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Rivalry

The Land of Lincoln Trophy

vs.

Illinois vs. Northwestern. First played in 1892.

Illinois leads 59–55–5 in the Land of Lincoln Trophy through 2025. Illinois won the last meeting, 20–13, in 2025.

All-time59–55–5Illinois's record, 119 meetings
Last 104–6Illinois's record
Since 200010–16Illinois's record
Current streak2Illinois wins in a row
First meeting1892tie, 16–16

What's the Land of Lincoln Trophy trophy?

Land of Lincoln Trophy: a bronze replica of Abraham Lincoln's stovepipe hat, designed by cartoonist Dick Locher and known to fans as "The Hat," played for since 2009.

How did the Land of Lincoln Trophy start?

Illinois and Northwestern tied 16-16 in Champaign on October 12, 1892. From 1945 to 2008 they played for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, which was retired after the NCAA ordered schools to drop Native American imagery, and Northwestern kept it after winning the last one. The game is traditionally played in the last week of the regular season. In 2010 the teams played at Wrigley Field, where the field was so tight that both offenses ran toward the same end zone, and Illinois won 48-27.

What are the most famous Land of Lincoln Trophy games?

  • 2008: Last TomahawkNorthwestern won 27-10 and kept the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk for good.Final: Northwestern 27–10
  • 2010: Wrigley FieldIllinois won 48-27 at Wrigley Field, with every offensive play run toward the west end zone.Final: Illinois 48–27
  • 2023: 45-43Northwestern won 45-43.Final: Northwestern 45–43

How has the Land of Lincoln Trophy series swung?

