Oct. 24, 2024
Ferris State, Grand Valley honored by national organization for video promoting sportsmanship ahead of Anchor Bone Classic football game
Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University are great rivals on the football field, but a collaboration about sportsmanship earned an award both schools can celebrate.
The Council for Advancement and Support of Higher Education honored the universities with a Best of CASE District V Award for the 2023 video “Anchor Bone Classic: Respectful Rivals,” which promoted sportsmanship and collegiality on the field and in the stands.
The message is still important. The Ferris State and Grand Valley football teams square off for rights to the Anchor Bone trophy on Saturday at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale in a battle featuring two of the top-ranked NCAA D2 teams in the nation.
GVSU, with a 7-0 record, is the nation's top squad in the American Football Coaches Association and D2Football.com Division II rankings. The Bulldogs, 6-1 and riding a six-game winning streak, are ranked third by the AFCA and fourth by D2Football.com.
The sold-out game will be carried live in West Michigan on WXSP and online. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
With passions riding high, university leaders last year came together to share mutual message of respect with students and fans.
Ferris State President Bill Pink and GVSU President Philomena V. Mantella joined forces to film a video with mascots Brutus and Louie the Laker, reminding everyone to keep the rivalry fun and treat other fans with respect.
The video, created with staff from both universities, shows the presidents instructing the mascots to get to know each other better. The two become friends after visiting the Ferris State campus in Big Rapids and the GVSU campus in Allendale, palling around and meeting students.
The message was delivered playfully, but it also is serious, Pink said last year. A rivalry can be intense without being heated. Both sides want fans to cheer loudly and support their university – then shake hands when the game is over.
The video was shared on Ferris State and GVSU social media platforms and sparked media coverage.
CASE is a New York-based national organization supporting higher education advancement and communications. District V includes universities from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
The Ferris State-GVSU collaboration earned one of three awards presented in the short video category. The University of Michigan and Miami University also were honored.