George Jewett Trophy Explained

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George Jewett Trophy
Team1logo:Michigan Wolverines logo.svg
Team2logo:Northwestern Wildcats logo.svg
Firstmeeting:October 29, 1892
Northwestern 10, Michigan 8
Mostrecent:October 23, 2021
Michigan 33, Northwestern 7
Nextmeeting:November 23, 2024, in Ann Arbor, MI
Total:76
Series:Michigan leads 59–15–2
Largestvictory:Michigan, 69–0 (1975)
Longeststreak:Michigan, 19 (1966–1992)
Currentstreak:Michigan, 7 (2011–present)
Stadiums:Michigan Stadium
Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Ryan Field
Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Trophy:George Jewett Trophy (Est. 2021)
Trophy Series:Michigan, 1–0

The George Jewett Trophy is an American college football rivalry trophy that was established in 2021 to be awarded to the winner of the Michigan–Northwestern football game.

History

Establishment of trophy

In 2021, the two universities announced the creation of the George Jewett Trophy to be awarded to the game's winner. The trophy honors Jewett, who was the first African-American college football player at both schools and in the Big Ten Conference. This marked the first FBS rivalry game trophy named for an African-American player.[1] [2] [3]

George Jewett

See main article: George Jewett. Michigan and Northwestern first played on October 29, 1892, in Chicago. In that game, halfback George Jewett, Michigan's first African-American player, kicked a field goal and led Michigan's play on both offense and defense. Despite Jewett's effort, Northwestern prevailed by a 10–8 score.[4] [5]

Jewett transferred to Northwestern in 1893 and became that school's first African-American football player. Jewett scored Northwestern's only touchdown in its 1893 loss to Michigan.[6]

Pre-trophy games

The Wildcats went on to win six out of the first thirteen games, before Michigan began to dominate the series. The two programs were co-champions of the Big Ten during the 1926, 1930, and 1931 seasons.[7] And in 1925, Northwestern halted Michigan's march to a national championship with a 3–2 victory on a muddy surface at Soldier Field.[8] [9] The three points scored by Northwestern were the only points allowed by the 1925 Michigan team that Fielding H. Yost called "the greatest football team I ever saw in action."[10]

In 1948, the schools met with Michigan ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll and Northwestern at No. 3. Michigan forced four turnovers and prevailed by a 28–0 score, as the Wolverines jumped to No. 1, en route to a national championship.[11] [12]

The Wildcats returned to prominence under head coach Ara Parseghian, defeating the Wolverines in consecutive games in 1958 and 1959.[13] [14] Following Parseghian's departure, the series reached its nadir as Michigan won 19 consecutive games from 1966 to 1992.

In 1995, No. 25 Northwestern scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to shock No. 6 Michigan, 19–13. The Wildcats took advantage of four Michigan turnovers, and Pat Fitzgerald led Northwestern with 14 tackles including 2 tackles for loss. It was Northwestern's first victory over Michigan in 30 years, and first win in Ann Arbor since 1959.[15] This upset sprung Northwestern on the path to a 10–2 season, reaching as high as No. 3 in the rankings. The Wildcats won their first Big Ten Conference title since 1936, and were invited to play in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1948.[16] [17]

Additional Northwestern upsets of highly ranked Michigan teams in 1996 and 2000 were key in Northwestern's Big Ten title winning seasons. The 1995, 1996, and 2000 teams are Northwestern's only three Big Ten champions in the AP Poll era.

