Purdue's football team has several rivals where a trophy is given to the winner: Indiana University, University of Notre Dame and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. All the trophies are over 50 years old and a most of the students know about them. Each trophy has its own unique story and are a very important part of the relationships between Purdue and its rivals.
OLD OAKEN BUCKET
The Old Oaken Bucket is one of the oldest and most prestigious trophies in the nation, which goes to the winner of Purdue vs. Indiana.
In 1925 the Chicago alumni of both Purdue and IU decided that they needed a trophy for the winner of this match and they found the bucket in a bad state on a farm in southern Indiana.
Since then the trophy has been stolen multiple times and then turned up again just before or after the annual game.
In the very first game the score was 0-0, so an I-P link was attached to bucket. Over all these years there have been 58 P links, 28 I links and two other I-P links attached to the bucket.
In 1925 the Chicago alumni of both Purdue and IU decided that they needed a trophy for the winner of this match and they found the bucket in a bad state on a farm in southern Indiana.
Since then the trophy has been stolen multiple times and then turned up again just before or after the annual game.
In the very first game the score was 0-0, so an I-P link was attached to bucket. Over all these years there have been 58 P links, 28 I links and two other I-P links attached to the bucket.
Cannon
The cannon is the rivalry trophy between Purdue and Illinois. In 1905 a group of Purdue students took the cannon with the intention to fire it to celebrate their victory, but eventually some Illinois fans found the cannon and confiscated it even though Purdue won the game. One of the finders stored the cannon in his farmhouse until 1943 when he suggested in that it should be used as a trophy for the winner of the football matches between the two schools.
Purdue is currently leading the rivalry with 32-28-2.
Purdue is currently leading the rivalry with 32-28-2.
Shillelagh
The Shillelagh is a rivalry trophy between Purdue and Notre Dame. A shillelagh is an Irish walking stick made out of wood with a large knob at the top. This trophy was donated in 1957 by Joe McLaughlin, a merchant seaman that brought the club from Ireland. After every Purdue vs. Notre Dame Football game a golden football is attached to the Shillelagh’s stand, showing the initial of the winner and the final score.
Currently there are 19 Purdue footballs and 38 Notre Dame Footballs attached to the stand.
Currently there are 19 Purdue footballs and 38 Notre Dame Footballs attached to the stand.