Ohio State Presented with NFF MacArthur Bowl – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 27, 2015
ATLANA – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame formally presented Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer with the MacArthur Bowl, the organization’s national championship trophy for the Football Bowl Subdivision, during a ceremony at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta today.
ESPN broadcaster Brad Nessler emceed the event, which included remarks from Coach Meyer, NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell and College Football Hall of Fame President & CEO John Stephenson. Coach Meyer accepted the award on behalf of his Ohio State football team in front of an audience full of excited Buckeye fans.
“On behalf of the Ohio State University I want to thank Chick-fil-A…obviously the National Football Foundation and Steve [Hatchell] and then this beautiful Hall of Fame for having us here,” said Coach Meyer. “It should be a tradition for the head coach to come celebrate at this incredible facility with fans. I want to thank our players, we had an incredible group and they should be here. They are part of history. We really try to develop a program where the players love each other and it’s a family atmosphere…The 2014 Buckeyes, that was a real team. How did they overcome adversity? Because they cared for each other. I’m honored to be here and on behalf of Ohio State, my football players and coaching staff to accept this incredible award. It has incredible history and we’ll forever be grateful to be on the side of this beautiful trophy.”
VIPS in attendance included NFF Board Member, outgoing Chick-fil-A Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer and Atlanta Hall Management Chairman Steve Robinson; Coach Meyer’s wife Shelley and family; and College Football Hall of Fame inductee from the University of Georgia Kevin Butler.
“On behalf of the National Football Foundation, our 12,000 members, our board of directors and Chairman Archie Manning, we are extremely proud to recognize Coach Meyer and Ohio State University as MacArthur Bowl recipients for the school’s fourth time,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “This trophy was started in 1959 by General Douglas MacArthur and legendary Hall of Fame coach Red Blaik, and etched on the side of this stadium replica in silver are all of the subsequent national champions. It is an honor to recognize the Buckeyes, who capped off a spectacular year by winning the inaugural College Football Playoff. As the keepers of the history and the legacy of the sport of football, we are exceptionally pleased to continue the tradition of presenting our fabled trophy at its home in the College Football Hall of Fame.”
The NFF previously announced Ohio State as the recipient of trophy following their 42-20 victory against Oregon in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The ceremony marked the official unveiling of the trophy with Ohio State’s name permanently etched on the fabled archways of the historic trophy, joining the previous 57 teams who have been recognized since the coveted honor was first bestowed in 1959.
“Thank you [the fans] for being here and helping us celebrate,” said College Football Hall of Fame President & CEO John Stephenson. “Thank you Steve [Hatchell] for allowing us to start a new twist on a time-honored tradition of presenting the MacArthur Bowl. Thank you Coach [Meyer] for being here for this new tradition, and maybe we’ll see you here again.”
Ohio State has now claimed the MacArthur Bowl for the fourth time in the school’s history. The Buckeyes won the MacArthur Bowl in 1968 and 1970 under College Football Hall of Fame head coach Woody Hayes. They also claimed the trophy in 2002 under head coach Jim Tressel, who was announced as a member of the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class in January. Coach Meyer was presented with the MacArthur Bowl twice as the head coach of the University of Florida in 2006 and 2008. Meyer joins Alabama head coach Nick Saban as the only coaches in history to win a national championship at two different schools. A team in the current Big Ten has now claimed the trophy 13 times.
Presented to every national champion since 1959, the MacArthur Bowl represents the pinnacle of team achievement in college sports, and each year during its 56-year history a new name has been etched alongside the greatest teams of all time. The trophy, a replica of a football stadium, features archways with space to engrave the names of 100 teams and miniature goal posts. The trophy was the gift of an anonymous donor, who commissioned Tiffany & Co. to craft it from 400 ounces of silver, in honor of NFF early leader General Douglas A. MacArthur. It took eight months to make, and the trophy features MacArthur’s famous quote: “There is no substitute for victory.”
From 1998 until 2013, the winner of the BCS National Championship Game was automatically declared the winner of the MacArthur Bowl. Prior to 1998 during the poll era of college football, the NFF Awards and MacArthur Bowl committees selected the winner of the trophy. Three other organizations, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), The Associated Press (AP) and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), also presented trophies during the BCS and poll years.
With the advent of the College Football Playoff (CFP) system in 2014, college football has entered a new era, and the sport has a new trophy, the CFP National Championship Trophy, presented by Dr Pepper. Both the CFP trophy and the MacArthur Bowl are on display at the new College Football Hall of Fame, which was opened to the public on Aug. 23, 2014.
Twenty-four different schools have claimed the trophy at least once during its 56-year history. Alabama has hoisted it the most, claiming it an unprecedented seven times. Notre Dame is second with five wins while Miami (Fla.), Ohio State, Southern California and Texas have each etched their names four times on the trophy. Florida, Florida State, Nebraska and Oklahoma each boast being three-time recipients. LSU, Michigan State and Penn State have each won the trophy twice.
First presented in 1959, previous NFF National Champions and MacArthur Bowl recipients include: Syracuse 1959, Minnesota 1960, Alabama 1961, Southern California 1962, Texas 1963, Notre Dame 1964, Michigan State 1965, Michigan State/Notre Dame 1966, Southern California 1967, Ohio State 1968, Texas 1969, Ohio State/Texas 1970, Nebraska 1971, Southern California 1972, Notre Dame 1973, Southern California 1974, Oklahoma 1975, Pittsburgh 1976, Notre Dame 1977, Alabama 1978, Alabama 1979, Georgia 1980, Clemson 1981, Penn State 1982, Miami (FL) 1983, Brigham Young 1984, Oklahoma 1985, Penn State 1986, Miami (FL) 1987, Notre Dame 1988, Miami (FL) 1989, Colorado 1990, Washington 1991, Alabama 1992, Florida State 1993, Nebraska 1994, Nebraska 1995, Florida 1996, Michigan 1997, Tennessee 1998, Florida State 1999, Oklahoma 2000, Miami (FL) 2001, Ohio State 2002, Louisiana State 2003, Vacated 2004, Texas 2005, Florida 2006, LSU 2007, Florida 2008, Alabama 2009, Auburn 2010, Alabama 2011, Alabama 2012 and Florida State in 2013.
About the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF High School Showcases, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF Faculty Salutes presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF also collaborates with the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) to release the FWAA-NFF Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll; awards the William V. Campbell Trophy presented by Fidelity Investments and prominently displayed at its official home inside the New York Athletic Club; and bestows several other major awards at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner. NFF corporate partners include Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Sports Business Journal and Under Armour. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.
