I’ve received this question over the years. And given the recent success of the Gophers, it’s coming up again this season. I’ve been asked on Twitter, at a recent speaking event, and via reader Bryan through email:
If Michigan and Minnesota meet in the Big Ten Championship Game, would the Little Brown Jug also be on the line?
Short answer: Yes. It should be on the line whenever we play in my opinion. Even if we played twice in a scenario where we met in the regular season then again in the B1G title game or a playoff game.
I point to 1926. While it’s not the same circumstance, we did schedule and play Gophers twice that season and the precious stoneware was on the line each game. Jug don’t lie (see lead photo above).
First on October 16, 1926 (Michigan Daily):
Then again just over a month later on November 20, 1926 (Michigan Daily):
P.S. It’d be an interesting bit of B1G lore and synchronicity if we played for the jug in Indy. You’d have trophies with ties to three of the B1G founding fathers on the line: The jug Fielding H. Yost (Michigan) & Henry “Doc” Williams (Minnesota), as well as the Amos Alonzo Stagg B1G Championship Trophy (Chicago).
Want more on the circumstances that led to us playing twice in 1926? What are you, a cop? You need your Little Brown Jug lore, so get some here:
