Northern Illinois and Ball State to Play for The Bronze Stalk

http://niuhuskies.cstv.com/sports/m-foot...07aaa.html

Nov. 21, 2007

Quote:DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois and Ball State, two Mid-American Conference schools located in neighboring Midwest states, will make their annual MAC match-up the latest college football "trophy game" beginning next season, the schools announced Tuesday.

After discussions between the schools and in honor of one of the Huskies' and Cardinals' oldest, and closest, league rivalries, the teams will vie for "The Bronze Stalk" starting with the 2008 contest. The schools will seek a corporate sponsor for the rivalry and the trophy will go to the winner of the football game each year.

A model of the trophy, which is being designed by local DeKalb artist and nationally-recognized sculptor Renee Bemis, will be on display Saturday at Huskie Stadium when Northern Illinois and Ball State meet in the final game of the regular season for both teams. The trophy will depict several cornstalks in tribute to the locales of both universities. DeKalb, Illinois and Muncie, Indiana are cities located just outside of the major metropolitan areas of Chicago and Indianapolis, respectively, which are famously surrounded by corn fields. The wooden base of the trophy will feature the Ball State Cardinals' logo on one side and the Northern Illinois Huskies' logo on the other.

Northern Illinois and Ball State first played football in 1941, met every year from 1973 to 1988, and the 2007 game will mark the 11th straight season that the teams have played. Ball State owns an 18-14-2 lead in the all-time series although Northern Illinois has won seven of the last eight meetings.

Tickets to Saturday's game, which kicks off at 3 p.m. at Huskie Stadium, are on sale through the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center, at the ticket windows prior to the game on Saturday or on-line at http://www.niuhuskies.com.

In addition, fans with a football ticket can attend the Huskie Basketball team's 2007-08 home opener against Stephen F. Austin, which tips off at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center, for just $2 as part of the "Changing Seasons" Doubleheader at NIU. Between the football and basketball games, the Convo will be hosting a "chili" night with special food offerings at discount prices.

A corn stalk? I like it.

epasnoopy Wrote:http://niuhuskies.cstv.com/sports/m-foot...07aac.html

Quote:TROPHY GAME: Northern Illinois and Ball State have agreed to make their annual MAC match-up the latest college football "trophy game" to spur interest in one of the Huskies' oldest, and closest, league rivalries. Local DeKalb artist and sculptor Renee' Bemis is designing a trophy depicting a cornstalk, the image chosen in a tribute to the locales of both institutions. The actual trophy will make its debut at next year's NIU-Ball State game although a clay model of "The Stalk" is expected to be on display Saturday.

This is awesome news!

Schadenfreude Wrote:A corn stalk? I like it.

Oddly enough(noting your avatar) we are/were apparently looking to see if John Deere(and Monsanto) would sponsor the game.

Interesting. Makes one wonder, what two teams could play for a cannabis trophy?

Okie Chippewa Wrote:Interesting. Makes one wonder, what two teams could play for a cannabis trophy?

Well, one of them would be Ohio. Maybe Temple as the other? Their fans sound like they are on something when they post here.

Updated with the NIU press release.