Before the battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe, The Civil War, The Egg Bowl, The Big Game and the Apple Cup, there was a Little Brown Jug.

Friday night’s game between Minnesota and Michigan marks the 100th anniversary of the Little Brown Jug, the trophy awarded to the winner of games played between the Golden Gophers and the Wolverines.

The Little Brown Jug game was the first of the traditional rivalry games that have become one of the trademarks of college football.

‘I’m really looking forward to play for the oldest trophy in college football,’ Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said.

According to Minnesota, using the Little Brown Jug as a trophy happened completely by accident and the trophy began simply as a water jug.

On October 31, 1903, Michigan traveled to Minneapolis carrying with it a 28-game winning streak. Led by head coach Fielding Yost, the Wolverines were absolutely dominant, outscoring opponents 644-12 during the previous season.

According to LittleBrownJug.net, a website dedicated to the history of the trophy, Michigan trainer Keene Fitzpatrick did not trust Minnesota to provide the Wolverine sideline with clean drinking water.

Fitzpatrick ordered a Michigan student-manager to purchase a container for Michigan to store its own water.

The manager, Tommy Roberts, purchased a five-gallon jug – the same one that would be used as a trophy for 100 years – at a Minneapolis variety store for 30 cents.

In the greatest upset of the season, Minnesota tied Michigan 6-6, the only points Michigan allowed that season. The tie ended the Wolverines’ winning streak.

After the game, 20,000 Minnesota fans stormed the field in celebration, and during the chaos, Minnesota custodian Oscar Munson stole the jug from the Michigan sideline and brought it to Minnesota Director of Athletics L.J. Cooke to commemorate the upset.

Munson painted the jug with a Minnesota logo along with the score of the game and displayed it on campus.

Later that season, Yost sent a note to Cooke asking for the jug back. Cooke refused and wrote back, ‘If you want it, you’ll have to win it,’ beginning the rivalry and the use of the jug as a trophy.

‘It’s all about tradition,’ Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. ‘Nobody sits around and thinks, ‘Hey, lets create this tradition.’ It just happens. I love having the opportunity to be a part of it.’

Since 1903, the two teams have played 81 times. Michigan has won 60, including the last 13 games, dating back to 1986.

Mason said he is especially excited for the game because Minnesota has its best shot of winning the jug in more than a decade.

The Golden Gophers come into the game 6-0, featuring an explosive offense led by quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq and four running backs, including Marion Barber III, who already has 13 touchdowns this season.

Michigan, coming off a 34-31 loss to Iowa on Saturday, needs a victory in the Little Brown Jug game to salvage any chance at winning the Big 10 Championship.

Quarterback John Navarre said Friday night’s game will be the defining moment of Michigan’s season.

‘This is a championship game,’ Navarre said. ‘Minnesota is going to be sky high for it and we can’t stub our toe again if we want to win (the Big 10) Championship.’

For Minnesota, this rivalry game is one Mason said his team is gearing up for. A win would give the Gophers a 3-0 record in the Big 10 and put them in the driver’s seat for a trip to the Rose Bowl.

The win would also allow Minnesota to repeat history and steal back the Little Brown Jug from Michigan for the first time in nearly two decades.

Said Mason: ‘I’d just like to see the thing one time before I die.’

Border war

This weekend also features another historic rivalry game with major national championship implications.

No. 1 Oklahoma plays No. 11 Texas on Saturday for first place in the Big 12’s southern division.

The game, known as the Red River Showdown, is played each season at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas as a centerpiece to the annual Texas State Fair.

Superstar Texas receiver Roy Williams and the Texas offense hopes to prove that somebody can match Oklahoma’s non-stop scoring.

The Sooners have scored 50 or more points the last three weeks, and senior quarterback Jason White has already thrown for 16 touchdowns in 2003.

Teams to watch

Nebraska – Are the Cornhuskers back? Nebraska football seems to be with a 5-0 start, leading to a No. 10 ranking.

Quarterback Jammal Lord is finally proving he can lead the Cornhuskers’ trademark option offense by rushing for 340 yards in the first five games and scoring a total of seven touchdowns.

LSU – After two impressive conference wins over Georgia and Mississippi State, the Tigers face another challenge this weekend at home against Florida.

The 17-10 win over Georgia propelled LSU to No. 6 in the AP poll. The defense has allowed only 43 points in five games, and looks to keep LSU in the top 10 and as a legitimate national championship contender.

Big numbers

6 – It’s still the first full week of October, and Minnesota has already reached the magical number that makes a team eligible for a postseason bowl game.

Saturday’s 42-17 win over Northwestern gave the Gophers the distinction of being the first team in Division I to become bowl eligible.

422-141 – Oklahoma and LSU have dominated the first seven weeks of the season, each putting up consistent blowout victories leading to this astronomical combined margin of victory so far in 2003.

11 – Remaining Division I schools without a loss in 2003. Oklahoma, Miami, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Arkansas, Minnesota, TCU and Northern Illinois are unbeaten.

Weekly irrelevant Heisman race

1. Nobody – Not one single player has put up consistent enough performances to be a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender at this point of the season.

Last week’s No. 1, Philip Rivers, is on a 3-3 team, taking him out of serious contention for now.

Texas Tech’s quarterback B.J. Symons had another huge outing last week, but following last season’s similar success of Kliff Kingsbury, voters will hesitate to vote for somebody who is perceived to have derived his success from a system.

Look for either Virginia Tech running back Kevin Jones or Syracuse’s Walter Reyes to take the lead in the race with a solid game in their head-to-head matchup.

Say What?

‘You know who we’re playing Friday? We’re playing the New York Yankees. We’re the Twins and we’re playing the Yankees.’

– Minnesota coach Glen Mason, not Boston Red Sox Manager Grady Little, speaking about the Gophers’ matchup against historic powerhouse Michigan on Friday.

Published on October 8, 2003 at 12:00 pm