College football rivalry trophies
A bronze pig, a paint-splattered jug, a six-foot axe. College football's best trophies started as bets, pranks and grudges, and schools still play for them every fall. Here are 34 of the best, the story behind each, and when each game is played next.
Coming up
The trophies
01Since 1935Floyd of Rosedale
Iowa vs MinnesotaA bronze pig born from a 1935 bet between the governors of Minnesota and Iowa, and the prize in every Iowa-Minnesota game since.
Holds it now: Iowa
02Since 2014$5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy
Minnesota vs NebraskaA friendly bet on Twitter in 2014 that became a fan-built trophy, a charity drive, and a BettorEdge partner since 2019.
Holds it now: Minnesota
03Since 1948Paul Bunyan's Axe
Minnesota vs WisconsinA six-foot axe with every score written on the handle, fought over in the most-played rivalry in major college football.
Holds it now: Minnesota
04Since 1909Little Brown Jug
Michigan vs MinnesotaA 30-cent water jug Michigan left behind in Minneapolis in 1903, and the oldest trophy in major college football.
Holds it now: Michigan
05Since 1925Old Oaken Bucket
Indiana vs PurdueAn oak well bucket from a southern Indiana farm, with a chain of I and P links that grows by one every year.
Holds it now: Indiana
06Since 1953Paul Bunyan Trophy
Michigan vs Michigan StateA towering wooden lumberjack a governor handed out in 1953 to welcome Michigan State into the Big Ten.
Holds it now: Michigan
07Since 1963Apple Cup
Washington vs Washington StateThe Washington Apple Commission's cup, played for by Washington and Washington State since 1963.
Holds it now: Washington
08Series pausedSince 1952Jeweled Shillelagh
Notre Dame vs USCAn Irish club that gains a ruby Trojan head or an emerald shamrock after every Notre Dame-USC game.
Holds it now: Notre Dame
09Since 1942Victory Bell
UCLA vs USCA 295-pound locomotive bell that set off a prank war between UCLA and USC, then became their trophy.
Holds it now: USC
10Since 1899Territorial Cup
Arizona vs Arizona StateA $20 catalog cup from 1899 that was lost for 80 years and is now college football's oldest rivalry trophy.
Holds it now: Arizona
11Since 1941Golden Hat
Texas vs Oklahoma · Red River RivalryA bronze ten-gallon hat the State Fair of Texas donated in 1941, now the prize at the Cotton Bowl every October.
Holds it now: Texas
12Since 1927Golden Egg (Egg Bowl)
Ole Miss vs Mississippi State · Egg BowlA gold football on a pedestal, created after a 1926 brawl to keep Ole Miss and Mississippi State fans apart.
Holds it now: Ole Miss
13Since 1933Stanford Axe
California vs Stanford · Big GameAn axe stolen after an 1899 baseball game, stolen back in 1930, and played for in the Big Game ever since.
Holds it now: Stanford
14Since 1977Cy-Hawk Trophy
Iowa vs Iowa StateThe in-state trophy Iowa and Iowa State have played for since the series came back in 1977.
Holds it now: Iowa
15Since 2004Heartland Trophy
Iowa vs WisconsinA bronze bull on a walnut base that ended 110 years of Iowa-Wisconsin football without a trophy.
Holds it now: Iowa
16Since 1993Governor's Victory Bell
Minnesota vs Penn StateA bell two governors created in 1993 for Penn State's first Big Ten game, against a team it had never played.
Holds it now: Penn State
17Since 1972Commander-in-Chief's Trophy
Air Force vs Army vs NavyA 170-pound silver trophy Air Force, Army and Navy play for in a three-way round robin every season.
Holds it now: Navy
18Since 1993Land Grant Trophy
Michigan State vs Penn StateThe trophy George Perles and Joe Paterno agreed to in 1993 for two land-grant schools founded days apart in 1855.
Holds it now: Penn State
19Since 1995Governor's Cup
Georgia vs Georgia Tech · Clean, Old-Fashioned HateGeorgia and Georgia Tech's in-state trophy, in a rivalry that has run since 1893 and went eight overtimes in 2024.
Holds it now: Georgia
20Since 1996Golden Boot
Arkansas vs LSUA four-foot, 24-karat gold boot shaped from the outlines of Arkansas and Louisiana, played for since 1996.
Holds it now: LSU
21Since 1970Fremont Cannon
Nevada vs UNLVA 545-pound replica howitzer, often called the heaviest and most expensive trophy in college football.
Holds it now: UNLV
22Since 2008Magnolia Bowl Trophy
LSU vs Ole Miss · Magnolia BowlA carved trophy crowned with a bronze magnolia, played for by LSU and Ole Miss since 2008.
