Battle for the Old Mountain Jug

The Battle for the Old Mountain Jug was the name given to the Appalachian State–Western Carolina football rivalry, an American college football rivalry game that became dormant when Appalachian State left the Southern Conference and moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2014.

Appalachian State–Western Carolina football rivalry
Appalachian State Mountaineers
Western Carolina Catamounts
SportFootball
First meetingNovember 5, 1932
Appalachian State, 20–0
Latest meetingNovember 23, 2013
Appalachian State, 48–27
TrophyOld Mountain Jug
Statistics
Meetings total78
All-time seriesAppalachian State leads, 58–19–1
Largest victoryAppalachian State, 54–7 (1939)
Longest win streakAppalachian State, 13 (1932–1948) & (1985–1997)
Current win streakAppalachian State, 9 (2005–present)
Battle for the Old Mountain Jug is located in North Carolina
Appalachian State
Appalachian State
Western Carolina
Western Carolina
Locations in North Carolina

History

The Mountaineers and Catamounts first played each other in a football game in 1932. The two teams then played annually without interruption from 1946 to 2013. The trophy series began in 1976.

The Old Mountain Jug, an old moonshine jug, has been awarded to the winner since 1976. It is painted gold with Appalachian State's mascot, a Mountaineer, and Western Carolina's mascot, a Catamount, on opposing sides.[1]

The rivalry had natural origins. Appalachian and Western were the only public colleges in the western half of North Carolina for decades and made similar steps to their present status as comprehensive regional universities. Both basically recruited athletes from the same high schools in the early years and their graduates were, in large part, public school teachers. The alumni of the schools found themselves working together, which helped foster the rivalry.[1]

Prior to the game in 1976,[2] the idea was pitched of heightening the long-standing rivalry. The jug idea was presented to alumni of both universities and the Sports Information Directors were charged with drumming up media exposure. The jug was donated by Roby Triplett, the manager of the Appalachian State Bookstore. It weighs approximately 25 pounds and is capped with its original traditional cork. Dee Triplett, Roby's wife, painted the jug. Excluding minor touchups, the jug and its logos have not been altered since their creation.[3]

In the mid-1980s, the series was mentioned as "the best football rivalry you've never heard of" by Sports Illustrated; but after 1985, the series became one-sided, with Western Carolina winning only 2 of the last 28 meetings.[4] The 1979 game was the second-ever live broadcast on the ESPN sports network.[4]

With Appalachian's move to the Sun Belt Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2014, the trophy was retired after 2013's contest. The Old Mountain Jug currently resides in a trophy case at Appalachian State.

Game results

The Appalachian State and Western Carolina rivalry dates back to 1932 with the Appalachian State Mountaineers holding a 59–18–1 advantage over the Western Carolina Catamounts. The two teams had squared off for 68 consecutive years since the game was suspended for World War II, 1942–1945.

