Hoosiers Look To Bring Spittoon Back To Bloomington
10/23/2015 10:52:00 AM | Football
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A not-so-subtle reminder of what's on the line this weekend awaited Indiana as players and coaches walked off the practice field Tuesday.
A replica of the Old Brass Spittoon rivalry trophy was placed on a table at the beginning of the narrow walkway between the John Mellencamp Pavilion practice field and the locker room. It was virtually impossible for anyone to miss.
Nearly every player took a moment to acknowledge the replica trophy as they passed it. Some stopped to pick it up. Others examined what was inside. Most of them gave it a gentle tap, creating a high-pitched ping sound.
"We've got to go get the real one," a player said as he walked by, rubbing the trophy before heading for the locker room. The actual Spittoon has been in Michigan State's possession since 2007.
"It's motivation," redshirt junior receiver Mitchell Paige said. "We are excited to play for it there and get a chance to bring it back here where it belongs."
Not every player feels as passionate about the Spittoon as Paige, a life-long Indiana fan, but nobody denies wanting to have it.
Redshirt sophomore linebacker Marcus Oliver acknowledged that the trophy is exciting, but he was quick to point out that the Hoosiers don't necessarily need added motivation. He said they already understand the importance of Saturday's 3:30 p.m. matchup and don't need a trophy to remind them.
"It's cool, but we know how important this weekend is already," Oliver said. "We need a win, and they're a great team. They're just the next opponent on the schedule."
The Old Brass Spittoon has been awarded to the winner of the Indiana-Michigan State football game since the trophy's inception in 1950. The Spartans lead the all-time Spittoon series 44-12-1, with the Hoosiers' last win coming in 2006.
The trophy was created by the junior and senior classes and student council at Michigan State to increase school spirit prior to the 1950 game. The Spittoon came from one of Michigan's earliest trading posts and is widely believed to be nearly 200 years old, dating back around the same time both schools were founded.
The Old Brass Spittoon is one of two trophies Indiana football annually plays for, the other being the Old Oaken Bucket which goes to the winner of the Indiana-Purdue rivalry game.
"It's a pride thing," sophomore receiver Simmie Cobbs said. "You're fighting for something your school can have if you win that game. We want to bring the trophy back for ourselves and our coaches and our fans and the school."
Winning the Spittoon will mean handing Michigan State only its second Big Ten loss since losing to Northwestern on Nov. 17, 2012 after falling to Nebraska the week before.
The defending Cotton Bowl champions are 82-31 under head coach Mark Dantonio, who took over the program in 2007 and hasn't lost in the Old Brass Spittoon game since.
"Coach Dantonio and his staff are awesome," Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson said. "It's going to be a strong challenge for us. We look forward to it, expect our guys as coaches, me and our players to have a great week and go up and play as hard as we can and go after Michigan State, then do our best to bring that Brass Spittoon back here to Bloomington."
