron should like: Friends of Coal Bowl

Texas vs. Texas A&M: Lone Star Showdown

LSU vs. Ole Miss: Magnolia Bowl

Oklahoma vs. Texas, with a natural border between the eastern ends of both states: Red River Rivalry, formerly called the Red River Shootout.

Colorado vs. Utah: Rumble in the Rockies

Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech, and a play on the football video game: Techmo Bowl

Appalachian State vs. Marshall: the Old Mountain Feud

Central Washington vs. Western Washington: Battle in Seattle

Carleton vs. St. Olaf: the Cereal Bowl

Mass. Maritime vs. SUNY Maritime: the Chowder Bowl

Concodia (Moorhead) vs. St. Olaf: Lefse Bowl

Coast Guard vs. Norwich Cadet: the Little Army-Navy Game

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