565628281892: tie, 16–161893: tie, 0–01894: Illinois 66–01895: Illinois 38–41896: Northwestern 10–41900: tie, 0–01901: Northwestern 17–111902: Illinois 17–01903: Northwestern 12–111904: Northwestern 12–61908: Illinois 64–81909: Illinois 35–01910: Illinois 27–01911: Illinois 27–131912: Northwestern 6–01913: Illinois 37–01914: Illinois 33–01915: Illinois 36–61922: Illinois 6–31923: Illinois 29–01927: Illinois 7–61928: Illinois 6–01929: Northwestern 7–01930: Northwestern 32–01931: Northwestern 32–61932: Northwestern 26–01933: Illinois 3–01934: Illinois 14–31935: Northwestern 10–31936: Northwestern 13–21937: Illinois 6–01938: Northwestern 13–01939: Northwestern 13–01940: Northwestern 32–141941: Northwestern 27–01942: Illinois 14–71943: Northwestern 53–61944: Illinois 25–61945: Northwestern 13–71946: Illinois 20–01947: Northwestern 28–131948: Northwestern 20–71949: Northwestern 9–71950: Northwestern 14–71951: Illinois 3–01952: Northwestern 28–261953: Illinois 39–141954: Northwestern 20–71955: tie, 7–71956: Northwestern 14–131957: Illinois 27–01958: Illinois 27–201959: Illinois 28–01960: Northwestern 14–71961: Northwestern 28–71962: Northwestern 45–01963: Illinois 10–91964: Illinois 17–61965: Illinois 20–61966: Northwestern 35–71967: Illinois 27–211968: Illinois 14–01969: Northwestern 10–61970: Northwestern 48–01971: Illinois 24–71972: Illinois 43–131973: Northwestern 9–61974: Illinois 28–141975: Illinois 28–71976: Illinois 48–61977: Northwestern 21–71978: tie, 0–01979: Illinois 29–131980: Illinois 35–91981: Illinois 49–121982: Illinois 49–131983: Illinois 56–241984: Illinois 24–161985: Illinois 45–201986: Northwestern 23–181987: Northwestern 28–101988: Illinois 14–91989: Illinois 63–141990: Illinois 28–231991: Northwestern 17–111992: Northwestern 27–261993: Illinois 20–131994: Illinois 28–71995: Northwestern 17–141996: Northwestern 27–241997: Northwestern 34–211998: Illinois 13–101999: Illinois 29–72000: Northwestern 61–232001: Illinois 34–282002: Illinois 31–242003: Northwestern 37–202004: Northwestern 28–212005: Northwestern 38–212006: Northwestern 27–162007: Illinois 41–222008: Northwestern 27–102009: Northwestern 21–162010: Illinois 48–272011: Illinois 38–352012: Northwestern 50–142013: Northwestern 37–342014: Illinois 47–332015: Northwestern 24–142016: Northwestern 42–212017: Northwestern 42–72018: Northwestern 24–162019: Northwestern 29–102020: Northwestern 28–102021: Illinois 47–142022: Illinois 41–32023: Northwestern 45–432024: Illinois 38–282025: Illinois 20–131900192019401960198020002020 Illinois won ↑Northwestern won ↓ 565628281892: tie, 16–161893: tie, 0–01894: Illinois 66–01895: Illinois 38–41896: Northwestern 10–41900: tie, 0–01901: Northwestern 17–111902: Illinois 17–01903: Northwestern 12–111904: Northwestern 12–61908: Illinois 64–81909: Illinois 35–01910: Illinois 27–01911: Illinois 27–131912: Northwestern 6–01913: Illinois 37–01914: Illinois 33–01915: Illinois 36–61922: Illinois 6–31923: Illinois 29–01927: Illinois 7–61928: Illinois 6–01929: Northwestern 7–01930: Northwestern 32–01931: Northwestern 32–61932: Northwestern 26–01933: Illinois 3–01934: Illinois 14–31935: Northwestern 10–31936: Northwestern 13–21937: Illinois 6–01938: Northwestern 13–01939: Northwestern 13–01940: Northwestern 32–141941: Northwestern 27–01942: Illinois 14–71943: Northwestern 53–61944: Illinois 25–61945: Northwestern 13–71946: Illinois 20–01947: Northwestern 28–131948: Northwestern 20–71949: Northwestern 9–71950: Northwestern 14–71951: Illinois 3–01952: Northwestern 28–261953: Illinois 39–141954: Northwestern 20–71955: tie, 7–71956: Northwestern 14–131957: Illinois 27–01958: Illinois 27–201959: Illinois 28–01960: Northwestern 14–71961: Northwestern 28–71962: Northwestern 45–01963: Illinois 10–91964: Illinois 17–61965: Illinois 20–61966: Northwestern 35–71967: Illinois 27–211968: Illinois 14–01969: Northwestern 10–61970: Northwestern 48–01971: Illinois 24–71972: Illinois 43–131973: Northwestern 9–61974: Illinois 28–141975: Illinois 28–71976: Illinois 48–61977: Northwestern 21–71978: tie, 0–01979: Illinois 29–131980: Illinois 35–91981: Illinois 49–121982: Illinois 49–131983: Illinois 56–241984: Illinois 24–161985: Illinois 45–201986: Northwestern 23–181987: Northwestern 28–101988: Illinois 14–91989: Illinois 63–141990: Illinois 28–231991: Northwestern 17–111992: Northwestern 27–261993: Illinois 20–131994: Illinois 28–71995: Northwestern 17–141996: Northwestern 27–241997: Northwestern 34–211998: Illinois 13–101999: Illinois 29–72000: Northwestern 61–232001: Illinois 34–282002: Illinois 31–242003: Northwestern 37–202004: Northwestern 28–212005: Northwestern 38–212006: Northwestern 27–162007: Illinois 41–222008: Northwestern 27–102009: Northwestern 21–162010: Illinois 48–272011: Illinois 38–352012: Northwestern 50–142013: Northwestern 37–342014: Illinois 47–332015: Northwestern 24–142016: Northwestern 42–212017: Northwestern 42–72018: Northwestern 24–162019: Northwestern 29–102020: Northwestern 28–102021: Illinois 47–142022: Illinois 41–32023: Northwestern 45–432024: Illinois 38–282025: Illinois 20–13192019602000 Illinois won ↑Northwestern won ↓

Each bar is one meeting. Bars above the line are Illinois wins and bars below it are Northwestern wins; the taller the bar, the bigger the margin (bars stop at 56 points). Over the last 10 meetings Northwestern is 6–4. The widest margins are Illinois 66–0 in 1894 and Northwestern 48–0 in 1970.

What are the records in the Land of Lincoln Trophy?

Biggest Illinois win
1894, 66–0
Biggest Northwestern win
1970, 48–0
Longest streaks
Illinois, 7 straight (1913–1928); Northwestern, 6 straight (2015–2020)
Most points
Illinois, 66 in 1894
Ties
5

