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Big Ten Trophy Games

First of all, meaningless trophies are huge!!!! But don’t you dare call them meaningless!!

There are trophy games for those big rivalry games, and there are trophy games for those random games that are just played…or even not played.

So, Victory Bell, let’s meet your new conference trophy games (in alphabetical order, not by deemed importance or coolness by me.)

Illinois vs Northwestern—The Land of Lincoln Trophy

Illinois vs Ohio State—Illibuck (it is a turtle and it does not involve Maryland)

Illinois vs Purdue —The Purdue Cannon

Indiana vs Michigan State—The Old Brass Spittoon

Indiana vs Purdue—The Old Oaken Bucket

Iowa vs Minnesota—Floyd of Rosedale (It is a Pig, the statue of one, it once was a real pig named Floyd).

Iowa vs Nebraska—Heroes Trophy

Iowa vs Wisconsin—The Heartland Trophy

Michigan State vs Penn State—The Land Grant Trophy

Michigan State vs Michigan—Paul Bunyon Trophy

Michigan vs Minnesota—The Little Brown Jug

Michigan vs Northwestern—George Jewitt Trophy

Yes, Michigan and Northwestern play for a trophy…you read that right. Jewitt was the first African American to play in the Big Ten and played for Michigan and Northwestern.

So actually, it’s a pretty cool recognition, but still, nothing screams rivalry like the Wildcats and Wolverines.

Minnesota vs Nebraska—$5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy (Yeah, I did not make that up)

Minnesota vs Penn State—Governor’s Victory Bell

Minnesota vs Wisconsin—Paul Bunyon’s Axe (Paul Bunyon is also a big deal in the upper Midwest)

Nebraska vs Wisconsin—Freedom Trophy

And of course now: UCLA vs USC—Victory Bell

There it is. And those are only the conference games. Throw in the nonconference contests and there are all sorts of others.

Iowa, via the CyHawk game with Iowa State, could have four games, a third of their season, ending with a team trotting off a trophy.

And yes, Michigan and Ohio State do not have a traveling trophy.

But folks in Ohio and the Mitten (that is Michigan, if you did not know) always liked to say their year-ending game had the Big Ten Conference Trophy as the victor’s reward.

And it was hard to argue with them.

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The Big Ten “Map” TV Commerical

The biggest question and concern among Big Ten fans in adding the four new schools was: What would happen to the Map Commercial on the Big Ten Network?

I am serious! If you are unaware, it is a flyby of the Big Ten starting at the Rose Bowl and going across the country with each Big Ten school popping up along the way.

All this with the song “Silver Lining” by the band Guards playing in the background. I am not even joking. Well, now we know. You can watch the new video ad above.

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Big Ten Bests

Some football (and a few other) bests in the Big Ten (according to me):

Best tradition: Jump Around—Wisconsin ahead of the fourth quarter.

You can take the Wave at Iowa, Script Ohio and We Are at Penn State, and anything else. Give me House of Pain in Madison. (I do appreciate a good White Out at Penn State, however)

Best City to Visit (that would surprise you as being the best city to visit): Iowa City is lots of fun with lots of things to do.

There are a lot of good places in the conference, and before I went there, I would not have thought of Iowa City as one of them.

I may even throw it up with Madison and Bloomington for best—period—but alas, that is another discussion.

Best Mascot: Sparty—Michigan State.  The Duck will soon replace Sparty on top, but he had a good run on the banks of the Red Cedar River.

Best Surprising Food Stop (if you get there): Mustard’s Last Stand—Northwestern right next to Welsh-Ryan and Ryan Field.

And yes, Northwestern does not normally play on a practice field along Lake Michigan with temporary stands and press boxes. Ryan Field is undergoing a two-year renovation beginning last spring.

So here is your first quick tutorial of the Big Ten to set you up for your entry to the conference. This is a very partial and subjective listing of things, except the commercial—that is universally a big deal.

So once again, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington fans, welcome to the Big Ten!

As you experience the new conference (even if you have been here for a while) feel free to tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about.