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College Football 2021: Ranking the best trophies for bowl games

By Shane Lunnen

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: A general view of the College Football Playoff semifinal game between the Clemson Tigers and the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 01, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: A general view of the College Football Playoff semifinal game between the Clemson Tigers and the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 01, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

9. The Liberty Bowl Trophy

A giant bell greets the winner of the annual Liberty Bowl. Not just any bell but a replica of the Liberty Bell.

Strange that a bowl game played in Memphis, TN would have a replica of a symbol located over 1,000 miles away in Philadelphia, PA. However, the City of Brotherly Love is where the Liberty Bowl has its roots.

The inaugural game was in 1959 when Penn State defeated Alabama 7-0. Philadelphia would continue to host the game until it was moved to Atlantic City for one game in 1964. Since 1965, Memphis has been the home of the bowl. It is one of the oldest non-New Year’s Six bowl games.

From the 1996 seasons through 2013, the champion of Conference USA would be invited to the Liberty Bowl to face off against a team from various conferences throughout the years including the Big East, WAC, Mountain West, and SEC.

Since the 2014 season, the Big 12’s fourth-place team has squared off against an SEC pool team. There have been a few exceptions with alternates from the American Conference being placed in the game and last season Army was a replacement for Tennessee which dropped off due to COVID-19 issues.

This year’s matchup features Texas Tech versus Mississippi State. This will be the latest in a long, storied history of the Liberty Bowl.

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