George Jewett Trophy: Michigan vs. Northwestern
Trophy Series (since 2021): Michigan leads 2-0
Overall Series: Michigan leads 60-15-2
Established in 2021 by Michigan and Northwestern, the George Jewett Trophy is the first rivalry game trophy named for an African American player in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history. Jewett was the first African American to play football at each institution and was the first Black player in the history of the Big Ten Conference.
Michigan won the inaugural George Jewett Trophy game on Oct. 23, 2021, when the sixth-ranked Wolverines defeated the Wildcats 33-7 in Michigan Stadium. U-M also grabbed a 50-6 victory on Nov. 23, 2024.Â
About George Jewett
Michigan and Northwestern Alumnus
• Lived 1870-1908
• Valedictorian, Ann Arbor High School, 1889
• University of Michigan: 1890-93, not enrolled 1891-92
• Member of 1890 and 1892 Michigan football teams
• Northwestern University: 1893-94
• Member of 1893-94 Northwestern football teams while completing medical degree
• First African American football player at both universities, as well as any university that formed the Big Ten
• Practiced medicine in Chicago until 1899
• Returned to Ann Arbor to open State Street valet service
• Died suddenly at 38, leaving a wife and two sons
Jewett played for Michigan during the 1890 and 1892 seasons, enrolling at the university after being named valedictorian at Ann Arbor High (now Ann Arbor Pioneer), where he was a standout in track, football and baseball. Jewett starred on the gridiron for the Wolverines as a fullback and halfback and was the team's main kicker, all while studying medicine. He left Michigan for Northwestern in 1893 to finish his medical degree. While in Evanston, he also lettered and starred in football for the Wildcats for two seasons.
After graduation, Jewett became a doctor in Chicago before returning to Ann Arbor in 1899. He coached briefly at Michigan Agricultural College and Olivet, and later started a dry cleaning and pressing business on State Street. Unfortunately, Jewett's life was cut short, as he died in 1908 at the age of 38, leaving behind a wife and two sons.
The George Jewett Trophy stands 36 inches tall and reflects the exemplary achievements of Jewett the athlete and scholar. Pulling inspiration from limited early 19th century images of Jewett and his teammates, the design represents a fusion of his athletic, academic and professional lives. He is imagined as a man in motion, wearing both his collegiate football attire and the preeminent symbol of his status as a physician, his doctor's coat.
The trophy pivots 360 degrees. One side represents Michigan and the opposite side Northwestern. The other two sides are neutral, celebrating this eternal symbol of accomplishment and excellence, George Jewett.
Michigan's results in the George Jewett Trophy series (through 2024; the programs are next scheduled to play in 2028):
| Date | W/L | Score | Site | Rank |
| Oct. 23, 2021 | W | 33-7 | H | 6/- |
| Nov. 23, 2024 | W | 50-6 | H | -/- |
Rankings (U-M/NU) from Associated Press poll
Learn More
• Watch: Honoring Legacy of African American Student-Athlete Pioneer
• George Jewett Game: U-M, NU Honor Their First African American Football Player
• Michigan and Northwestern Establish George Jewett Trophy
• Celebrating George Jewett (Bentley Historical Library)