Holds it now: Ole Miss
23Since 1925Illibuck
Illinois vs Ohio StateA wooden turtle, and before that a live one: the Big Ten's second-oldest trophy, played for by Illinois and Ohio State.
Holds it now: Ohio State- 24Since 1950
Old Brass Spittoon
Indiana vs Michigan StateA $25 antique-shop spittoon Michigan State students bought in 1950 to keep the team fired up.
Holds it now: Indiana 
25Since 2009Land of Lincoln Trophy
Illinois vs NorthwesternA bronze Lincoln stovepipe hat designed by a Pulitzer-winning cartoonist, played for by Illinois and Northwestern since 2009.
Holds it now: Illinois
26Since 1996Commonwealth Cup
Virginia vs Virginia TechA four-foot marble and cherry-wood trophy with every score engraved on it, played for by Virginia and Virginia Tech.
Holds it now: Virginia
27Since 1959Platypus Trophy
Oregon vs Oregon StateA hand-carved maple platypus that vanished for decades, and now goes to the winning school's alumni, not its team.
Holds it now: Oregon
28Since 1968Bronze Boot
Colorado State vs WyomingA Vietnam War combat boot cast in bronze, played for by Colorado State and Wyoming since 1968.
Holds it now: Colorado State
29Since 1949Megaphone Trophy
Notre Dame vs Michigan StateA megaphone split down the middle, half Notre Dame blue and half Michigan State green, with every score painted on it.
Holds it now: Notre Dame
30Since 1989Legends Trophy
Notre Dame vs StanfordAn Irish crystal bowl on a California redwood base, named for the legends of the 1925 Rose Bowl.
Holds it now: Notre Dame
31Series pausedSince 1946Iron Skillet
SMU vs TCUA cast-iron skillet SMU and TCU played for from 1946 until the series was paused after 2025.
Holds it now: TCU
32Series pausedSince 1974Bayou Bucket
Houston vs RiceA dented antique brass bucket Houston and Rice have played for since 1974.
Holds it now: Houston
33Series pausedSince 1948Old Wagon Wheel
BYU vs Utah StateA pioneer-era wagon wheel BYU and Utah State played for from 1948 until BYU joined the Big 12.
Holds it now: BYU
34Series pausedSince 1971Beehive Boot
BYU vs Utah vs Utah StateA pioneer boot more than a century old, once the prize for Utah's in-state football champion.
Holds it now: BYU
Trophies by team
Some schools play for more than one. Minnesota has 5 on this list alone.
Minnesota Golden Gophers trophies
- Floyd of Rosedale vs Iowa
- $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy vs Nebraska
- Paul Bunyan's Axe vs Wisconsin
- Little Brown Jug vs Michigan
- Governor's Victory Bell vs Penn State
Michigan State Spartans trophies
- Paul Bunyan Trophy vs Michigan
- Land Grant Trophy vs Penn State
- Old Brass Spittoon vs Indiana
- Megaphone Trophy vs Notre Dame
Iowa Hawkeyes trophies
- Floyd of Rosedale vs Minnesota
- Cy-Hawk Trophy vs Iowa State
- Heartland Trophy vs Wisconsin
Notre Dame Fighting Irish trophies
- Jeweled Shillelagh vs USC
- Megaphone Trophy vs Michigan State
- Legends Trophy vs Stanford
BYU Cougars trophies
- Old Wagon Wheel vs Utah State
- Beehive Boot vs Utah and Utah State
Illinois Fighting Illini trophies
- Illibuck vs Ohio State
- Land of Lincoln Trophy vs Northwestern
Indiana Hoosiers trophies
- Old Oaken Bucket vs Purdue
- Old Brass Spittoon vs Michigan State
LSU Tigers trophies
- Golden Boot vs Arkansas
- Magnolia Bowl Trophy vs Ole Miss
Michigan Wolverines trophies
- Little Brown Jug vs Minnesota
- Paul Bunyan Trophy vs Michigan State
Ole Miss Rebels trophies
- Golden Egg (Egg Bowl) vs Mississippi State
- Magnolia Bowl Trophy vs LSU
Penn State Nittany Lions trophies
- Governor's Victory Bell vs Minnesota
- Land Grant Trophy vs Michigan State
Stanford Cardinal trophies
- Stanford Axe vs California
- Legends Trophy vs Notre Dame
USC Trojans trophies
- Jeweled Shillelagh vs Notre Dame
- Victory Bell vs UCLA
Utah State Aggies trophies
- Old Wagon Wheel vs BYU
- Beehive Boot vs BYU and Utah
Wisconsin Badgers trophies
- Paul Bunyan's Axe vs Minnesota
- Heartland Trophy vs Iowa
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