American College Football Rivalry Trophies Quiz

Answer: Washington & Washington State

The two major football-playing schools in the state of Washington first played in 1900. Between 1934 and 1961 they played for the Governor's Cup, which was renamed the Apple Cup in recognition of the state's role as a major apple producer.

Answer: Notre Dame & USC

The jeweled shillelagh is awarded to the winner of the Notre Dame versus USC game. This is one of the longest intersectional rivalries in the country and one between teams that have won numerous championships.

The shillelagh was introduced in 1952 by the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Los Angeles. Each year the winning schools adds either a ruby (USC) or emerald (Notre Dame) to the shillelagh. When introduced, it contained the winners of the previous games from 1926 - 1951. The original trophy was retired in 1995 and is displayed at Notre Dame; and a new shillelagh has been used since.

Answer: Texas and Oklahoma

The Red River Showdown is a football game played in Dallas, Texas during the State Fair of Texas. The designation of the Red River Showdown comes from the fact that the river forms part of the boundary between the states of Texas and Oklahoma and has been the scene of conflicts between them.

The teams play for a golden cowboy hat mounted on a large block of wood, a trophy donated by the State Fair. The tradition of the hat originated in 1941, and the hat was originally bronze.

Answer: Mississippi & Mississippi State

The Egg Bowl is the name given to the yearly game between Mississippi and Mississippi State. The first game between them was played in 1901 and has been played every year since 1915 with the exception of one year during WWII. Since 1927 the winner has been awarded the Golden Egg Trophy, an award instituted after fights broke out at the end of game in 1926 to bring some civility to the end of the game.

The trophy itself was intended to be a football mounted on a wooden base. However, the football was shaped like a rugby ball; and the trophy soon became nicknamed "The Golden Egg".

Answer: Michigan & Minnesota

The Michigan versus Minnesota game is one of the earliest trophy games in US college football. The teams first met in 1892, but the trophy originated in the 1903 game.

The Michigan coach asked one of the student managers to buy a container to carry water in. He spent 50 cents to buy a 5 gallon jug to use at the game. Michigan left the jug behind after the game, and Minnesota painted it brown and wrote the score of the game on it. When the teams next met, the captains agreed to play for the trophy.

Answer: Purdue & Indiana

Purdue and Indiana, both located in the state of Indiana, first played football against each other in 1891. In 1921 the alumni organizations of both schools decided to institute a trophy for the game, one which symbolized the state. The organizers decided to find an authentic oaken bucket used on a well of an Indiana farm.

They added a chain that would be made of block letters, with an "I" or "P" added for each year's wining school.

Answer: Minnesota & Wisconsin

Minnesota and Wisconsin first played football against each other in 1890. For many years they played for the Slab of Bacon Trophy, but it was thought to be lost after the 1943 game. (It was later found in an old storage cabinet at the Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium). Paul Bunyan's Axe was instituted in 1948 to replace it. For many years the winning team was allowed to use the axe to chop down the goal posts after the game.

Answer: Arizona & Arizona State

The Arizona versus Arizona State football game is often referred to as "The Duel in the Desert". The schools first met in 1899 when Arizona State was called the Normal School of Arizona and Arizona was still a territory. The trophy was first used in that game, but was lost and not rediscovered until 1980 when it was found in the basement of a church near the Arizona State campus.

Answer: Oklahoma & Oklahoma State

The game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State is referred to as the Bedlam Series. The origin of the term "bedlam" for this series is unknown, although the raucous behavior of the fans of both schools makes the term appropriate. The Bedlam Bell is a crystal bell modeled after the bell clapper in the oldest building on the Oklahoma State campus.

Answer: Michigan State & Penn State

Michigan State and Penn State were the first two land grant universities. (These were schools that were established to teach agriculture and mechanical arts, as well as the classics, to members of the working class). When Michigan State and Penn State first met in 1993, the coaches decided to create a trophy for the game. Neutral observers claim the trophy's main distinction is that it's ugly and looks heavy.