One of the greatest things about college football is the pageantry around rivalries. Games across the country have trophies, unique rivalry names and more.

Yet NC State’s rivalry with North Carolina doesn’t feature that.

It’s no secret that when the Wolfpack and the Tar Heels face off on the gridiron, it is always must-see TV. Meeting 115 times since 1894, NC State and Carolina have developed a fierce rivalry. Over the last 50 years, the Pack and the Heels have split their meetings 25-25, showing just how close the rivalry is historically. As of late, the two have played instant classics, such as the 2021 comeback win for the Pack and the 2022 double overtime thriller.

However, at the end of those games, there’s no trophy for the winning team. Nor is there a name encapsulating the rivalry during the lead-up to games. Instead, the game is simply “State–Carolina,” and the winner only receives bragging rights.

One of the sport’s biggest rivalries is Oklahoma–Texas, better known as the Red River Shootout. The two blue bloods meet in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, for a chance to secure the Golden Hat — a trophy that, as the name suggests, is a golden cowboy hat. The name originates from the Red River, which runs along the Texas-Oklahoma border. With a nod to the two teams’ geography and heritage, the Red River Shootout encapsulates the feud between the two schools perfectly.

Another great rivalry is the Palmetto Bowl, pitting South Carolina against Clemson in a game between the state’s top two programs. The palmetto tree is South Carolina’s official state tree, with a history dating back to being used to build Fort Moultrie in the Revolutionary War. The winning team is awarded a trophy with a palmetto tree, tying together the state’s culture and history into a reward for the winning team.

There are countless other examples of great rivalries, such as the Iron Bowl, Egg Bowl, the Apple Cup and more. All these rivalries weave aspects of their university and states together to create names and trophies to elevate their rivalries.

The question is, why haven’t NC State and North Carolina followed suit? If they did, what would it look like?

The state of North Carolina is rich with culture, history and tradition, giving plenty of options to tie the teams together. Two options are the Battle for the Ole North State and the Tobacco Road Showdown, both paying homage to the state’s history. The winner could be awarded a silver trophy, replicating the shape of the state of North Carolina.

My favorite idea for the rivalry is to name it the Barbeque Brawl. Nationally, North Carolina is renowned for its barbecue culture, especially whole hog barbecue in the Eastern part of the state near the two schools. The winner could be awarded a golden hog trophy, symbolic of the state’s most famous cuisine and one of the few things that Wolfpack and Tar Heel fans unite behind.

The possibilities are countless. The excuses are empty. It’s time for NC State and North Carolina to elevate their in-state rivalry with a proper name, a trophy fit for a state champion and a game that showcases the state’s rich culture.