Salsa_Verde

I don't believe playing Liberty would tarnish our image, by following your metric would playing Baylor tarnish UNT? What about any university associated with the Catholic Church? Lets judge Liberty (no pun intended) on its emerging athletic program and leave the politics to the talking heads. Agreed politics aside they are spending a lot of money AND have a fan base willing to pay to see the athletic program succeed. I wouldn't call this a must win but if UNT were to lose it would look bad. Forgive me if I sound hyperbolic.

Interestingly enough Ian McCaw, former AD at Baylor, is now the AD at Liberty.

Liberty University is not messing around. https://pilotonline.com/sports/columnist/harry-minium/liberty-university-already-spends-more-on-athletics-than-odu-and/article_ce714ec9-31db-5420-8e4b-ce63bc2e2474.html

I think since the UTSA program is so new some might see it as premature? Another factor might be that UNT is 1-3 against UTSA and to declare a rivalry with a losing record might seem a little desperate?