In an era dominated by multi-million-pound television deals and player transfer portals, one of the quirkiest and most cherished traditions in American college football continues to thrive: the rivalry trophy. These unique, often bizarre, travelling prizes are the focal point of intense annual grudge matches, capturing the imagination of students, alumni, and casual fans alike.
More Than Just a Game: The Legends Behind the Prizes
The passion for these trophies is perhaps best exemplified by the historic border-state rivalry between Minnesota and Wisconsin. The most-played series in major college football history, currently standing even at 63 wins apiece with eight ties, is punctuated by a unique postgame ritual. The winning team of this 135-match grudge sprint towards Paul Bunyan's Axe, a six-foot shaft awarded since 1948. They take turns hoisting it high and parade it around the stadium, even pretending to chop down the goalposts in a jubilant act of symbolic yard work.
This tradition is far from alone. The Big Ten conference boasts a particularly rich collection of these one-of-a-kind prizes. The Little Brown Jug, which is neither particularly little nor brown, dates back to a 1903 game between Michigan and Minnesota. The story goes that Michigan's coach, Fielding Yost, fearing tampering, had a jug bought for his team's water. It was left behind after a dramatic tie and was only formally returned years later.
Other classic Big Ten trophies include a 98-pound bronze pig named Floyd of Rosedale, fought over by Minnesota and Iowa since 1935. Indiana and Purdue battle for the Old Oaken Bucket, discovered on a farm in 1925, while Indiana and Michigan State compete for the Old Brass Spittoon. The rivalry between Illinois and Ohio State is symbolised by the Illibuck Trophy, a wooden turtle that replaced an ill-fated real snapping turtle.
Relics of a Bygone Era: From Cannons to Shillelaghs
A recurring theme among these coveted objects is their origin from a pre-industrial age, making them tangible links to the past. Nevada and UNLV play for the colossal Fremont Cannon, a 545-pound replica of a cannon abandoned by an explorer in 1844. The famed rivalry between Notre Dame and USC features the Jewelled Shillelagh, a traditional Gaelic war club first presented in 1952.
Some trophies have even more humble beginnings. The rivalry between California and Stanford involves an axe head mounted on a plaque, a frequently stolen prize awarded since 1933. Meanwhile, the official oldest known rivalry trophy is the NCAA-certified Territorial Cup, a small, silver-plated pitcher awarded after the first game between Arizona and Arizona State in 1899. This trophy was lost for decades before being rediscovered in a church storage area in 1983.
A Tangible Symbol of Victory
According to Professor Christian Anderson of the University of South Carolina, these trophies serve a powerful purpose. "It’s a way for a community — certainly the students, alumni, fans and faculty, but even more casual fans — to get revved up for a football game," he explained. For many, the rivalry game is the one Saturday they become a passionate fan.
"It’s a tangible representation that we beat our rivals," Anderson added. "Maybe we only keep it for a year because it’s a traveling trophy, but next time we're going back to get it if we didn't win it." This sentiment fuels the intense desire to win, turning a simple object into a lasting legend and a visual centrepiece for a university's identity.
From the Iron Skillet fought over by SMU and TCU since 1946 to the Golden Egg created to calm tensions between Mississippi and Mississippi State in 1927, these trophies are more than just metal and wood. They are the heart and soul of American college football, representing history, community, and an undying competitive spirit.
