# Rivalry Rock: WSU-OSU Trophy Story

> WSU and OSU get a new rivalry trophy made from 100-million-year-old rocks.
- Title: Rivalry Rock: WSU-OSU Trophy Story · Seattletimes | Shortify
- Summary: WSU and OSU get a new rivalry trophy made from 100-million-year-old rocks. Washington State and Oregon State football teams now compete for a new rivalry…
- Keywords: wsu, osu, seattle, pacific northwest, missoula floods, rivalry trophy, biggs junction, cougars, beavers, geology, alumni association, pacific 12
- Source: Seattletimes — https://seattletimes.com/sports/wsu-cougar-football/lets-go-win-the-rock-behind-the-new-wsu-oregon-state-rivalry-trophy
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: wsu, osu, seattle, pacific northwest, missoula floods, rivalry trophy, biggs junction, cougars, beavers, geology, alumni association, pacific 12
## Rivalry rock debut
Washington State and Oregon State football teams will compete for a new rivalry trophy made from 100-million-year-old rocks.

> A rivalry rock?
## 112th game since 1903
The Cougars and Beavers have played almost every year since 1903, making this one of the longest-running series in college football.
## Two-part trophy
The trophy is a two-part formation: glossy basalt on top and white granite on the bottom, totaling about 50 pounds.
## Biggs Junction source
The rocks hail from Biggs Junction, an unincorporated community in northern Oregon along the Columbia River.
## Rivalry rock status
The rock formation doesn’t have an official name yet and isn’t recognized as a school-sanctioned tradition.
## Alumni sponsorship
The trophy is sponsored by alumni associations from both schools and will likely be displayed in the winner’s alumni building.
## Missoula floods connection
The trophy connects both schools to the Missoula floods, a sequence of glacial lake outbursts 14,000 years ago that shaped the Pacific Northwest.
## Geologists' idea
WSU grad Jesse Lyon and OSU grad Ian Madin created the trophy after researching rivalry trophies and realizing the Missoula floods impacted both schools.
## Rock selection
Madin found Missoula flood erratics, boulders transported hundreds of miles by the floods, and Biggs Junction stones for the trophy.
## Trophy creation
Madin used a wet grinder and polishing pads to shape the rocks into the final trophy over several months.
## Trophy symbolism
The basalt side has a fractured texture like mountains, while the granite side is smoother like the Palouse plains.
## Player reaction
WSU safety Jaylen Thomas and linebacker Keith Brown both learned about the trophy and expressed excitement to win it.
## Trophy significance
The trophy represents the two surviving schools after the Pac-12 Conference imploded, making it a symbol of resilience.
## Future plans
The trophy is expected to become more official in the years ahead as alumni and fans continue to support it.
## Key takeaway

Washington State and Oregon State football teams now compete for a new rivalry trophy made from Missoula flood erratics and Biggs Junction stones.