Nebraska Volleyball to Battle Minnesota for $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy

Despite the Nebraska and Minnesota football teams not competing for the trophy during this season due to the conference's scheduling, the two fundraising programs decided to "not take a season off" according to their website, brokenchairtrophy.com. The $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy was established in 2014 prior to a November conference football match-up between the University of Nebraska and the University of Minnesota.

"Cancer doesn't take a season off."$5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy theme

In an exchange on Twitter, accounts for Minnesota's mascot Goldy Gopher and a parody account of then-Nebraska football coach called Fake Bo Pelini (@FauxPelini) made a wager.

The trophy was proudly displayed at University of Minnesota events by Goldy until the following year when it was transferred to the Husker squad. Nebraska players celebrated the 48-25 victory by passing the trophy around the locker room. Leading up to the 2016 matchup, rumors began to circulate that the athletic departments of both Universities were planning to retire this unofficial tradition. Nebraska defeated Minnesota in Lincoln by a score of 24-17, but the trophy was nowhere to be seen.

Since 2017, the two fan bases have combined to raise over $162 thousand. Since the rivalry trophy began, however, Nebraska has failed to win back the chair since 2018. The Huskers have dropped five straight "trophy games" to Minnesota. Nebraska lost last year 13-10 in Matt Rhule's first game leading the Big Red.

This season, fans of each university decided to take their competition to the court at the Bob Devaney Sports Center as No. 2 Nebraska Volleyball welcomes No. 14 Minnesota on Nov. 14. Both programs have been rated inside of the AVCA's top 25 rankings all season long, with Nebraska returning as the national runner-up from a year ago.

The matchup features another interesting wrinkle, as former Gopher outside hitter Taylor Landfair joined the Huskers over the off-season through the transfer portal. Landfair joined an already potent roster in Lincoln after garnering numerous accolades while at Minnesota - including Region and Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 2022.

As stated in the opening post from the Chair Trophy account, Minnesota fans who donate through the brokenchairtrophy.com link will be entered into a raffle to win tickets to the Gophers match with Iowa later this season. Nebraska fans who donate to the Team Jack foundation will receive a chance to win tickets to the trophy game itself.

The Nebraska/Minnesota football trophy contest could return in 2025, as the Huskers are set to battle the Golden Gophers next year.

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