The rivalry trophy between Minnesota and Nebraska was born from a joke on Twitter

College football rivalry trophies range from historic prizes to bizarre oddities.

From the Paul Bunyan Trophy and the Golden Hat to the Old Brass Spittoon and the Bronze Pig, rivalry games feature prizes that mix tradition, regional pride, and a dash of eccentricity.

The Army–Navy rivalry has a long history of mascot heists

For decades, spirited cadets and midshipmen have plotted covert missions to steal each other’s mascots—Army’s mule and Navy’s goat—turning the already fierce football rivalry into a game of elaborate pranks and counter-pranks.

The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry has roots in a 19th-century border dispute.

The story behind one iconic meme

The 2012 post titled "Just a book owners smile" shows 11-year-old Maggie Goldenberger—resplendent in her braces, pigtails, and treasure map-like vest—holding a trio of Goosebumps books and grinning wildly at the camera. Another user quickly captioned it, "GERSBERMS. MAH FRAVRIT BERKS."

The Alabama-Auburn rivalry, known as the Iron Bowl, began in 1893.

The greatest NHL rivalries

In its over 100 years as a league, the NHL has developed several heated rivalries, from the classic Canadian grudge matches between Toronto and Montreal to the Keystone State nemeses in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. This list ranks the best and most bitter matchups, often tracing their animosity back decades.

The Sooner Schooner is Oklahoma’s signature touchdown celebration

Since 1964, Oklahoma’s ponies, Boomer and Sooner, have pulled the Sooner Schooner—a Conestoga wagon replica—onto the field after scores, celebrating the university’s pioneer heritage.

College football bowl games boast some of sports' most absurd names

From the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to the Pop-Tarts Bowl, college football's postseason is filled with quirky, sponsor-driven names.

Texas’ 1,600-pound longhorn mascot Bevo charged at Georgia’s Uga, a small bulldog, at the Sugar Bowl

During a pregame photo op at the 2019 Sugar Bowl, Bevo broke through a barrier and charged toward Uga, creating a chaotic scene that instantly became one of college football’s most viral mascot moments. Luckily, Bevo was stopped before reaching Uga.

The Bone Wars turned paleontology into a rivalry fraught with public scandal

Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope were friends-turned-enemies competing for the glory of discovering dinosaurs. It became so intense that when Cope died, he donated his body to science to prove he had a bigger brain than Marsh.

How a lawn gnome became the hottest item at the Masters

The kitschy piece of memorabilia debuted in 2016 and has since become a highly sought-after collectible for Master attendees. This ESPN deep dive explores how it happened and what makes the strange little item so attractive for golf fans.

One NHL team tosses salmon to its fans

Detroit Red Wings fans have thrown octopuses on the ice since 1952, and fans of other teams have tried their own hand at tossing things in the rink ever since. It's now become a calling card for the Seattle Kraken, whose fans nod to the city's Pike Place Market by tossing salmon onto the ice.

Thanksgiving's connection to football began in 1876

It all started with a match between Princeton and Yale in 1876, attended by fewer than 1,000 fans. That competition spawned an annual tradition attracting millions of viewers across college and professional teams.

The Hodag was a mythological animal—part reptile, part mammal, with spikes running down its back—invented by a 19th-century Wisconsin lumberjack-turned-con-artist who claimed he'd slain one after it attacked a child.

A children's toy inspired the name ‘Super Bowl’

The name “Super Bowl” was coined by AFL founder Lamar Hunt, who casually suggested it in 1966—riffing on his child’s Super Ball toy—after alternatives such as “The Big One” and “AFL-NFL World Championship Game” proved clunky and forgettable. The name was officially adopted for the third championship.

Rivalry between the AFL and NFL led to a merger—and the creation of the Super Bowl

Competition between the American Football League and the National Football League led to a 1966 merger agreement, with the Super Bowl created as a championship game to determine league supremacy before the two leagues were fully integrated.

