The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy presented by Dr Pepper has landed in Knoxville, giving Tennessee fans a chance to see it up close before the Volunteers’ matchup against No. 1 Texas.
The trophy is making two free public stops on Friday. It will be at the Alcoa Walmart from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., then at the Walmart on Chapman’s Highway from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Nicole Hragyil, a CFP trophy manager, said the trophy spends the season traveling from game to game, typically tracking along with ESPN’s College GameDay when possible.
“We take it on tour all year. So every single week we take it to a different game, usually following Game Day, not always, but it’s the premier game for sure,” Hragyil said.
“We’ve been doing it for 15 years. This trophy in particular has been on tour the entire time, and yeah, it’s a good opportunity for people to come take pictures with it and see it.”
This year’s trophy weighs 50 pounds, with a 30-pound solid bronze base and a 20-pound top made of 24-karat gold-plated stainless steel. The top section is hollowed out. A new trophy is made each year, but its look stays mostly the same from season to season, aside from a small logo update this year.
“I think most people won’t notice [any changes]. So just a little logo change this year, other than remaining the same,” said Hragyil.
Hragyil also said the trophy is made by the master fine art foundry UAP Polich Tallix in New York, the same group that creates the Oscars.
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