The Battle for the Old Mountain Jug was the name given to the Appalachian State–Western Carolina football rivalry, an American college football rivalry game that became dormant when Appalachian State left the Southern Conference and moved to the FBS in 2014.
Sport | Football |
---|---|
First meeting | November 5, 1932 Appalachian State, 20–0 |
Latest meeting | November 23, 2013 Appalachian State, 48–27 |
Trophy | Old Mountain Jug |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 78 |
All-time series | Appalachian State leads, 58–19–1 |
Largest victory | Appalachian State, 54–7 (1939) |
Longest win streak | Appalachian State, 13 (1932–1948) & (1985–1997) |
Current win streak | Appalachian State, 9 (2005–present) |
History
editThe Mountaineers and Catamounts first played each other in a football game in 1932. The two teams then played annually without interruption from 1946 to 2013. The trophy series began in 1976.
The Old Mountain Jug, an old moonshine jug, has been awarded to the winner since 1976. It is painted gold with Appalachian State's mascot, a Mountaineer, and Western Carolina's mascot, a Catamount, on opposing sides.[1]
The rivalry had natural origins. Appalachian and Western were the only public colleges in the western half of North Carolina for decades and made similar steps to their present status as comprehensive regional universities. Both basically recruited athletes from the same high schools in the early years and their graduates were, in large part, public school teachers. The alumni of the schools found themselves working together, which helped foster the rivalry.[1]
Prior to the game in 1976,[2] the idea was pitched of heightening the long-standing rivalry. The jug idea was presented to alumni of both universities and the Sports Information Directors were charged with drumming up media exposure. The jug was donated by Roby Triplett, the manager of the Appalachian State Bookstore. It weighs approximately 25 pounds and is capped with its original traditional cork. Dee Triplett, Roby's wife, painted the jug. Excluding minor touchups, the jug and its logos have not been altered since their creation.[3]
In the mid-1980s, the series was mentioned as "the best football rivalry you've never heard of" by Sports Illustrated; but after 1985, the series became one-sided, with Western Carolina winning only 2 of the last 28 meetings.[4] The 1979 game was the second-ever live broadcast on the ESPN sports network.[4]
With Appalachian's move to the Sun Belt Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2014, the trophy was retired after 2013's contest. The Old Mountain Jug currently resides in a trophy case at Appalachian State.[5]
Game results
editThe Appalachian State and Western Carolina rivalry dates back to 1932 with the Appalachian State Mountaineers holding a 59–18–1 advantage over the Western Carolina Catamounts. The two teams had squared off for 68 consecutive years since the game was suspended for World War II, 1942–1945.
Appalachian State victories | Western Carolina victories | Tie games |
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Western Carolina University. "Battle for the Old Mountain Jug - WCU vs. ASU". Catamount Sports. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
- ^ Appalachian Sports Information (November 22, 2008). "No. 2 ASU Looks to Close Out Perfect SoCon Season at Archrival WCU". GoASU. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
- ^ Flynn, Mike (2008). 2008 Appalachian Football: Old Mountain Jug (PDF). Appalachian Sports Information. p. 151. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 17, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 2008.
- ^ a b Hooker, Daniel (2008). 2008 Western Carolina Football Media Guide (PDF). WCU Media Relations Department. p. 46. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 23, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- ^ Hardin, Ed (November 27, 2019). "Ed Hardin: A mountain family favorite, spending Thanksgiving Day locked away and alone". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2024.