Floyd of Rosedale gives Gophers rivalry trophy trifecta for first time in nearly 50 years

October 25, 2026 · by SPW Pipeline

Gophers football is synonymous with some of the most historic rivalry trophies in college football. Saturday’s win over Iowa means Minnesota has Paul Bunyan’s Axe, Floyd of Rosedale and the Little Brown Jug at the same time for the first time since 1978.

Minnesota doesn’t play Wisconsin until the final week of the regular season, but the Gophers have beaten the Badgers four of the last five years, and they still have Paul Bunyan’s Axe from last year’s 17-7 win in Minneapolis.

The Gophers’ long-standing rivalries with Iowa and Michigan have a much different history. Their Week 5 win over the Wolverines was their first time winning the Little Brown Jug since 1977. They trail in the all-time series, 78-26-3.

P.J. Fleck has seriously struggled against Iowa, with just one win over the Hawkeyes in his first nine tries, but Saturday’s upset win is extra significant.

The Gophers have a recognized rivalry trophy with Penn State called the Governor’s Bell, but that series has only lasted since 1993. They also played for the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy against Nebraska, but that rivalry is not officially recognized by the schools.

The Jug, Pig and Axe tell the entire story of Gophers football, and Fleck is the program’s first head coach to have all three since Cal Stoll in 1978. That’s a mark that should etch Fleck’s status as one of the best coaches in the program’s history.

This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Oct 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Gophers section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.

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Floyd of Rosedale gives Gophers rivalry trophy trifecta for first time in nearly 50 years

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