Vanderbilt-Tennessee football game needs a name
The Iron Bowl. The Egg Bowl. The Apple Cup.
Many of college football’s best rivalries have nicknames for their big annual game. Here’s a pitch to add one for Vanderbilt-Tennessee.
The Vols and the Commodores have played football since 1892. When the two teams meet Nov. 28 in Knoxville, it will mark game No. 110.
The rivalry is one year older than the Iron Bowl, which pits Alabama against state rival Auburn. That series started in 1893 and was stopped for 41 years (it renewed in 1948). Many of the series’ games instantly earned nicknames: The latest, Kick Six (2013’s last-second Auburn win on Chris Davis’ 109-yard missed field goal return).
Ole Miss and Mississippi State have played since 1901. In 1927, the winning team was awarded the Golden Egg Trophy. The student bodies of both schools named the trophy. The big brass football on the trophy more closely resembles an egg than it does today’s modern football. In 1979, Clarion-Ledger sports writer Tom Patterson gave the rivalry game the nickname.
Across the country, many of the big football rivalry games have nicknames.
The Governor’s Cup (or Trophy) is awarded in the Kansas-Kansas State winner, the Kentucky-Louisville winner, the Boise State-Idaho winner.
Some of the rivalry games have unique nicknames to go along with their historical pasts: The Old Wagon Wheel is given to the BYU-Utah State winner; the Civil War is not held in the South; it’s the name given to the annual Oregon-Oregon State game; the Palmetto Bowl trophy is given to the winner of the South Carolina-Clemson rivalry.
Did you know Indiana and Michigan State compete annually for the Old Brass Spittoon? Or that Minnesota-Wisconsin play each year for Paul Bunyan’s Axe?
Vanderbilt and Tennessee have passionate fan bases. Each enjoy poking the other in our community; some often take those jabs too far on social chatboards. Could both sides come together and resolve to find a nickname for the series?
North Carolina and Virginia call their annual game the South’s Oldest Rivalry. Those two teams first met on Oct. 22, 1892. Guess what happened a day earlier? Tennessee and Vanderbilt played their first game. Vanderbilt won 22-4 on Oct. 21, 1892, in Nashville.
Thus, it may be time to tell North Carolina and Virginia that they are not playing in the South’s Oldest Rivalry and UT-Vandy should be called the South’s Real Oldest Rivalry.
What’s a good name for the Vanderbilt-Tennessee rivalry? I’d be interested in your thoughts. For the rabid fan, try to keep the venom aside. Selected suggestions will be published in a future column; the best of the suggestions will be presented to Vols coach Butch Jones, Commodores coach Derek Mason and the two universities’ athletic departments.
The Tennessean is willing to supply the trophy (or cup) for the two rivals to pass back and forth each year. But, first the game needs a name.
What do you think? Send suggestions to dammenheus@tennessean.com.
Reach Dave Ammenheuser at 615-259-8352 and on Twitter @NashSportsEd.
RIVALRY GAMES
Tennessee and Vanderbilt have played football since Oct. 21, 1892. The two teams will meet for the 110th time this November. Many of college football’s biggest rivalries have nicknames associated with their games. Here are a few:
Thompson Cup: Army vs. Navy, started in 1890
Paul Bunyan’s Axe: Minnesota vs. Wisconsin, started in 1890
Little Brown Jug: Minnesota vs. Michigan, started in 1892
Rocky Mountain Showdown: Colorado vs. Colorado State, started in 1893
The Iron Bowl: Auburn vs. Alabama, started in 1893
Civil War: Oregon vs. Oregon State, started in 1894
The Palmetto Bowl: Clemson vs. South Carolina, started in 1896
Apple Cup: Washington vs. Washington State, started in 1900
Egg Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State, started in 1901
Golden Boot: Arkansas vs. LSU, started in 1901
Governor’s Cup: Kansas vs. Kansas State, started in 1902
Governor’s Cup: Louisville vs. Kentucky, started in 1912
Old Brass Spittoon: Indiana vs. Michigan State, started in 1922
The Old Wagon Wheel: BYU vs. Utah State, started in 1922