The trophy game was created at the behest of Notre Dame head coach Knute Rockne, who wanted a rivalry in the Chicago metropolitan area to help build Notre Dame's fanbase there.

8 Notre Dame 17–15 as a 28-point underdog in 1995, the Chicago Sun-Times billed it as the "Upset of the Century.

"[4] In 2014, the rivalry was renewed in a two-game series, with Northwestern winning 43–40 in overtime in South Bend.

Notre Dame traveled to Evanston in November 2018 for their first encounter on the Wildcats' home turf since 1976.

The Fighting Irish got their revenge for the Wildcats overtime upset in South Bend four years prior, winning 31–21 at Ryan Field.