Husker Football: Top Five Budding Rivalry Names/Trophies

Nov 2, 2013; Lincoln, NE, USA; Northwestern Wildcats safety Jimmy Hall (9) watches Nebraska Cornhuskers celebrate after winning the game on the last play of the game at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska won 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

While Husker football fits in well with the Big Ten, there’s something lacking. Something necessary for Nebraska to have if it truly wants to be a part of this conference. I speak of rivalries.

Shed your tears for Oklahoma. It’ll be years before the Sooners and Huskers clash again, so let’s make the best of a bad situation. Minnesota and Wisconsin play for The Paul Bunyan Axe. Know what that is? It’s a big freakin’ axe! The winning team gets to haul around this gigantic axe and “chop down” the goalposts. Does this not sound fun?

Indiana and Purdue may not offer much on the football field, but when they get together, they fight for the Old Oaken Bucket. Sure, it’s no humongous axe, but there is a solid back story.

When Indiana alumnus Dr. Clarence Jones and Purdue alumnus Russel Gray sat down to figure out what the trophy should be, a resolution was drafted:

"An old oaken bucket as the most typical Hoosier form of trophy, that the bucket should be taken from some well in Indiana, and that a chain to be made of bronze block “I” and “P” letters should be provided for the bucket. The school winning the traditional football game each year should have possession of the “Old Oaken Bucket” until the next game and should attach the block letter representing the winning school to the bail with the score engraved on the latter link."

That ain’t your average run of the mill bucket.

While Nebraska won’t find another Oklahoma, Husker football needs to get in on this trophy stuff post-haste. I’ve got five games, names and trophies that should do the trick.