Land Grant Trophy
Encyclopedia
| Land Grant Trophy | |
| Teams | Penn State Nittany Lions Penn State Nittany Lions football The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the... Michigan State Spartans Michigan State Spartans football The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level... |
| Originated | 1993 |
| Trophy Series | Penn State leads, 13–5 |
| Current Holder | Michigan State |
The Land Grant Trophy is presented to the winner of each football game between Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
and Penn State. The Michigan State Spartans are the current holder of the Land Grand Trophy after beating Penn State 28-22 in State College, PA; the victory ensured that the Spartans won a share of the 2010 Big Ten Championship
History
When Penn State joined the Big Ten ConferenceBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
in 1993, the Nittany Lions and Spartans were designated as permanent rivals, and have played each other for the trophy in the last week of conference play. The trophy, designed by former Michigan State coach George Perles
George Perles
George J. Perles is a former American football player and coach. He was a defensive line coach, defensive coordinator, and assistant head coach for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972–1981 and the head coach at Michigan State University from 1983–1994...
, features pictures of Penn State's Old Main
Old Main (Pennsylvania State University)
Old Main, originally called "Main Building" is The Pennsylvania State University’s first building of major significance. It was completed in 1863 after a six-year period of construction. Hugh McAllister designed the structure to contain classrooms, laboratories, offices, a chapel, and residential...
and Michigan State's Beaumont Tower
Beaumont Tower
Beaumont Tower , designed by the architectural firm of Donaldson and Meier, is a structure on the campus of Michigan State University. The tower marks the site of College Hall, the first building in America erected for instruction in scientific agriculture.During its dedication ceremony the...
. Michigan State won the most recent meeting 28-22 on November 27, 2010, at Beaver Stadium State College, PA. Currently, Penn State leads the overall series 14–13–1, though many of the games were played prior to Penn State joining the Big Ten and are thus not included in the trophy count.
With the addition of Nebraska to the Big Ten in 2011, Michigan State and Penn State were moved into different divisions and were no longer designated as rivals, meaning they would no longer play each other every year. Instead, Nebraska was designated as the permanent rival for Penn State, and Indiana was designated as the permanent rival for Michigan State. Penn State and Michigan State will now compete on average four out of every ten years until the expansion of the conference schedule to nine games beginning in 2017, at which point it will be on average of six of every ten years.http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080411aaa.html
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
and Penn State University are the nation's oldest land-grant universities, hence the name for the trophy. In 1955 on the 100th year anniversary of the founding of the land grant system, Michigan State and Penn State were commemorated on a U.S. postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
honoring the "First of the Land-Grant Colleges". These two universities were the first ever universities to be placed on a U.S. postage stamp.
They are the 2nd and 3rd most recently joined members of the Big Ten, after Nebraska, who joined in 2011. Fellow Big Ten members Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, Purdue
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
and Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
are also land-grant schools.
Game results
See also
- Other Michigan State traveling trophies:
- Megaphone TrophyMegaphone TrophyStarted in 1949 the Megaphone Trophy is awarded each year to the winner of the football game between the University of Notre Dame and Michigan State University. Notre Dame and Michigan State started competing against each other 114 years ago in 1897...
(with Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish footballNotre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
) - Old Brass SpittoonOld Brass SpittoonThe Old Brass Spittoon is the name of the trophy that is annually awarded to the winner of the Big Ten Conference college football game between Indiana University and Michigan State University. First presented in 1950, it was Michigan State's idea to start up the trophy and Indiana quickly accepted...
(with IndianaIndiana Hoosiers footballThe Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
) - Paul Bunyan TrophyPaul Bunyan TrophyThe Paul Bunyan–Governor of Michigan Trophy is a college rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of the annual American football game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Michigan Wolverines. The winner retains possession of the trophy until the next year's game...
(with MichiganMichigan Wolverines footballThe Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
)
- Megaphone Trophy
- Other Penn State traveling trophies:
- Governor's Victory BellGovernor's Victory BellThe Governor's Victory Bell is awarded to the winner of each college football game between Minnesota and Penn State.-History:It was first presented in 1993 to commemorate Penn State's entry into the Big Ten Conference, with their first league game coming against the Golden Gophers. Penn State won...
(with MinnesotaMinnesota Golden Gophers footballThe University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
)
- Governor's Victory Bell
External links
- "Land Grant Trophy: a case of envy", Frantz, Jeff, The Daily Collegian, November 23, 2002