The Chief Caddo is a statue that was formerly awarded to the winner between Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA), based in Nacogdoches, Texas, and Northwestern State University (NSU), based in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Both of the teams are the members of Southland Conference. One of the largest trophies in college football, the Chief Caddo is made of wood with a height of more than 7 feet and weighs around 330 pounds.
In 2021, Northwestern State University ended the exchange of the trophy. This decision followed a resolution by the Student Government Association and FacultySenate. The resolution acknowledged concerns from Caddo Nation officials that the statue was both offensive and inauthentic.
What is Stephen F. Austin State University and Northwestern State University Rivalry called?
The rivalry between NSU and SFA is known as the Battle for Chief Caddo. NSU and SFA decided to award a prize to the winner of their football rivalry in 1960. The schools chose a wooden statue representing a Local American "chief," inspired by Indian-American tradition from the 1930s. According to the plan, the losing school of the 1961 game would give a log from its local forest for the statue. NSU won 35-19, and SFA delivered a 2,000-pound black gum log. The log was transformed into the statue by woodcarver Harold Green and was named "Chief Caddo" following 230 hours of work.
The first statue was restored in 2010 by Bill Flynn. In 2024, following SFA's return to the Southland Conference, the schools presented another trophy for the competition. "The Chief", the new 7-foot-6, 320-pound 1960 commissioned trophy highlights a pitchfork and axe and has scores from previous games. Plans to incorporate a contribution from the Caddo Nation were discussed. The trophy resides at SFA, as of November 2024.
Battle for Chief Caddo Winners Year by Year
SFA and NSU first played against each other on November 7, 1924, and their last meeting was on October 5, 2024 as of November 2024. Both teams have played 77 times and the NSU leads in the all-time series (45–29), Trophy series (32–21), Largest victory in 1991 (52–0 ), and Longest win streak of 7 (1927–1933), (1976–1982). However, the SFA holds a three-win streak (2019, 2023, 2024), and three games out of 77 were a draw, as of November 2024.
| Match No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 1 | November 7, 1924 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 7-3 |
| 2 | November 6, 1925 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 7-6 |
| 3 | November 6, 1926 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 28-0 |
| 4 | November 5, 1927 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 26-0 |
| 5 | November 3, 1928 | Shreveport, LA | NSU | 26-0 |
| 6 | October 26, 1929 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 41-6 |
| 7 | November 8, 1930 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 21-20 |
| 8 | November 6, 1931 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 19-0 |
| 9 | November 5, 1932 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 39-0 |
| 10 | November 3, 1933 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 39-0 |
| 11 | November 8, 1935 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 13-6 |
| 12 | November 6, 1936 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 20-7 |
| 13 | November 5, 1937 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 2-0 |
| 14 | November 4, 1938 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 6-0 |
| 15 | November 3, 1939 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 20-6 |
| 16 | November 2, 1940 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 14-7 |
| 17 | November 29, 1946 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 27-6 |
| 18 | September 15, 1956 | Shreveport, LA | SFA | 14-12 |
| 19 | September 14, 1957 | Shreveport, LA | NSU | 20-7 |
| 20 | September 17, 1960 | Shreveport, LA | NSU | 14-0 |
| 21 | September 16, 1961 | Shreveport, LA | NSU | 35-19 |
| 22 | September 15, 1962 | Shreveport, LA | NSU | 23-6 |
| 23 | September 14, 1963 | Shreveport, LA | SFA | 10-0 |
| 24 | September 19, 1964 | Shreveport, LA | NSU | 34-14 |
| 25 | September 19, 1970 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 9-7 |
| 26 | September 18, 1971 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 18-7 |
| 27 | September 16, 1972 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 20-7 |
| 28 | September 21, 1974 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 14-13 |
| 29 | September 20, 1975 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 17-13 |
| 30 | September 18, 1976 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 47-0 |
| 31 | September 24, 1977 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 20-6 |
| 32 | September 16, 1978 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 21-14 |
| 33 | September 15, 1979 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 27-21 |
| 34 | September 20, 1980 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 22-3 |
| 35 | September 19, 1981 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 42-13 |
| 36 | September 18, 1982 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 28-14 |
| 37 | October 1, 1983 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 27-25 |
| 38 | November 17, 1984 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 22-18 |
| 39 | November 23, 1985 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 19-10 |
| 40 | November 22, 1986 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 28-14 |
| 41 | November 21, 1987 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 33-21 |
| 42 | November 19, 1988 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 20-17 |
| 43 | November 17, 1990 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 20-3 |
| 44 | November 23, 1991 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 52-0 |
| 45 | November 21, 1992 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 24-10 |
| 46 | November 20, 1993 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 51-20 |
| 47 | November 19, 1994 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 34-13 |
| 48 | November 16, 1995 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 25-20 |
| 49 | November 23, 1996 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 17-10 |
| 50 | November 20, 1997 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 38-24 |
| 51 | November 21, 1998 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 35-21 |
| 52 | November 20, 1999 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 29-14 |
| 53 | November 18, 2000 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 17-3 |
| 54 | November 17, 2001 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 31-17 |
| 55 | November 23, 2002 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 42-35 |
| 56 | November 22, 2003 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 44-14 |
| 57 | November 20, 2004 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 37-16 |
| 58 | November 17, 2005 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 41-21 |
| 59 | November 16, 2006 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 20-11 |
| 60 | November 17, 2007 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 31-12 |
| 61 | November 22, 2008 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 34-24 |
| 62 | November 21, 2009 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 19-10 |
| 63 | November 20, 2010 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 36-13 |
| 64 | November 19, 2011 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 33-0 |
| 65 | November 17, 2012 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 34-17 |
| 66 | November 23, 2013 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 40-27 |
| 67 | November 22, 2014 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 27-24 |
| 68 | November 21, 2015 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 33-17 |
| 69 | November 19, 2016 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 45-31 |
| 70 | November 18, 2017 | Natchitoches, LA | NSU | 38-21 |
| 71 | November 15, 2018 | Nacogdoches, TX | NSU | 35-23 |
| 72 | November 21, 2019 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 32-20 |
| 73 | September 16, 2023 | Natchitoches, LA | SFA | 41-7 |
| 74 | October 5, 2024 | Nacogdoches, TX | SFA | 59-17 |
FAQs on Chief Caddo Winners
A. The new Chief Caddo trophy is made of wood and designed by Della Meredith who is a chainsaw artist, as per SFA Athletics.
A. Stephen F Austin is a collegiate football team of Chief Caddo.
A. Tamara Francis is the current chairman of the Caddo Nation as of November 2024, as per Texasbeyondhistory.net.
A. Stephen F. Austin was known as the father of Texas, based on the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.
