Wagon Wheel (trophy)

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    Wagon Wheel
Kent State (19)     Akron (17)    
1946 1947
1948 1949
1950 1951
1952 1953
1954 1974
1981 1984
1987 1988
1992 1994
1996 2003
2006
1979 1983
1985 1986
1989 1990
1993 1995
1997 1998
1999 2000
2001 2002
2004 2005
2007
Ties (1)
1972

The Blue and Gold Wagon Wheel, now known simply as the Wagon Wheel, is awarded to the winner of the annual college football game between the University of Akron and Kent State University.

The trophy is, as the name implies, the wheel from a horse-drawn wagon that is painted blue and gold, the colors in which both teams play.

[edit] History

The University of Akron and Kent State University, located just 10 miles apart, first played for the Wagon Wheel in 1946. The story goes that John R. Buchtel was searching for a site to start a new college in 1870 near what is now Kent State University when his wagon became stuck in the mud. The horses pulled the wagon apart and one of the wheels ended up being buried. Buchtel would eventually settle on a site in Akron for Buchtel College, which would eventually become the University of Akron. In 1902, while digging for a pipeline in Kent, the wheel was discovered and eventually came into the possession of Kent State dean of men Dr. Raymond Manchester. It was he who suggested in 1945 that the wheel be used as a trophy for the winner of the Kent State-Akron football game[1]. When the rivalry first started, Kent State dominated the series every year until 1954, when the rivalry was scrapped due to a lack of competition. It was reinstated in 1972 and has been an annual contest since. In 1992, Akron joined the Mid-American Conference and the rivalry became a conference game.

Akron currently holds a 28-20-2 edge in the overall series and Kent State holds a 19-17-1 series lead in Wagon Wheel games.

[edit] Recent meetings

Akron has won nine of the last eleven meetings against Kent State, beginning with six consecutive victories from 1997-2002. Kent State finally broke through in 2003, winning a 41-38 thriller at Akron, led by current Cleveland Browns returner Joshua Cribbs. The Zips, led by current Seattle Seahawks quarterback Charlie Frye, bounced back with 24-19 and 35-3 wins in both 2004 and 2005 respecively before Kent State won 37-15 at Kent in 2006. The most recent game, on September 22, 2007, saw the Zips win 27-20 over Kent State at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, making the overall Wagon Wheel series 19-17-1 in favor of Kent State.

The next scheduled meeting between the two teams will be in 2008, at Dix Stadium in Kent.

[edit] Game results

Akron victories are shaded ██ blue. Kent State victories shaded ██ gold. Ties shaded ██ silver. Only trophy games are listed.

Date Site Winning team Losing team Series
November 16 1946 Akron   Kent State       13  Akron 6 KENT 1-0
November 14 1947 Kent Kent State 6 Akron 0 KENT 2-0
November 12 1948 Akron Kent State 31 Akron 0 KENT 3-0
November 12 1949 Kent Kent State 47 Akron 0 KENT 4-0
November 11 1950 Akron Kent State 19 Akron 7 KENT 5-0
November 10 1951 Kent Kent State 48 Akron 7 KENT 6-0
November 7 1952 Akron Kent State 34 Akron  14  KENT 7-0
November 7 1953 Kent Kent State 54 Akron 19 KENT 8-0
November 6 1954 Akron Kent State 58 Akron 18 KENT 9-0
1955-1971 No games played between Akron and Kent State
 September 13 1972  Akron Akron 13 Kent State 13 KENT 9-0-1
October 26 1974 Kent Kent State 51 Akron 14 KENT 10-0-1
 September 15 1979  Akron Akron 15 Kent State      13 KENT 10-1-1
September 19 1981 Kent Kent State 17 Akron 6 KENT 11-1-1
September 3 1983 Akron Akron 13 Kent State 6 KENT 11-2-1
September 1 1984 Kent Kent State 24 Akron 17 KENT 12-2-1
September 14 1985 Akron Akron 24 Kent State 0 KENT 12-3-1
September 13 1986 Kent Akron 17 Kent State 7 KENT 12-4-1
September 12 1987 Akron Kent State 27 Akron 23 KENT 13-4-1
September 10 1988 Kent Kent State 32 Akron 12 KENT 14-4-1
September 9 1989 Akron Akron 40 Kent State 7 KENT 14-5-1
September 8 1990 Kent Akron 38 Kent State 10 KENT 14-6-1
October 10 1992 Kent Kent State 20 Akron 16 KENT 15-6-1
September 11 1993 Akron Akron 42 Kent State 7 KENT 15-7-1
September 17 1994 Kent Kent State 32 Akron 16 KENT 16-7-1
October 28 1995 Akron Akron 14 Kent State 6 KENT 16-8-1
October 5 1996 Kent Kent State 32 Akron 17 KENT 17-8-1
November 8 1997 Akron Akron 45 Kent State 35 KENT 17-9-1
October 10 1998 Kent Akron 45 Kent State 16  KENT 17-10-1 
November 13 1999 Akron Akron 37 Kent State 34 KENT 17-11-1
November 18 2000 Kent Akron 34 Kent State 6 KENT 17-12-1
September 29 2001 Akron Akron 14 Kent State 10 KENT 17-13-1
November 23 2002 Kent Akron 48 Kent State 10 KENT 17-14-1
August 28 2003 Akron Kent State 41 Akron 38 KENT 18-14-1
September 23 2004 Kent Akron 24 Kent State 19 KENT 18-15-1
November 24 2005 Akron Akron 35 Kent State 3 KENT 18-16-1
September 30 2006 Kent Kent State 37 Akron 15 KENT 19-16-1
September 22 2007 Akron Akron 27 Kent State 20 KENT 19-17-1