The Land of Lincoln Trophy is awarded to the winners of the football game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Northwestern Wildcats. The Illinois Fighting Illini and the Northwestern Wildcats are members of the Big Ten Conference while also being a part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). These two teams have gone head to head 117 times so far and are again set to do so on November 30, 2024.
Both Illinois and Northwestern competed for the former Sweet Sioux Tomahawk trophy in the past. This was changed following the introduction of the Land of Lincoln Trophy. Since then, the Land of Lincoln trophy has continued to alternate between Illinois and Northwestern.
Read More:- List of the Monon Bell Year-by-Year Winner
What is the rivalry between Illinois and Northwestern called?
The rivalry between Illinois and Northwestern is called the Illinois-Northwestern football rivalry. This rivalry began in 1892 and continues as of 2024. Notably, these teams have competed for two different trophies in their rivalry. They initially fought for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk Trophy from 1945 to 2008. However, the NCAA canceled the use of Native American Imagery after 2008, as per Rivalry Trophy.Com. This resulted in the introduction of a new trophy for the rivalry.
The Land of Lincoln Trophy was introduced as the new trophy for the rivalry between the Fighting Illini and the Wildcats in 2009. This trophy was designed by Dick Locher and it resembles the authentic hat of Abraham Lincoln. Moreover, the name of the trophy was decided through online votes from the fans of both Illinois and Northwestern. Since the trophy's introduction in 2009, Northwestern was the first to bag the trophy the same year, while Illinois followed suit the very next year in 2010. Notably, Illinois leads the rivalry with a record of 57-55-5. Moreover, the two teams are scheduled to face off once again on November 30, 2024.
The Land of Lincoln Trophy Winner Year by Year
The Illinois Fighting Illini and the Northwestern Wildcats's rivalry is all set to cover 118 years in 2024. The following table provides the details about all the scores of Illinois-Northwestern rivalry from the beginning till 2023-
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 1 | October 12, 1892 | Champaign | Tie | 16–16 |
| 2 | October 21, 1893 | Evanston | Tie | 0–0 |
| 3 | November 3, 1894 | Champaign | Illinois | 66–0 |
| 4 | November 23, 1895 | Champaign | Illinois | 38–4 |
| 5 | November 7, 1896 | Champaign | Northwestern | 10–4 |
| 6 | October 20, 1900 | Evanston | Tie | 0–0 |
| 7 | October 26, 1901 | Champaign | Northwestern | 17–11 |
| 8 | November 22, 1902 | Evanston | Illinois | 17–0 |
| 9 | October 31, 1903 | Champaign | Northwestern | 12–11 |
| 10 | November 12, 1904 | Evanston | Northwestern | 12–6 |
| 11 | November 21, 1908 | Champaign | Illinois | 64–8 |
| 12 | November 13, 1909 | Evanston | Illinois | 35–0 |
| 13 | November 12, 1910 | Evanston | Illinois | 27–0 |
| 14 | November 18, 1911 | Champaign | Illinois | 27–13 |
| 15 | November 23, 1912 | Evanston | Northwestern | 6–0 |
| 16 | October 18, 1913 | Champaign | Illinois | 37–0 |
| 17 | October 24, 1914 | Evanston | Illinois | 37–0 |
| 18 | October 23, 1915 | Champaign | Illinois | 36–6 |
