Bob Jones University and Pensacola Christian College are no strangers to one another. Since the Bruins' inaugural season in 2012, the two institutions have met 97 times across four sports - men's basketball, women's basketball, volleyball, and men's soccer.

Though the rivalry has grown throughout the years, it has always been about more than wins and losses.

The connection beyond the competition continues to grow as the two athletic directors share a unique bond as brothers-in-law bringing a personal aspect to the game.

Denny Scott and Mark Goetsch first met in Watertown, Wisconsin at Maranatha Bible College. The Iceman (Denny Scott) and Mark Goetsch, nicknamed Jungle, were teammates as they played a season of basketball and baseball together. While in college, Goetsch began dating Scott's sister, and the two later married, turning the teammates into family.

While they started out as teammates, the brothers-in-law eventually found themselves on the sidelines as coaches at opposing schools. When both of their sons were in college, Goetsch, the head coach at Pensacola Christian College, and Scott, the head coach at Northland Baptist Bible College scheduled a neutral site game in Chattanooga, Tennessee where the family was reunited in an exciting battle on the court.

"I wanted my boys to see where Uncle Denny coached and the level of athletes that he was producing and the testimony they were having. I wanted that influence to not only rub off on my own sons, but also my team. I felt that Denny was doing it the right way and it was something I wanted my players and specifically my son to see."

Off the court, the competitiveness still shows as the two enjoy family reunions filled with rook tournaments, golf and other games. But there is also an emphasis on spiritual moments as well with the family taking time to sing and share devotionals with each other.

The pair now work as leaders in their athletic departments. Goetsch led the PCC Eagles for 27 years as the athletic director and head men's basketball coach. He made a return back to athletics after stepping away for a year and currently leads the Eagles as athletic director. Scott joined the Bruins in 2013 to lead the golf teams and teach in the Division of Exercise and Sport Science. Over the summer, Scott was named the Acting Athletic Director for the Bruins Athletic Department. 

While the two may work at competing schools, they both speak about the respect and relationships that they want to model for their family, coaches and student-athletes.

"The mutual respect goes to a brother relationship that you might have with someone else in Christ and their pursuit of excellence and striving to win," said Scott.

"Denny opened my eyes to a book, and it's the idea of true competition," shared Goetsch. "You can't have competition unless you have mutual competitors, and great competition comes when there is respect and an understanding that the other team has worked just as hard to prepare and wants to put forth the best effort that they are capable of giving, and you would hope that the other team would do the exact same thing. The beauty of sports is, when the heat of the moment comes, how do you respond in those challenging times. How do we bring that back to a strong, healthy, competitive respect for one another, where at the end you could say, 'you made me better tonight. You made me give my best, and I'm thankful you pressed me to that point.'"

Scott replied saying, "I remember hearing that true competition happens when you defeat your toughest opponent on their best day. It goes to the principle in scripture of 'iron sharpening iron.' We've tried to model and promote that, but it's not easy because we're all sinful. In the end, we're all on the same team. We're believers and followers of Jesus Christ. The glory of God is our ultimate goal."
 
It takes a lot of work to build up a rivalry that models Christian love in the intensity of competition. "But that's what I would love to see out of our Bob Jones and Pensacola competitive experiences since it's a family connection between Mark and me," shared Scott. 

"You can't coerce or force a rivalry. I think the best summary statement is you model them. If that can begin with Denny and me with the leadership and respect we have for each other, and bleeds down to the coaches and student-athletes, in time those rivalries can be good, true, competitive situations that we look forward to and that we value."

Saturday's game between Bob Jones University and Pensacola Christian College marks the next chapter in a rivalry shaped by shared history, family ties, and a commitment to honor Christ through competition. While the Bruins and Eagles will battle with intensity on the court, the example set by Scott and Goetsch serves as a reminder that the strongest rivalries are built on respect, character, and a shared pursuit of excellence.