For the record 28th time Penn State has been crowned the top football program in the east by the ECAC and were awarded the Lambert Meadowlands Trophy to mark the occasion. The Lambert Meadowland Trophy is awarded annually to the top FBS college football team in the east by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. According to a Penn State press release no four teams can combine to equal the number of Lambert Meadowlands Trophies won by the Nittany Lions, a testament to the power of Penn State football historically in the east.
The 2009 season marked the second consecutive season in which Penn State was named the top team in the East. It is the third time in the past decade that Penn State won the award, second most only to Miami (2000-2004). The Nittany Lions were named the best in the east five times in the 1990′s and 1980′s. No team has matched Penn State’s five year run from 1971 to 1975 as the winners of the trophy.
In addition to team awards there are individual awards bestowed upon the east’s top players. This year five Penn State players were named ECAC All-Stars at the FBS level. Quarterback Daryll Clark, linebacker Navorro Bowman, tackle Dennis Landolt, center Stefen Wisniewski, and defensive tackle Jared Odrick were the all-stars representing Penn State. Clark was tabbed the ECAC Player of the Year for the FBS level.
The FCS National champion Villanova Wildcats were awarded the FCS equivalent to the Lambert Meadowlands Trophy, the Lambert Cup. This is Villanova’s third Lambert Cup (1992, 2002, 2009). California University of Pennsylvania took the Division 2 Lambert Cup for the second time in three years. Wesley College, from Delaware, won the Division 3 Lambert Cup. Pennsylvania clearly looks to be a football power in the east region.
The FBS program with the second most number of Lambert Trophies is Army, believe it or not. Army though has not received a trophy since 1958, and Pitt and Syracuse are creeping up on the service academy. It remains unlikely that any team will catch Penn State, who has at least a 21 trophy lead on the east rivals. When the Nittany Lions made a jump to the Big Ten it was thought that the Lambert Meadowlands Trophy competition would become more wide open. Though it took a few seasons for that to happen (Penn State won the 1994, 1996, 1997, and 1998 trophies) the teams from the Big East began a run of six straight seasons winning the trophy, highlighted by Miami’s four year run. Before that stretch Penn State had not gone more than two seasons without winning the award since 1961.
Looking ahead I think there is a good chance that Pittsburgh takes the 2010 Lambert Trophy, as I expect a bit of a down season with young talent leading the way for Penn State. Pitt also has a good nucleus that could lead to a Big East championship run in 2010, which could put them in the lead for the Lambert Trophy next season. But in 2011 Penn State could easily be back in front.
Tags: Lambert Meadowlands Trophy, trophies, trophy