| 19 | November 4, 1922 | Champaign | Illinois | 6–3 |
| 20 | October 27, 1923 | Chicago | Illinois | 29–0 |
| 21 | October 22, 1927 | Evanston | Illinois | 7–6 |
| 22 | October 27, 1928 | Champaign | Illinois | 6–0 |
| 23 | November 2, 1929 | Evanston | Northwestern | 7–0 |
| 24 | October 18, 1930 | Champaign | Northwestern | 32–0 |
| 25 | October 31, 1931 | Evanston | Northwestern | 32–6 |
| 26 | October 15, 1932 | Champaign | Northwestern | 26–0 |
| 27 | November 11, 1933 | Evanston | Illinois | 3–0 |
| 28 | November 10, 1934 | Evanston | Illinois | 14–3 |
| 29 | November 2, 1935 | Evanston | Northwestern | 10–3 |
| 30 | October 24, 1936 | Champaign | Northwestern | 13–2 |
| 31 | November 6, 1937 | Evanston | Illinois | 6–0 |
| 32 | October 22, 1938 | Champaign | Northwestern | 13–0 |
| 33 | October 22, 1939 | Evanston | Northwestern | 13–0 |
| 34 | November 9, 1940 | Evanston | Northwestern | 32–14 |
| 35 | November 22, 1941 | Evanston | Northwestern | 27–0 |
| 36 | November 7, 1942 | Evanston | Illinois | 14–7 |
| 37 | November 20, 1943 | Evanston | Northwestern | 53–6 |
| 38 | November 25, 1944 | Evanston | Illinois | 25–6 |
| 39 | November 24, 1945 | Evanston | Northwestern | 13–7 |
| 40 | November 23, 1946 | Evanston | Illinois | 20–0 |
| 41 | November 22, 1947 | Champaign | Northwestern | 28–13 |
| 42 | November 20, 1948 | Evanston | Northwestern | 20–0 |
| 43 | November 19, 1949 | Champaign | Northwestern | 9–7 |
| 44 | November 25, 1950 | Evanston | Northwestern | 14–7 |
| 45 | November 24, 1951 | Evanston | #6 Illinois | 3–0 |
| 46 | November 22, 1952 | Champaign | Northwestern | 28–26 |
| 47 | November 21, 1953 | Evanston | Illinois | 39–14 |
| 48 | November 20, 1954 | Champaign | Northwestern | 20–7 |
| 49 | November 19, 1955 | Evanston | Tie | 7–7 |
| 50 | November 24, 1956 | Evanston | Northwestern | 14–13 |
| 51 | November 23, 1957 | Champaign | Illinois | 27–0 |
| 52 | November 22, 1958 | Champaign | Illinois | 27–20 |
| 53 | November 21, 1959 | Champaign | Illinois | 28–0 |
| 54 | November 19, 1960 | Evanston | Northwestern | 14–7 |
| 55 | October 7, 1961 | Champaign | Northwestern | 28–7 |
| 56 | October 6, 1962 | Evanston | Northwestern | 45–0 |
| 57 | October 5, 1963 | Champaign | Illinois | 10–9 |
| 58 | October 3, 1964 | Evanston | Illinois | 17–6 |
| 59 | November 20, 1965 | Evanston | Illinois | 20–6 |
| 60 | November 19, 1966 | Evanston | Northwestern | 35–7 |
| 61 | November 18, 1967 | Evanston | Illinois | 27–21 |
| 62 | November 16, 1968 | Champaign | Illinois | 14–0 |
| 63 | October 11, 1969 | Champaign | Northwestern | 10–6 |
| 64 | October 10, 1970 | Evanston | Northwestern | 48–0 |
| 65 | October 30, 1971 | Champaign | Illinois | 24–7 |
| 66 | November 4, 1972 | Evanston | Illinois | 43–13 |
| 67 | November 24, 1973 | Evanston | Northwestern | 9–6 |
| 68 | November 23, 1974 | Champaign | Illinois | 28–14 |
| 69 | November 22, 1975 | Evanston | Illinois | 28–7 |
| 70 | November 20, 1976 | Champaign | Illinois | 48–6 |
| 71 | November 19, 1977 | Evanston | Northwestern | 28–6 |
| 72 | September 9, 1978 | Champaign | Tie | 0–0 |
| 73 | November 17, 1979 | Evanston | Illinois | 29–13 |
| 74 | September 6, 1980 | Champaign | Illinois | 35–9 |
| 75 | November 21, 1981 | Evanston | Illinois | 49–12 |
| 76 | September 4, 1982 | Champaign | Illinois | 49–13 |
