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Thanks for reading week two of the Rivalry Name Rankings, brought to you this week by…states starting with “Mi.”
Our No. 14 ranking is a game played between Michigan and Minnesota, both of which are Big Ten schools. We would like to note that there are 11 teams in the Big Ten…for whatever reason.
In the 2006 football season, Michigan finished 11-2 (7-1 in conference), ending the season with losses to Ohio State and USC (in the Rose Bowl). The Wolverines had a chance to play in the national championship game, but the loss to the Buckeyes narrowly eliminated them from title game contention. But you know that story. Meanwhile, Minnesota finished a lackluster 6-7 (3-5 Big Ten) after losing in the Insight Bowl to Texas Tech in what was the biggest collapse in college bowl game history. But I’m not here to bash the Golden Gophers.
 If you haven’t yet read last week’s ranking, please do so, as it explains how I chose the categories of “classic” names, “clever” names, and “completely random” names for each game or trophy name. For this week, the trophy name is a “completely random” name, meaning it has a unique history and originated from some story very few people know about. That’s why I’m here. (To learn about it myself, and then retell it to you as if I knew it all along.)
As the title of this article says, the trophy name is the “Little Brown Jug.” Michigan owns the all-time series, having a 68-24-3 record against Minnesota since the teams started playing in 1892. But the two teams first started playing for the trophy in 1909, six years after the teams tied 6-6.
That game, played on 10-31-1903, is famous for many reasons. First, it was the first appearance of the famed jug. The reason the jug was there in the first place is quite funny (as described by Michigan’s official athletics website):
“Having doubts that Minnesota would provide pure water to the Michigan bench, head coach Fielding Yost ordered a manager, Tommy Roberts, to purchase a receptacle for drinking water which would be free from suspicion. Roberts purchased a five-gallon jug from a variety store in Minneapolis, and Michigan and Minnesota prepared to duel.”
The game ended prematurely, as after Minnesota tied the game at six, fans stormed the field in celebration with time still on the clock. The refs therefore ended the game in a draw. Here’s the story of what happened next, as provided by Minnesota’s official athletics website:
“On the morning following the contest, Minnesota custodian Oscar Munson carried an earthenware water jug to the office of L. J. Cooke, head of the athletics department. Munson pronounced in a heavy Scandinavian accent, “Jost left his yug.” Still giddy from the tie, they decided to keep the prize, and painted on its side “Michigan Jug - Captured by Oscar, October 31, 1903,” and the score, “Minnesota 6, Michigan 6.” The Minnesota score appeared comically “as big as a house,” dwarfing the Michigan score beside it. Yost sent a letter asking Minnesota to return the jug. Cooke wrote back ‘if you want it, you’ll have to win it.’ ”
The teams didn’t play again until 1909, when Michigan did indeed win back its’ jug. Since 1929, the teams have played each year with the victor taking home the Little Brown Jug as a trophy.
As for a final comment…I just love this trophy. It’s related to football in a completely obscure way, but has so much history behind it that it had to be on this list.
That’s it for this week – if you have any comments for me, please post them on the blog website, using the link on the left. Thanks for reading. Go Wahoos.
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