In American college football, rivalry trophies remain a cherished tradition, even amid the modern era of revenue sharing and the transfer portal. These unique prizes, from axes to jugs, add an extra layer of excitement to annual grudge matches. The most-played series in major college history, between Minnesota and Wisconsin, features Paul Bunyan's Axe—a six-foot shaft awarded since 1948. The winning team parades it around the stadium, pretending to chop down a goalpost.
Longtime Big Ten members boast some of the oldest trophies. The Little Brown Jug dates to 1903, when Michigan left a water jug behind after a tie with Minnesota. Floyd of Rosedale, a 98-pound bronze pig, was introduced in 1935 to ease tensions between Iowa and Minnesota fans. Other notable trophies include the Old Oaken Bucket (Indiana-Purdue), the Old Brass Spittoon (Indiana-Michigan State), and the Illibuck Trophy (Illinois-Ohio State), originally a real turtle but now a wooden replica.
The NCAA certifies the Territorial Cup, played for by Arizona and Arizona State since 1899, as the oldest known rivalry trophy. It was missing for decades before being rediscovered in 1983. Other trophies include the Fremont Cannon (Nevada-UNLV), a 545-pound replica of an explorer's cannon, and the Jewelled Shillelagh (Notre Dame-USC), a Gaelic war club. Bells and axes are also common, such as the Stanford-California axe head mounted on a plaque.
“It’s a tangible representation that we beat our rivals,” said Christian Anderson, a University of South Carolina professor. “Maybe we only keep it for a year, but next time we're going back to get it if we didn't win it.” These trophies, often relics from a pre-industrial past, serve as lasting symbols of college football's vibrant traditions.
