In the world of college football, where passion runs high and traditions run deep, the battle for glory is often symbolized by the coveted trophies that teams strive to claim. While the iconic crystal football of the College Football Playoff National Championship is the ultimate prize, it’s the quirky and creative trophies of rivalry games that often capture the hearts of fans. The latest entry into this pantheon of peculiar prizes? The Pop-Tarts Bowl’s fully functional toaster trophy.
Pop-Tarts Bowl Raises the Bar with Working Toaster Trophy
The Pop-Tarts Bowl, a relative newcomer to the postseason lineup, has quickly made a name for itself with its unique approach to hardware. Last year’s trophy paid homage to the toaster pastry with mini slots carved into the top of a silver football. But for the 2024 edition, bowl organizers have taken it to the next level by partnering with GE Appliances to create a trophy that doesn’t just look like a toaster – it is a toaster.
Emblazoned with the Pop-Tarts Bowl logo, this chrome appliance serves up both victory and warm, gooey breakfast treats. It’s a fitting reward for a hard-fought gridiron battle, and a guaranteed conversation starter at any champion’s trophy case.
The Potato State Trophy: Idaho vs Idaho State
Of course, the Pop-Tarts toaster is just the latest in a long line of left-field trophies dotting the college football landscape. In the Gem State, the battle between Idaho and Idaho State is memorialized with The Potato State Trophy – a 20-pound behemoth topped with a wooden potato that would make any spud farmer proud.
Battle for the Bones: Memphis vs UAB
Down south, the barbecue pit serves as the inspiration for the Battle for the Bones between Memphis and UAB. This tasty trophy features a full rack of ribs atop a pedestal engraved with the results of the cross-state rivalry. As the saying goes, “To the victor go the spoils,” and in this case, those spoils are finger-licking good.
The Schnellenberger Trophy: Miami vs Louisville
Sometimes, it’s not an object but a man that defines a trophy. Such is the case with The Schnellenberger Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Miami-Louisville tilt. Honoring coaching legend Howard Schnellenberger, who helmed both programs to prominence, the trophy incorporates his famous cowboy boots as a nod to his signature sideline style.
Paul Bunyan’s Axe: Wisconsin vs Minnesota
In the frigid north, Paul Bunyan’s legend looms large over the Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry. Paul Bunyan’s Axe, with its six-foot long handle, has been a fixture of the series since 1948. The winning squad not only claims the trophy at midfield, but gets to use the tool to “chop down” the goal posts in a lumberjack-approved celebration.
The Platypus Trophy: Oregon vs Oregon State
Few trophies are as wonderfully weird as The Platypus Trophy fought for by Oregon and Oregon State. With a duck bill and beaver tail, this bronze mashup of the two schools’ mascots has been at the center of the Civil War rivalry since 1959. While not anatomically correct, it’s a beloved prize in the Beaver State battle.
The Golden Egg: Ole Miss vs Mississippi State
Even trophies based on everyday objects get a unique spin in college football. Take The Golden Egg, the bounty in the yearly Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State. While it may resemble an oversized wrapped candy, this egg symbolizes gridiron supremacy in the Magnolia State.
The trophy was created in 1927 as a way to “effect a better understanding in athletic relations, to foster clean sportsmanship, and to promote a lasting tradition” between the two schools.
– The story behind The Golden Egg
From sea to shining sea, college football’s trophy case is filled with delightfully peculiar prizes that add flavor to the sport’s most storied rivalries. Whether it’s a toaster that actually toasts, a hatchet that really chops, or an egg that’s more precious than gold, these quirky keepsakes are physical embodiments of the history, tradition, and passionate fanbases that make college football so special.
As the Pop-Tarts toaster trophy joins the ranks of the sport’s most unique hardware, it serves as a reminder that while winning is always the goal, it’s the distinctiveness of the prize that can make a victory truly memorable. In a sport where every game matters, these trophies give rivals one more reason to lay it all on the line in pursuit of the sweet taste of success – Pop-Tarts presumably included.
