Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy
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The Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy is an annual award given to the best team in the East in Division 1-A college football. The Lambert Trophy was established by brothers Victor and Henry Lambert in memory of their father, August. The Lamberts were the principals in a distinguished Madison Avenue jewelry house and were prominent college football boosters. The trophy, established in 1936 as the "Lambert Trophy" to recognize supremacy in eastern college football, has since grown to recognize the best team in the East in Divisions I-A. The Lambert Cup will be awarded to Divisions I-AA, II and III teams. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, operator of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, took over the administration of the Lambert Meadowlands Awards in 1983.
Since 1936, there have been 15 different winners in Division I-A. Pennsylvania State University has won the award a record 26 times.
To be eligible for the Lambert Meadowlands Award, a school must be located in the East or play half its schedule against eligible Lambert teams. The territory includes New York, New Jersey, New England and Pennsylvania, while teams in the bordering states of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia and the District of Columbia qualify if half their schedule features eligible teams. While they were members of the Big East Conference, Virginia Tech and Miami of Florida were also eligible. Current Big East members Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida are now eligible.
