Little Brown Jug

The trophy traces back to a 1903 football game between Michigan and Minnesota in Minneapolis, when Michigan's coach Fielding Yost reportedly sent a student to buy a water jug for the team. After a rowdy crowd forced the game to end early in a 6–6 tie, Minnesota kept the jug, and it eventually became the traveling trophy for the rivalry.

It is widely regarded as the oldest FBS rivalry trophy still actively contested, dating to the 1903 game. The physical jug itself is an earthenware water vessel from that era, making it older than trophies like Paul Bunyan's Axe or the Old Oaken Bucket.

Michigan has historically dominated the series and held possession of the jug for long stretches, particularly during the Bo Schembechler and Lloyd Carr eras. Minnesota has had notable wins in recent years, including a 2023 victory, but Michigan leads the all-time trophy-game count by a wide margin.

No, because the Big Ten moved to a divisional and then flexible scheduling format, the teams do not always meet annually. When they do play, the jug is still awarded to the winner, maintaining one of college football's longest-running trophy traditions.