Appalachian State victoriesWestern Carolina victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 November 5, 1932 Boone, NC Appalachian State 20–0
2 October 13, 1933 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 15–0
3 October 12, 1934 Boone, NC Appalachian State 6–0
4 October 26, 1935 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 12–0
5 October 17, 1936 Boone, NC Appalachian State 20–2
6 November 6, 1937 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 14–0
7 October 29, 1938 Boone, NC Appalachian State 27–0
8 October 6, 1939 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 54–7
9 October 11, 1940 Boone, NC Appalachian State 40–8
10 October 11, 1941 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 35–0
11 November 9, 1946 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 42–6
12 November 1, 1947 Boone, NC Appalachian State 20–0
13 September 25, 1948 Asheville, NC Appalachian State 14–13
14 September 24, 1949 Boone, NC Western Carolina 13–6
15 September 16, 1950 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 13–6
16 September 22, 1951 Boone, NC Appalachian State 26–6
17 September 21, 1952 Asheville, NC Appalachian State 20–12
18 September 27, 1953 Boone, NC Appalachian State 7–0
19 September 19, 1954 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 27–7
20 September 14, 1955 Boone, NC Western Carolina 7–6
21 September 15, 1956 Asheville, NC Appalachian State 19–7
22 September 24, 1957 Boone, NC Appalachian State 25–0
23 September 25, 1958 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 32–22
24 September 26, 1959 Boone, NC Appalachian State 14–12
25 September 24, 1960 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 6–2
26 September 23, 1961 Asheville, NC Appalachian State 25–12
27 September 22, 1962 Asheville, NC Tie6–6
28 September 28, 1963 Boone, NC Appalachian State 14–3
29 September 26, 1964 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 27–10
30 September 25, 1965 Boone, NC Western Carolina 7–0
31 September 24, 1966 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 35–33
32 September 23, 1967 Boone, NC Western Carolina 21–0
33 September 28, 1968 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 28–14
34 September 27, 1969 Boone, NC Western Carolina 35–7
35 September 26, 1970 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 17–10
36 September 25, 1971 Boone, NC Western Carolina 26–0
37 November 18, 1972 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 35–21
38 September 22, 1973 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 23–14
39 September 28, 1974 Boone, NC Western Carolina 21–17
40 November 15, 1975 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 20–11
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
41 October 2, 1976 Boone, NC Appalachian State 24–17
42 November 19, 1977 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 44–14
43 November 18, 1978 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 39–13
44 September 22, 1979 Boone, NC Appalachian State 35–27
45 November 1, 1980 Boone, NC Appalachian State 27–24
46 November 21, 1981 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 21–10
47 November 20, 1982 Boone, NC Western Carolina 26–24
48 November 19, 1983 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 41–15
49 October 6, 1984 Boone, NC Western Carolina 34–7
50 November 9, 1985 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 27–14
51 August 30, 1986 Boone, NC Appalachian State 17–13
52 November 21, 1987 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 33–13
53 November 5, 1988 Boone, NC Appalachian State 42–21
54 November 18, 1989 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 31–20
55 October 20, 1990 Boone, NC Appalachian State 27–9
56 November 16, 1991 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 24–14
57 November 21, 1992 Boone, NC Appalachian State 14–12
58 November 13, 1993 Boone, NC Appalachian State 20–16
59 November 12, 1994 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 12–7
60 November 11, 1995 Boone, NC Appalachian State 28–3
61 November 16, 1996 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 24–17
62 November 15, 1997 Boone, NC Appalachian State 13–7
63 November 21, 1998 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 23–6
64 November 13, 1999 Boone, NC Appalachian State 34–10
65 November 11, 2000 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 35–28
66 November 10, 2001 Boone, NC Appalachian State 34–24
67 November 16, 2002 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 24–14
68 November 15, 2003 Boone, NC Appalachian State 26–18
69 November 13, 2004 Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina 30–27
70 November 12, 2005 Boone, NC Appalachian State 35–7
71 November 11, 2006 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 31–9
72 November 10, 2007 Boone, NC Appalachian State 79–35
73 November 22, 2008 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 35–10
74 November 21, 2009 Boone, NC Appalachian State 19–14
75 October 23, 2010 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 37–14
76 November 12, 2011 Boone, NC Appalachian State 46–14
77 October 27, 2012 Cullowhee, NC Appalachian State 38–27
78 November 23, 2013 Boone, NC Appalachian State 48–27
Series: Appalachian State leads 58–19–1

See also

References
  1. Western Carolina University. "Battle for the Old Mountain Jug - WCU vs. ASU". Catamount Sports. Archived from the original on 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  2. Appalachian Sports Information (2008-11-22). "No. 2 ASU Looks to Close Out Perfect SoCon Season at Archrival WCU". GoASU. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  3. Flynn, Mike (2008). 2008 Appalachian Football: Old Mountain Jug (PDF). Appalachian Sports Information. p. 151. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-17. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  4. Hooker, Daniel (2008). 2008 Western Carolina Football Media Guide (PDF). WCU Media Relations Department. p. 46. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
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