CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Another major sports season is passing without a showdown between West Virginia and Marshall universities, the biggest college athletics programs in a small, proud state.
But the two universities cross paths in many other ways — appealing to students, drawing faculty, building academic programs, exerting influence with state government.
About half of West Virginians registered voters see the two schools as rivals and about half do not, according to the latest version of the West Virginia Poll.
Specifically, 53 percent said yes, West Virginia University and Marshall University are rivals. Forty-seven percent said they are not.