| 77 | November 19, 1983 | Evanston | Illinois | 56–24 |
| 78 | September 1, 1984 | Champaign | Illinois | 24–16 |
| 79 | November 23, 1985 | Evanston | Illinois | 45–20 |
| 80 | November 22, 1986 | Champaign | Northwestern | 23–18 |
| 81 | November 21, 1987 | Evanston | Northwestern | 28–10 |
| 82 | November 19, 1988 | Champaign | Illinois | 28–13 |
| 83 | November 25, 1989 | Evanston | Illinois | 63–14 |
| 84 | November 24, 1990 | Champaign | Illinois | 28–23 |
| 85 | October 26, 1991 | Evanston | Northwestern | 17–11 |
| 86 | October 24, 1992 | Champaign | Northwestern | 27–26 |
| 87 | October 30, 1993 | Champaign | Illinois | 20–13 |
| 88 | October 29, 1994 | Evanston | Illinois | 28–7 |
| 89 | October 28, 1995 | Champaign | #8 Northwestern | 17–14 |
| 90 | October 26, 1996 | Evanston | Northwestern | 27–24 |
| 91 | November 8, 1997 | Champaign | Northwestern | 34–21 |
| 92 | October 3, 1998 | Evanston | Illinois | 13–10 |
| 93 | November 20, 1999 | Champaign | Illinois | 29–7 |
| 94 | November 18, 2000 | Evanston | Northwestern | 61–23 |
| 95 | November 24, 2001 | Champaign | Illinois | 34–28 |
| 96 | November 23, 2002 | Evanston | Illinois | 31–24 |
| 97 | November 22, 2003 | Champaign | Northwestern | 37–20 |
| 98 | November 20, 2004 | Evanston | Northwestern | 28–21 |
| 99 | November 18, 2005 | Champaign | Northwestern | 38–21 |
| 100 | November 18, 2006 | Evanston | Northwestern | 27–16 |
| 101 | November 17, 2007 | Champaign | #20 Illinois | 41–22 |
| 102 | November 22, 2008 | Evanston | Northwestern | 27–10 |
| 103 | November 14, 2009 | Champaign | Northwestern | 21–16 |
| 104 | November 20, 2010 | Chicago | Illinois | 48–27 |
| 105 | October 1, 2011 | Champaign | Illinois | 38–35 |
| 106 | November 24, 2012 | Evanston | Northwestern | 50–14 |
| 107 | November 30, 2013 | Champaign | Northwestern | 37–34 |
| 108 | November 29, 2014 | Evanston | Illinois | 47–33 |
| 109 | November 28, 2015 | Chicago | Northwestern | 24–14 |
| 110 | November 26, 2016 | Evanston | Northwestern | 42–21 |
| 111 | November 25, 2017 | Champaign | Northwestern | 42–7 |
| 112 | November 24, 2018 | Evanston | Northwestern | 24–16 |
| 113 | November 30, 2019 | Champaign | Northwestern | 29–10 |
| 114 | December 12, 2020 | Evanston | Northwestern | 28–10 |
| 115 | November 27, 2021 | Champaign | Illinois | 47–14 |
| 116 | November 26, 2022 | Evanston | Illinois | 41–3 |
| 117 | November 25, 2023 | Champaign | Northwestern | 45-43 |
FAQs on List of Land of Lincoln Trophy Winner Year by Year
A. The Land of Lincoln Trophy is the honor given to the winner of the annual football game between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Illinois Fighting Illini.
A. The competition for the Land of Lincoln Trophy started in 2009, replacing the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, which had been awarded from 1945 to 2008.
A. The first meeting between Illinois and Northwestern took place on October 12, 1892, and it ended in a tie, 16-16.
A. The 2010 Illinois-Northwestern game was played at Wrigley Field, the first college football game there since 1938.
A. Illinois and Northwestern were positioned into the Big Ten's Western division in preparation for the 2014 football season due to conference realignment, making the game a division match.
