The most traditional, deeply rooted, and historic athletic rivalry for the Northwestern University Wildcats is their annual in-state Big Ten conference battle against the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. As the only two major power-conference programs located within the state of Illinois, their annual high-stakes gridiron showdown typically concludes the regular season, with alumni bases, student populations, and local communities fiercely divided. The two prominent institutions fiercely compete for the prestigious Land of Lincoln Trophy, a beautiful bronze replica of Abraham Lincoln's iconic stovetop hat, which replaced the historic Sweet Sioux Tomahawk trophy in 2009 to better reflect the shared heritage of the state. This intense geographic rivalry transcends football, generating massive regional pride, passionate fan engagement, and unforgettable moments of competitive fire across all major varsity sports every single academic year.