Prior to the creation of the Jewett Trophy, Michigan held a 58–15–2 advantage in the series.[18]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Michigan and Northwestern Establish George Jewett Trophy . February 25, 2021 . mgoblue.com . "The University of Michigan and Northwestern University have established the first rivalry game trophy named for an African American player in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history, creating the George Jewett Trophy, announced jointly by the two institutions today (Thursday, Feb. 25).".
  2. News: Orion Sang . February 25, 2021 . Michigan, Northwestern to play for George Jewett Trophy, honoring Big Ten's first Black football player . Detroit Free Press.
  3. News: February 25, 2021 . Michigan Wolverines, Northwestern Wildcats football to play for George Jewett Trophy . ESPN.com . "This becomes the Big Ten's 16th rivalry game trophy – the third for Michigan (Little Brown Jug, Paul Bunyan Trophy) and second for Northwestern (Land of Lincoln Trophy).".
  4. News: October 30, 1892 . Evanston Men Win . The Inter Ocean . 6.
  5. News: October 30, 1892 . Northwestern Beats Ann Arbor . Chicago Tribune . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: November 20, 1893 . Almost a Shut-Out: Northwestern Powerless Before the Strength and Skill of Our Team – 72 to 6 . The U. of M. Daily . 1, 3 . Bentley Historical Library.
  7. News: November 14, 1936 . Michigan Leads, 7 to 4, In Northwestern Series Starting in Early 80's . Battle Creek Enquirer . 7 . Newspapers.com. ("Michigan, which three times has tied Northwestern for the Western conference title, holds an edge of seven victories to four for the Wildcats in a rivalry which dates back to 1892.")
  8. News: Walter Eckersall . November 8, 1925 . Northwestern Upsets Michigan, 3–2: Purple Brains and Lewis' Toe Sink Wolverines in Morass; Flash of Genius in Giving Foes Safety Saves the Day . https://archive.today/20130131141908/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/449607352.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+8,+1925&author=WALTER+ECKERSALL&pub=Chicago+Daily+Tribune+(1923-1963)&edition=&startpage=A1&desc=NORTHWESTERN+UPSETS+MICHIGAN,+3-2 . dead . January 31, 2013 . Chicago Daily Tribune .
  9. News: November 8, 1925 . Michigan Beaten By Northwestern: Bows to Purple, 3 to 2, Before 20,000 in Game Played in Rainstorm at Chicago; Lewis's Kick Decides Issue; Field Goal Overcomes Safety Made Deliberately by Winners – Not One First Down . The New York Times.
  10. News: November 29, 1925 . Yost Calls 1925 Eleven Greatest: Does Not Even Except Wonderful Teams of 1901 and 1902; Rolled Up Grand 227 Point Total; Wolverine Mentor Says He's Proud to Have Coached Boys . https://archive.today/20130131192524/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/807449222.html?dids=807449222:807449222&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+29,+1925&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=YOST+CALLS+1925+ELEVEN+GREATEST&pqatl=google . dead . January 31, 2013 . The Hartford Courant . B2 .
  11. News: Walter W. Ruch . October 17, 1948 . Takes 18th In Row: 85,938 Watch Michigan Score Over Wildcats in Big Nine Contest; Koceski Wolverine Star . January 10, 2012 . The New York Times.
  12. News: Allison Danzig . October 18, 1948 . Michigan Is Defensive Standout Among Nation's College Elevens: Wolverines Have Yielded Only 7 Points in 4 Games . The New York Times.
  13. News: Tommy Devine . October 19, 1958 . Wildcats Murder M, 55–24 . Detroit Free Press . 1E . Newspapers.com.
  14. News: Hal Middlesworth . October 18, 1959 . 'Cats Win, 20–7: U-M Gives All – But NW Takes . Detroit Free Press . 1E . Newspapers.com.
  15. News: October 8, 1995 . COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Northwestern Stuns Michigan This Time : Big Ten: Opportunistic Wildcats down Wolverines, 19–13, for first victory over foe in 30 years. . Los Angeles Times.
  16. Web site: 2020-11-06 . 'One of the greatest underdog stories of our time': Northwestern's run to the Rose Bowl, 25 years later . 2024-04-29 . ESPN.com . en.
  17. Web site: Northwestern Wildcats School History . sports-reference.com.
  18. Web site: Winsipedia – Michigan Wolverines vs. Northwestern Wildcats football series history . February 25, 2021 . winsipedia.com.

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