Nov. 19, 2005

Charleston, SC - The Citadel has not played Virginia Military Institute in football since 2003, and has not played a game at VMI in five years.

Is this any way to run a rivalry?

Despite the gap in the history of the battle for the Silver Shako, Citadel players say they still regard the Keydets as rivals - particularly when they talk to their comrades in the Corps of Cadets.

"Yeah, it's still a big deal, especially to the Corps," said senior defensive tackle Shaun Palmer. "Football-wise, I think our big rival would be Furman, because they are in our conference. But the Corps and alumni care a whole lot about beating VMI."

Senior linebacker Porter Johnson said, "I think if the Corps had to choose between beating Furman and VMI, they'd rather beat VMI."

The game with VMI, which was played every year since 1956 until last season, has not automatically been on the schedule since VMI left the Southern Conference after the 2002 season for the Big South Conference. The "Military Classic of the South" was played at a neutral site in Charlotte in 2002 and 2003, with the teams splitting the two games.

VMI is going all out to make the game a big deal, complete with a fighter jet flyover on military day at Alumni Memorial Field.

"I know our kids are really excited about it," said VMI coach Cal McCombs, a Citadel graduate and former Bulldogs assistant coach. "I personally feel that the rivalry is the same as it always was. It's two unique schools who play each other extremely hard, because of the pride each team has in their school."

The Citadel's freshman quarterback, Ben Carnell of Hanahan, already has a feel for the rivalry.

"They are the only school we play that has any idea what goes on here, and the same for them," Carnell said. "I don't know everything about VMI, but I know they go through the same stuff we do. Whoever wins this game, it's kind of like they prove that the way we do it is better."

Both squads enter the regular-season finale with 3-7 records, and have played two common opponents. Both teams beat Charleston Southern and loss to Wofford by comparable scores.

VMI quarterback Jonathan Wilson has hit 62.5 percent of his passes for 1,703 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Nat Jackson leads the Keydets in rushing with 603 yards and seven scores, and Zohn Burden has 50 catches for 644 yards and three scores.

Carnell made his first start in a 21-0 win over Elon last week, hitting 14 of 20 passes for 152 yards and two TDs to win SoCon freshman of the week honors. In two games, he's 32 of 51 for 349 yards and two TDs with three interceptions.

The Citadel sent its seniors out of Johnson Hagood Stadium with a win last week. Coach Kevin Higgins said the motivation is the same this week.

"I believe our guys are character guys," he said. "They realize The Citadel has not won its last two games in a season since 1997. This is a chance for them to leave a little bit of a legacy."

The Citadel at VMI

When: 1 p.m.

Where: Alumni Memorial Field, Lexington, Va.

Radio: WTMZ 910-AM, WQTK 950-AM

Notes: The Citadel leads the series, 31-30-2, and the teams have split the last four games ... Reports out of Virginia indicate this could be the last game for VMI coach Cal McCombs, who is 19-59 in six seasons. McCombs is a 1967 Citadel graduate and his son, Will, is a former Citadel assistant who now coaches at VMI ... This is the last one for a Citadel senior class that includes Shawn Grant, Porter Johnson, Fred Townsend, Shaun Palmer, Avery Dingle, and Dusty Benefield.