Illini to compete for new Land of Lincoln Trophy

Along with playing for the win, in-state bragging rights and a chance to go to a bowl game, the Illini players will be playing for something else on Saturday — a hat.

Illinois and Northwestern have historically played for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, but the 62-year trophy was retired after Northwestern’s 27-10 win against Illinois last season.

Replacing the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk will be the Land of Lincoln Trophy, which is shaped after Illinois native Abraham Lincoln’s famous stovetop hat. The trophy, designed by Dick Locher, nationally syndicated Dick Tracy cartoonist, will make its debut on Saturday when it is presented to the winning school.

“You want it every year, but this is the first time,” Illinois head coach Ron Zook said. “This is the first time that I have not seen it. I’ve seen pictures, but I have not seen it. There’s no question, we’d like to bring it home.”

The Tomahawk was traded between the schools since 1947. Illinois held a 32-28-2 advantage in the trophy’s history.

The original trophy that was given to the winner was a wooden figure of a American Indian chief, but was replaced by a tomahawk after the original was stolen. It was first introduced by the two schools’ student newspapers in 1945.

The Tomahawk was retired in accordance to a 2005 NCAA mandate that all American Indian imagery deemed hostile and abusive must be removed from college athletics.

The Land of Lincoln Trophy was selected to succeed the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk in an online poll that was held through both schools’ athletic Web sites. The Land of Lincoln Trophy beat out the President’s Trophy, recognizing the four presidents with Illinois ties (Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama), the Popcorn Bowl, named after the Illinois state snack, and the Graham-Grange Fire Bell, which honors former Northwestern great Otto Graham and Red Grange of Illinois.

Even for true freshman safety Walt Aikens, who will be facing Northwestern for the first time in his career, the trophy provides extra motivation.

“It just amps up the competition that much more,” Aikens said. “We have got to win it.”

Since Northwestern will hold on to the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk for good, the Illini players are eager to get their hands on the first Land of Lincoln Trophy.

“We definitely want it since it’s the first one,” redshirt freshman Jacob Charest said, “You want it every year, but especially the first one. The first one’s important.”

But with the next loss eliminating the Illini from postseason competition, the trophy still remains an afterthought.

“Maybe if our record wasn’t what it is now, the trophy would be more important,” junior defensive end Clay Nurse said. “But at this point, there’s only one thing that we want, and that’s a win.”