Every Land of Lincoln Trophy result

YearWinnerScoreHome
2025Illinois20–13Illinois
2024Illinois38–28Neutral
2023Northwestern45–43Illinois
2022Illinois41–3Northwestern
2021Illinois47–14Illinois
2020Northwestern28–10Northwestern
2019Northwestern29–10Illinois
2018Northwestern24–16Northwestern
2017Northwestern42–7Illinois
2016Northwestern42–21Northwestern
2015Northwestern24–14Neutral
2014Illinois47–33Northwestern
2013Northwestern37–34Illinois
2012Northwestern50–14Northwestern
2011Illinois38–35Illinois
2010Illinois48–27Northwestern
2009Northwestern21–16Illinois
2008Northwestern27–10Northwestern
2007Illinois41–22Illinois
2006Northwestern27–16Northwestern
2005Northwestern38–21Illinois
2004Northwestern28–21Northwestern
2003Northwestern37–20Illinois
2002Illinois31–24Northwestern
2001Illinois34–28Illinois
2000Northwestern61–23Northwestern
1999Illinois29–7Illinois
1998Illinois13–10Northwestern
1997Northwestern34–21Illinois
1996Northwestern27–24Northwestern
1995Northwestern17–14Illinois
1994Illinois28–7Northwestern
1993Illinois20–13Illinois
1992Northwestern27–26Illinois
1991Northwestern17–11Northwestern
1990Illinois28–23Illinois
1989Illinois63–14Northwestern
1988Illinois14–9Illinois
1987Northwestern28–10Northwestern
1986Northwestern23–18Illinois
1985Illinois45–20Northwestern
1984Illinois24–16Illinois
1983Illinois56–24Northwestern
1982Illinois49–13Illinois
1981Illinois49–12Northwestern
1980Illinois35–9Illinois
1979Illinois29–13Northwestern
1978Tie0–0Northwestern
1977Northwestern21–7Northwestern
1976Illinois48–6Illinois
1975Illinois28–7Northwestern
1974Illinois28–14Illinois
1973Northwestern9–6Northwestern
1972Illinois43–13Northwestern
1971Illinois24–7Illinois
1970Northwestern48–0Northwestern
1969Northwestern10–6Illinois
1968Illinois14–0Illinois
1967Illinois27–21Northwestern
1966Northwestern35–7Northwestern
1965Illinois20–6Northwestern
1964Illinois17–6Northwestern
1963Illinois10–9Illinois
1962Northwestern45–0Northwestern
1961Northwestern28–7Illinois
1960Northwestern14–7Northwestern
1959Illinois28–0Illinois
1958Illinois27–20Illinois
1957Illinois27–0Illinois
1956Northwestern14–13Northwestern
1955Tie7–7Illinois
1954Northwestern20–7Illinois
1953Illinois39–14Northwestern
1952Northwestern28–26Illinois
1951Illinois3–0Northwestern
1950Northwestern14–7Northwestern
1949Northwestern9–7Illinois
1948Northwestern20–7Northwestern
1947Northwestern28–13Illinois
1946Illinois20–0Northwestern
1945Northwestern13–7Northwestern
1944Illinois25–6Northwestern
1943Northwestern53–6Northwestern
1942Illinois14–7Northwestern
1941Northwestern27–0Northwestern
1940Northwestern32–14Northwestern
1939Northwestern13–0Northwestern
1938Northwestern13–0Illinois
1937Illinois6–0Northwestern
1936Northwestern13–2Illinois
1935Northwestern10–3Northwestern
1934Illinois14–3Northwestern
1933Illinois3–0Northwestern
1932Northwestern26–0Illinois
1931Northwestern32–6Northwestern
1930Northwestern32–0Illinois
1929Northwestern7–0Northwestern
1928Illinois6–0Illinois
1927Illinois7–6Northwestern
1923Illinois29–0Northwestern
1922Illinois6–3Illinois
1915Illinois36–6Illinois
1914Illinois33–0Northwestern
1913Illinois37–0Illinois
1912Northwestern6–0Northwestern
1911Illinois27–13Illinois
1910Illinois27–0Northwestern
1909Illinois35–0Northwestern
1908Illinois64–8Illinois
1904Northwestern12–6Northwestern
1903Northwestern12–11Illinois
1902Illinois17–0Northwestern
1901Northwestern17–11Illinois
1900Tie0–0Illinois
1896Northwestern10–4Illinois
1895Illinois38–4Illinois
1894Illinois66–0Illinois
1893Tie0–0Illinois
1892Tie16–16Northwestern

Results from CollegeFootballData.com. The schools' official series records can differ by a game or two (vacated wins, disputed early games).

Questions about the Land of Lincoln Trophy

Who leads the Land of Lincoln Trophy series?

Illinois leads 59–55–5 through the 2025 game, with 5 ties, in the 119 meetings on record since 1892.

Who won the last Land of Lincoln Trophy?

Illinois beat Northwestern 20–13 on Nov 30, 2025 at Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL).

When was the first Land of Lincoln Trophy?

1892. It ended in a 16–16 tie.

What's the trophy for the Land of Lincoln Trophy?

Land of Lincoln Trophy: a bronze replica of Abraham Lincoln's stovepipe hat, designed by cartoonist Dick Locher and known to fans as "The Hat," played for since 2009.

What's the biggest win in the Land of Lincoln Trophy?

Illinois won by 66 in 1894, 66–0. Northwestern won by 48 in 1970, 48–0.

What's the longest winning streak in the Land of Lincoln Trophy?

Illinois won 7 straight from 1913 to 1928. Northwestern won 6 straight from 2015 to 2020.

Related

History and trophy sources: en.wikipedia.org.

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