Texas and Oklahoma have played annually at the State Fair of Texas since 1929

Known as the Red River Showdown, the Texas–Oklahoma game is a centerpiece of the State Fair in Dallas. The neutral-site clash has produced iconic moments and often shapes Big 12 and national championship races.

The NASCAR championship trophy has evolved for decades

From the Winston Cup’s reign from 1971 to 2003, to the Nextel/Sprint Cup awarded from 2004 to 2016, this NASCAR video shows the evolution to the new Bill France Trophy with every track outlined.

The 'Ratatouille' musical started as a joke on TikTok

It all started as a meme: What if “Ratatouille” were adapted for the stage? Just a few months later, though, it was an actual production, featuring genuine Broadway stars.

The Ig Nobel Prize is a satirical version of the Nobel Prize and aims to engage broader audiences with science by spotlighting scientific achievements that make people laugh before they think.

The Heisman Trophy has honored college football’s top player since 1935

Awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football, the Heisman Trophy has become iconic for its storied history, memorable acceptance speeches, and the success of many winners who went on to NFL stardom.

Rams player Fred Gehrke painted the NFL's first logo helmet

When the Rams took the field for their first preseason game of the 1948 season, they exited the tunnel with hand-painted ram horns on their helmets. It was the first logo painted on an NFL helmet and fans gave a 5-minute standing ovation.

The Big Ten is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the US

Established in 1896 with seven members, the Big Ten has expanded far beyond its Midwestern roots. As of 2024, it includes 18 schools—stretching coast to coast from Rutgers in New Jersey to UCLA in California.

Cold War rivalries fueled fierce competition in international sports

From Olympic medal counts to hockey showdowns, the US and USSR used sports to showcase ideological superiority. Athletic victories were framed as proof that each system—capitalist or communist—produced stronger, more disciplined citizens.

Meat raffles are charitable events popular in the Midwest

The events, which take place at bars, often during sporting events, allow you to buy a ticket (usually for a dollar) and earn the chance to win some uncooked meat to take home and throw on the barbecue.

Inside one credit union’s big NFL bet

Herndon, Virginia-based Northwest Federal Credit Union is working to bring credit unions into the spotlight. The relatively small institution just made a big splash when it struck an $8M-per-year naming rights deal with the Washington Commanders. Northwest is now the official credit union partner for the team and has turned FedEx Field into Northwest Stadium. Banking nerds and sports fans alike are paying close attention. Read this article to learn more.

The Lombardi Trophy is handcrafted from sterling silver each year

Made annually by Tiffany & Co., the Lombardi Trophy is hand-formed from sterling silver, taking months of work and dozens of labor hours before final engraving is completed after the Super Bowl.

Before the BCS and Playoff systems, polls often sparked controversy over college football champions

For decades, national titles were awarded by polls like the AP and Coaches’ rankings—leading to split championships, heated debates, and disputed claims whenever top teams finished with identical records.

The history of the NIT, college basketball's other tournament

When people refer to March Madness, they're referring to the annual NCAA tournament, the most popular event in college basketball. Often overlooked is the National Invitational Tournament, or NIT, which is viewed as a consolation prize for teams that fail to earn bids to the NCAA. However, the NIT began as the premier tournament until it was eventually beaten out (and ultimately acquired) by its competitor.

How Guinness became a social media trend

In early 2024, an unexpected meme emerged on Instagram and TikTok: "splitting the G," where Guinness drinkers would attempt to take a first sip big enough to leave the remaining beer perfectly aligned with the middle of the "G" on a Guinness pint glass. This Vinepair article explores where the trend came from and how it took off.

Siblings surprise their parents with a recreation of a 1980s childhood photo

The three sisters and one brother recreated a professional photo taken of them in classic 1980s garb. They captured a TikTok of their parents' hilarious reactions that went viral.

Tailgating is a cornerstone of college football culture

Hours before kickoff, fans gather in stadium parking lots and nearby lawns to grill, share drinks, and celebrate.

The story behind Prince's rivalry with Michael Jackson

The Purple One was often compared to the King of Pop, but Prince considered himself the superior artist. This retrospective details the many contentious encounters between the two giants, but it also highlights the sincere admiration they had for each other's work.

