Grand Canyon Trophy Game
American college sports rivalry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Grand Canyon Trophy Game[1] (also known as the Grand Canyon Rivalry[2][3] is a series of American college football games, described by some as a rivalry, between the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks and the Southern Utah Thunderbirds. The Grand Canyon Trophy is presented to the winner of the game. The Lumberjacks are the current holder of the trophy.
Northern Arizona 36, Southern Utah 15
Northern Arizona 52, Southern Utah 49
| First meeting | September 11, 1982 Northern Arizona 36, Southern Utah 15 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | September 13, 2025 Northern Arizona 52, Southern Utah 49 |
| Next meeting | October 31, 2026 |
| Trophy | Grand Canyon Trophy |
| Statistics | |
| Total meetings | 27 |
All-time series | Northern Arizona leads, 17–10 |
Largest victory | Northern Arizona 53, Southern Utah 3 (1983 and 1993) |
Longest win streak | Northern Arizona, 5 (2001–2010) |
Current win streak | Northern Arizona, 4 (2021–present) |
Series history
Between 1982 and 2011, Northern Arizona and Southern Utah played fifteen times as non-conference opponents. Since 1970, Northern Arizona has been a member of the Big Sky Conference, playing at a Division I level. Southern Utah's division and conference affiliation fluctuated during this time. However, in 2011, the Big Sky conference expanded to 13 football-playing members, and Southern Utah University was extended an all-sports invitation.[4] Since then, the Lumberjacks and Thunderbirds have competed every year. In 2012, the Grand Canyon Trophy was introduced as a traveling trophy that would go to the winner.[5] The trophy was first won by Southern Utah by a score of 35–29.[6] In 2022, Southern Utah left the Big Sky Conference for the Western Athletic Conference. The two schools have scheduled a 12-game home and home series for the 2028 through 2039 seasons.[7] On June 25, 2025, the Big Sky Conference announced that Southern Utah will rejoin the conference effective July 1, 2026.[8]
Game results
| Northern Arizona victories | Southern Utah victories |
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