NCAAF: Top 5 Rivalry Trophies

In the rich history of college football, there are plenty of rivalries. From “The Game”, to the “Iron Bowl”, all the way down to the FCS rivalry of Lehigh vs. Lafayette, simply titled “The Rivalry”, these games are the lifeblood of the game we love.

Lots of these rivalries also feature a trophy for the winner of the game. A one-year rental, or in some cases many if the game goes dormant, that also holds tons of bragging rights.

Today, I’m going to rank the five best trophies(obviously, my opinion)in college football. Now, there are tons of them, so ranking just five is going to be hard.

Whether it’s a beautiful trophy, an ugly trophy, a small or big rivalry, it doesn’t matter. Here we go.

1. Paul Bunyan’s Axe (Wisconsin vs. Minnesota)

Starting off with the most played rivalry in FBS history, a classic Midwest battle between the Badgers and Golden Gophers.

This trophy is a gigantic wooden axe with the scores of the winners painted on both sides, just an epic trophy for an epic rivalry. One that is split 63-63-8 all-time.

The axe was instituted in 1948 by the Wisconsin W club after the former trophy, the “Slab of Bacon”, was lost after a game in the early 40’s.

2. The Fremont Cannon (UNLV vs. Nevada)

There is no better symbol for an explosive rivalry than an actual cannon, and that’s just what the “Battle for Nevada” has to offer.

The trophy was instituted in 1970, after it was donated by the Nevada Mines Division of the Kennecott Copper Corporation. It used to be set off after every score in the rivalry game, but was broken in 2000 after it was dropped following a UNLV win.

The rivalry is relatively new, with the first game being played in 1969. The all-time series is 28-22 in favor of the Wolfpack.

3. The Wagon Wheel (Kent State vs. Akron)

This rivalry between two Ohio schools dates back to 1923, but has only been played a total of 68 times.

The story of the wheel starts in 1870, when John R. Buchtel, an industrialist from Akron, was looking to build a college. He was set on the town of Kent, and when he traversed across the fields of Ohio, one of his wagon wheels broke off.

The wheel was then buried and not discovered again until 1902. It was acquired by Kent State’s dean, Raymond Manchester, in 1945, then insisted it be used as the trophy for the game.

The all-time series goes 37-29-2 in favor of the Akron Zips, but Kent State just won an absolute thriller on Tuesday, 42-35 in overtime.

4. The Golden Hat (Oklahoma vs. Texas)

One of the most classic rivalries in the sport, in my opinion, has one of the greatest trophies in the sport. It has fashion value, so that makes it great for me.

I don’t need to tell you the history of this one; it’s a pretty well-known game. Texas won the meeting this season, 23-6, and owns the all-time lead at 65-51-5.

5. The Land Grant Trophy (Penn State vs. Michigan State)

The legitimacy of this rivalry may be questionable, but the trophy is an absolute beauty.

The trophy was instituted when the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten in 1993 to honor both schools, being the first land-grant institutions in the United States.

It is a beautiful mess of wood and random knick-knacks that combine for a great prize for the winner.

The series renews this Saturday, with Penn State holding a slim 19-18-1 lead.

Evan Pochas is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him please email him at ejp5753@psu.edu.