Sport Football Meetings total 78 | Trophy Old Mountain Jug | |
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First meeting November 5, 1932
Appalachian State 20, Western Carolina 0 Latest meeting November 23, 2013
Appalachian State 48, Western Carolina 27 All-time series Appalachian State leads, 59–18–1 | ||
The Battle for the Old Mountain Jug was an American college football rivalry game played between the Mountaineers of Appalachian State University and the Catamounts of Western Carolina University. The rivalry went dormant when Appalachian State moved the Sun Belt Conference after the 2013 season.
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Series history
The Mountaineers and Catamounts first played a football game in 1932, the two teams played annually without interruption from 1946 to 2013. The trophy series began in 1976.
An old moonshine jug, the Old Mountain Jug, the trophy awarded to the winner since 1976, is painted gold with Appalachian State's mascot, a Mountaineer, and Western Carolina's mascot, a Catamount, on opposing sides.
Prior to the game in 1976, 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.
In the mid-1980s, the series was mentioned as "the best football rivalry you've never heard of" by Sports Illustrated; however since 1985, the series has gotten lopsided with Western Carolina winning only 2 of the last 28 meetings. The 1979 game was the second-ever live broadcast on the ESPN sports network.
With Appalachian's move to the Sun Belt Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2014, the trophy will likely be retired after 2013's contest.
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 have squared off for 68 consecutive years since the game was suspended for World War II, 1942–1945.
Appalachian State victories are colored gold . Western Carolina victories are colored purple . Ties are shaded white .