The sports competition developed on the Alaskan tundra

Alaska's NYO Games invite high school athletes from the state's over 270 indigenous tribes to compete in numerous events based on survival tactics developed by their ancestors. This short documentary from Great Big Story walks through some of the more grueling events and speaks with the Games' coaches and young athletes about how the event preserves their shared culture.

The forgotten Larry Bird punch that almost changed everything

Larry Bird biographer Keith O'Brien argues March Madness as we know it today began in 1979, with an electric, raucous game that's largely been forgotten. Thankfully, he's dredged up the details (and the footage) to help us relive it.

A tragic injury led to the original NHL All-Star Game

The annual NHL All-Star Game is a joyous affair celebrating the best players each season. But its origins came from one of the most terrifying moments in hockey history. In a 1933 game, Maple Leafs wing Ace Bailey was nearly killed on the ice, and the NHL organized a benefit game to raise money for his family.

See some of college football's most iconic gameday traditions.

Indiana went from an all-time loser to a perfect championship season in 2025-2026.

Fantasy sports can also offer community

Fantasy leagues often carry over from year to year, allowing people to hang on to (or forge) connections with others. Matthew Berry, a fantasy football analyst for NBC Sports, argues, “the truth is it’s all about the people. It’s not the draft, it’s not the trash talk or the punishments … It’s the people who make the draft and the trash talk and the punishments and the winning what it is.”

Rob Gronkowski dented the Lombardi Trophy during the Patriots' celebration

After their victory in Super Bowl LII, Patriots' tight end Rob Gronkowski dented the trophy by using it as a baseball bat before throwing out the first pitch at Fenway Park. Team owner Robert Kraft decided not to repair the trophy.

Michigan's pasty is sometimes referred to as a 'Yooper burrito'

The pasty is a signature dish of the state's Upper Peninsula. Because it's a handheld food, the item is sometimes called "the Yooper burrito," referencing the slang ("Yooper") for someone who lives in the area.

A showdown between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the 1979 NCAA final helped ignite the college basketball boom.

UC Santa Cruz's nontraditional mascot was selected by its students

After becoming an NCAA Division III school, UC Santa Cruz ditched its informal mascot, the banana slug, for a sea lion. Students protested and eventually held a straw vote to reinstate the old name, which they saw as an antidote to the hypercompetitive nature of college athletics.

How memes create in-groups

Memes can hop offline, inspiring IRL events ranging from planking to shootings. By nature, memes contribute to the formation of in-groups, ones who are privy to meanings that escape content moderators who don't necessarily recognize what's hidden within layers of references.

College football bowl games boast some of sports' most absurd names and sponsors.

X's bird logo cost just $15 and wasn't added until four years after launch

When Twitter launched in 2006, it featured green, slimy lettering and lacked the now-famous bird icon. The bird was adopted in 2010 and eventually became the platform's official logo—unofficially named Larry after NBA legend Larry Bird.

Mark Twain once challenged a rival newspaper editor to a duel

While writing for a newspaper in Virginia City, Nevada, Twain published a story about a local fundraiser, accusing the paper’s rival of rescinding their donation. The problem was that the story was untrue: It was a hoax that he had concocted while drunk. The affair led to a protracted, public back-and-forth, with Twain challenging the editor of the rival paper to a duel; likewise, two other men challenged Twain to a duel. Twain ultimately left town, but wrote about the episode later on in an essay titled “How I Escaped Being Killed in a Duel.”

The Pop-Tarts Bowl ends with its mascot being eaten by the winning team.

A 1930s card game birthed modern fantasy sports

"National Pastime" used the statistics of real Major League Baseball players to determine a winner, creating the template for the modern fantasy sports model.

Coca-Cola and Pepsi have a fierce rivalry

And it's been that way for a long time—both of the sodas were created in the late 1800s in the South. Pepsi was created by Caleb Bradham, and was originally called "Brad's Drink."