Before November 28, 2014, Marshall fans saw the Western Kentucky football program as just another football team in the way of their glorious undefeated season.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Although the game was placed on Rivalry Week by Conference USA, Marshall fans pretty much laughed at the thought of a relatively new FBS program being worthy of their hatred. That type of emotion was reserved for West Virginia and West Virginia only.
Western Kentucky? A rival? No way!
Who could blame their arrogance. The Marshall brand has carried weight in the Appalachian region long before WKU was in the FBS and in 2014 the block M draped in green and white was on the college football map yet again.