The Tale of the Tape
Teams: Wisconsin vs. Iowa
Total Meetings: 100
All-Time Series: Tied 49-49-2
First Meeting: October 29, 1894
The Tale of the Trophy
The Heartland Trophy is one of the newer rivalry awards in college football. However, there’s nothing new about the Wisconsin-Iowa game. These two schools have played every year for decades and, currently, their all-time series is tied after a recent Iowa victory. In the early 2000s, the athletic directors of both schools wanted to add a trophy to this well-known annual matchup. The prize that was commissioned showcases a brass bull on top of a walnut base (walnuts are native to both the states of Iowa and Wisconsin). The bull itself symbolizes the hard-nosed, physical football that is a trademark of both programs and of the “working-class” tradition of each state. It’s name comes from a nickname for America’s midwest, a region that these two states share. The trophy was designed by Iowa City native and former Iowa football player Frank Strub, an artist after his playing days ended.
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