Indiana vs Michigan StateOld Brass Spittoon
A $25 antique-shop spittoon Michigan State students bought in 1950 to keep the team fired up.
Updated · BettorEdge
Indiana and Michigan State are not on each other's schedule right now. The trophy stays with Indiana until they meet again. The teams are off in 2026 under the Big Ten's rotation; the next meeting is in 2027.
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Start a pick'em contestHow the Old Brass Spittoon came to be
Michigan State junior class president Gene (Eugene) McDermott started the trophy in 1950, along with class secretary Virginia O'Brien.
The Spartans were coming off an emotional 36-33 win over Notre Dame, and McDermott wanted something to keep the team and students fired up for Indiana the next week.
Inspired by the Little Brown Jug, McDermott and O'Brien found an old brass spittoon in a Lansing antique shop and bought it for $25.
Michigan State's junior and senior classes and student council backed the idea, Indiana's Student Senate accepted it, and the trophy made its debut on November 4, 1950, when Michigan State won 35-0 in East Lansing.
The trophy itself. An antique brass spittoon that Michigan State students bought for $25 at a Lansing antique shop in 1950. According to the story, it was used at an early trading post near present-day East Lansing and is more than 100 years old.
Old Brass Spittoon history
- 1922
First meeting: Indiana wins 14-6 in Bloomington on October 28.
- 1950
Old Brass Spittoon debuts; Michigan State wins 35-0 in East Lansing on November 4.
- 1957
Michigan State wins 54-0, the most lopsided game in the series, during an eight-game win streak (1950-57).
- 1969
Indiana finishes a three-game win streak (1967-69), its longest hold on the spittoon.
- 1994
Michigan State wins 27-21 on the field, but later forfeits all five 1994 wins for using an ineligible player.
- 2023
Michigan State wins 24-21 in Bloomington, but the win is later vacated in an NCAA ruling over ineligible players.
- 2025
No. 3 Indiana beats Michigan State 38-13 in Bloomington on October 18 on the way to its first national championship.
Recent results
| Season | Result | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Indiana Hoosiers 38, Michigan State Spartans 13 | Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, IN) |
| 2024 | Indiana Hoosiers 47, Michigan State Spartans 10 | Spartan Stadium |
| 2023 | Michigan State Spartans 24, Indiana Hoosiers 21 | Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, IN) |
| 2022 | Indiana Hoosiers 39, Michigan State Spartans 31 | Spartan Stadium |
| 2021 | Michigan State Spartans 20, Indiana Hoosiers 15 | Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, IN) |
Old Brass Spittoon facts worth knowing
The trophy cost $25. Students bought it at a Lansing antique shop in 1950.
The spittoon supposedly came from one of Michigan's earliest trading posts, where travelers from Michigan and Indiana used it on hunting and fishing trips.
Michigan State won the first eight trophy games (1950-57), including a 54-0 rout in 1957 that is still the most lopsided game in the series.
Indiana's longest time with the spittoon is three straight years (1967-69), but it has won the last two meetings (2024 and 2025).
The rivalry lost its annual guarantee when the Big Ten expanded in 2024. The teams played in 2024 and 2025, are off in 2026, and meet again in 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Old Brass Spittoon?+
The Old Brass Spittoon is the trophy Indiana and Michigan State play for in college football, first awarded in 1950. An antique brass spittoon that Michigan State students bought for $25 at a Lansing antique shop in 1950. According to the story, it was used at an early trading post near present-day East Lansing and is more than 100 years old.
How did the Old Brass Spittoon come to be?+
Michigan State junior class president Gene (Eugene) McDermott started the trophy in 1950, along with class secretary Virginia O'Brien.
Who has the Old Brass Spittoon right now?+
Indiana holds the Old Brass Spittoon after winning the 2025 game, Indiana 38, Michigan State 13. The live block on this page updates as soon as the next meeting is played.
Who leads the Indiana-Michigan State series?+
Michigan State leads the all-time series 49-20-2 as of the end of the 2025 season. In games played for the Old Brass Spittoon since 1950, Michigan State leads 49-17-1. Counts Michigan State's forfeited 1994 win for Indiana and leaves out its vacated 2023 win.
When is the next Old Brass Spittoon game?+
No Indiana-Michigan State game is on ESPN's schedule right now. Conference schedules rotate, so check back as the next season's slate is released.
Where can I bet on the Old Brass Spittoon game?+
You can bet Indiana vs Michigan State on BettorEdge, a peer-to-peer marketplace where you trade with other bettors rather than a sportsbook, so the price carries no built-in house vig. You can also run a free pick'em contest for the game with your group.
More college football
Records and the current holder are as of the end of the 2025 season; the next-game block and recent results update from ESPN. Counts Michigan State's forfeited 1994 win for Indiana and leaves out its vacated 2023 win.Sources: en.wikipedia.org, statenews.com, iuhoosiers.com, theonlycolors.com.
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