Finally, something good comes out of conference realignment: The ribs trophy is coming back

[Coach Andy Mac]

Thursday brought another helping of conference-realignment news, with the American Athletic Conference announcing that it will add six schools — UAB, Texas San Antonio, Rice, North Texas, Charlotte and Florida Atlantic — to replace the three that are soon to depart for the Big 12.

On paper, that would be the headline. On a paper plate, the news is much bigger, because the AAC’s addition of UAB means college football’s — nay, the world’s — most delicious rivalry now is set to resume. The Blazers and Memphis will soon be conference rivals again, which means they will once more battle for a trophy styled after a giant rack of ribs.

The Battle of the Bones (sometimes referred to as the Battle for the Bones) rivalry began in 2006 when the Blazers and Tigers were members of Conference USA and played every year. In a nod toward Birmingham’s and Memphis’s status as two of the United States’ premier barbecue hubs, the schools decided to start playing for the right to hoist a 100-pound bronze rack of ribs created by Heather Spencer, sculptor in residence at Birmingham’s Sloss Furnace. A delicious tradition was born.

Read more:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/10/21/aac-expansion-battle-of-the-bones/