Louisiana Governor Announced New Football Cup

Governor Jeff Landry established a trophy for annual football competition between three state universities.

Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Football

Louisiana Governor Announced New Football Cup

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Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has announced the creation of the Governor's Cup to celebrate college football rivalries. The trophy will be awarded annually to the school that performs best in the regular season series between Louisiana Tech, UL Lafayette, and ULM.

Why it matters

This new award is designed to formalize and celebrate the long-standing football rivalries among three key Louisiana universities. By crowning a champion of the regular season series, the state aims to elevate the profile of these programs within the Louisiana athletic landscape.

The competition involves 3 Louisiana universities participating in a regular season series. The inaugural trophy presentation is scheduled to take place this December at the Governor's Mansion.

The players

Jeff Landry

Jeff Landry is the current Governor of Louisiana who initiated the creation of the Governor's Cup.

Louisiana Tech

Louisiana Tech is a public research university located in Ruston that competes in college football.

UL Lafayette

UL Lafayette is a public research university known for its Ragin' Cajuns football program.

ULM

ULM is a public university located in Monroe that maintains a Division I football program.

The details

The Governor's Cup will be presented annually to the university that records the best performance in their head-to-head regular season games. The competition features Louisiana Tech, UL Lafayette, and ULM as the three core participants.

October 10, 2026: Louisiana Tech and UL Lafayette play.
October 2026: Louisiana Tech travels to play ULM.
November 12, 2026: ULM and UL Lafayette face off.
December 2026: The inaugural trophy is presented at the Governor's Mansion.

Season Trajectory

The Governor's Cup follows a pattern set by the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy by creating a specialized rivalry prize for a specific group of institutions. This competition formalizes the stakes for these three schools, adding intensity to the remainder of their 2026 conference schedules.

Fans should monitor the head-to-head outcomes between Louisiana Tech, UL Lafayette, and ULM to determine the eventual winner of the inaugural cup. These results will carry additional historical weight for the programs throughout the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The creation of this trophy highlights the ongoing effort to build stronger traditions within Louisiana collegiate sports. Fans and alumni of these schools can expect increased competitive intensity when these teams meet on the field.