When the Fresno State and San Diego State Alumni Associations decided to spice up their schools’ football rivalry for the game Saturday, Dec. 3, in San Diego, they offered an iPad2 as a prize and asked people to name the rivalry and suggest a trophy.

The two schools began playing football against each other in 1923 and have met 50 times since then, with the Aztecs enjoying a 26-20-4 advantage in the series. Bulldogs and Aztecs were in the same conference much of that time, but have played infrequently in the last decade – most recently in 2002 when Fresno State won 16-14.

Now, they are both scheduled to play in the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2012.

Of the 65 entries received, one stretched back into history telling about the discovery of an old oil can from Fresno that was unearthed during a San Diego State campus building project, said Jacquelyn K. Glasener, executive director of the Fresno State Alumni Association.

“The old oil can,” she said, “likely came from a time when Aztec and Bulldog fans traveled to football games between the two schools via the old, twisting, precipitous Grapevine section of Highway 99 over Tejon Pass.”

“Cars in those days carried extra oil and water to be sure they could make it through difficult trips,” added Jim Herrick, executive director of the San Diego State Alumni Association.

The alumni associations agreed on the winning entry, the “Battle for the Old Oil Can,” and purchased an antique oil can to be the basis of the trophy to be awarded to the winner of this year’s game.

However, because the entry was submitted anonymously, all the other entrants became eligible for the grand prize. A drawing is scheduled Friday, Dec. 2, at San Diego State’s Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center to determine the winner.

Representatives from both schools’ alumni associations will oversee the drawing, and the winner will be notified that day.

Kickoff is at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Tickets are still available by calling 559.278.DOGS or online at www.gobulldogs.com.

For additional information on the “Battle for the Old Oil Can,” contact Glasener at 559.278.2586 or jacquig@csufresno.edu.