A friendship built on a rivalry

Every year, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers and Iowa Hawkeyes battle on the gridiron for the right to take home the “Floyd of Rosedale” trophy.

While Minnesota earned the right to Floyd for the first time since 2023 with a 13-10 win back in late October, for Gophers fan Tim Rice, it was also a reunion with a lesser-known trophy: “Lloyd of Owaukee.”

“It’s a trophy topper that I think kids used for 4-H stuff,” said Rice with a laugh. “I got it from a radio rep for WHO down in Des Moines, Iowa who knew that my friend Jim Boller and I would always go to the Gophers-Hawkeyes games in Iowa City and Minneapolis every year. We turned it into our own rivalry trophy since it looked like Floyd… but we didn’t want to call him that for copyright reasons.”

According to Rice, the name “Owaukee” itself is cleverly chosen to represent both Owatonna and Waukee, where Rice and Boller live.

The tradition has been alive since 1992 when the duo had their first battle for Lloyd in a game that ended in a 26-13 Minnesota win.

As the winner, Rice was tasked with commissioning the trophy to be engraved with his name, the year and the score.

Lloyd was initially created with nine name plates… which proved to be a gross underestimation.

“The name plates began to fill up, so I put on a four-sided extension that could add on 24 engravings. Well, that one filled up too, so when Jim won it, he got another extension put on it. It’s somehow three levels now,” said Rice.

Many players, coaches, and even stadiums have passed through the two storied college football programs over the years, but one thing hasn’t changed: Rice and Boller’s passion for the game.

“A particular game I remember was up here at TCF Bank Stadium. Jim has a lung condition and has to wear a portable oxygen tank. Well, getting in the stadium with an oxygen tank takes a little extra time as you have to go to a certain stadium attendant and answer a few questions and show them your tank and backpack. Jim was cleared right away, and we proceeded to our seats.

Since the Iowa vs Minnesota game was traditionally the final game of the regular season, you could encounter some pretty cold temperatures. Well, this game was no exception.

Jim spent most of the third quarter and part of the fourth in the restroom thawing out his regulator valve under the hand dryer. I don't recall which team won the game, but I do remember Jim saying, ‘You know that Metrodome wasn't such a bad stadium after all,’” said Rice.

The last in-person game for the two came in 2023 when Hawkeyes’ superstar Cooper DeJean’s infamous “phantom fair catch” erased a would-be game-winning touchdown on a punt return that ultimately ended the game in a 12-10 win for the Gophers.

“I’d never considered that I won the last in-person game. I guess I better give Jim a call and rub that one in a bit,” said Rice.

While Gopher-Hawkeye gamedays are now reserved for watching on the TV, both are still able to travel to each other’s homes to enjoy the game together.

“We’ve both got old guys’ disease, but by-golly we’re going to keep this going for as long as we can,” said Rice.