Chief Caddo
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Chief Caddo is the name of the statue formerly given to the winner of the annual football game between Southland Conference members Northwestern State University (NSU) of Natchitoches, Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) of Nacogdoches, Texas. Northwestern State University stopped participating in the exchange in 2021 after a Student Government Association and Faculty Senate joint resolution recognizing that Caddo Nation officials stated the statue was offensive, acknowledging the statue was inauthentic, and calling for the end to the practice.
Made of solid wood, Chief Caddo was one of the largest trophies in college football, standing 7.5-foot (2.3 m) and weighing in excess of 330-pound (150 kg).
History
The idea of the statue was created in 1960 when longtime rivals NSU and SFA decided to award the winner of the game a trophy. The two schools settled on a wooden statue (both schools are located in heavily forested areas) supposedly representing an American Indian "chief" who, in European-American folklore originating in the 1930s, was responsible for settling the locations that became the cities in which university was located (both of which are named for branches of the tribe). Under the agreement, based on the results of the 1961 football game, the losing school would chop down a tree from one of its nearby forests, while the winning school would receive the log and carve the statue from it.
NSU won the 1961 game 35–19; thus, SFA delivered a 2,000-pound black gum log to NSU. Woodcarver Harold Green spent some 230 hours fashioning the statue. It was named "Chief Caddo," supposedly after the Native nation that first settled the two communities.
In June 2010, after years of transportation to and from games had left "Chief Caddo" in poor condition, the trophy was given a much-needed refurbishing. The project, headed by Bill Flynn (Flynn Paint & Decorating of Nacogdoches), undertook the restoration of the trophy. Among the many restorations to the trophy were: the repairing of the base, the construction and replacement of feathers in the headdress, the restaining and repainting of the entire trophy, and intricate detailing.
NSU and SFA played for this trophy from 1961 to 2019.
In 2024, NSU and SFA announced that with SFA's return to the Southland Conference, the rivalry would continue but with a new trophy. "The Chief" has "the same 7-foot-6, 320-pound dimensions as the original, commissioned by both universities in 1960. It is topped with a pitchfork on one end and an axe on the other, with scores from past games adorning the length of the trophy. The winning team will display the trophy with its representative logo facing upward." Both schools engaged in conversations with the Caddo Nation regarding plans to add a piece designed by the nation to the trophy.
Currently, the statue resides at Stephen F. Austin State University.
Game results
| Northwestern State victories | Stephen F. Austin victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No.DateLocationWinnerScore1November 7, 1924Nacogdoches, TXLouisiana Normal7–32November 6, 1925Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin7–63November 6, 1926Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin28–04November 5, 1927Nacogdoches, TXLouisiana Normal26–05November 3, 1928Shreveport, LALouisiana Normal26–06October 26, 1929Natchitoches, LALouisiana Normal41–67November 8, 1930Nacogdoches, TXLouisiana Normal21–208November 6, 1931Natchitoches, LALouisiana Normal19–09November 5, 1932Nacogdoches, TXLouisiana Normal39–010November 3, 1933Natchitoches, LALouisiana Normal39–011November 2, 1934Nacogdoches, TXTie0–012November 8, 1935Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin13–613November 6, 1936Nacogdoches, TXLouisiana Normal20–714November 5, 1937Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin2–015November 4, 1938Nacogdoches, TXLouisiana Normal6–016November 3, 1939Natchitoches, LALouisiana Normal20–617November 2, 1940Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin14–718November 29, 1946Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State27–619September 15, 1956Shreveport, LAStephen F. Austin14–1220September 14, 1957Shreveport, LANorthwestern State20–721September 12, 1959Shreveport, LATie14–1422September 17, 1960Shreveport, LANorthwestern State14–023September 16, 1961Shreveport, LANorthwestern State35–1924September 15, 1962Shreveport, LANorthwestern State23–625September 14, 1963Shreveport, LAStephen F. Austin10–026September 19, 1964Shreveport, LANorthwestern State34–1427September 19, 1970Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State9–728September 18, 1971Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State18–729September 16, 1972Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State20–730September 21, 1974Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin14–1331September 20, 1975Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin17–1332September 18, 1976Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State47–033September 24, 1977Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State20–634September 16, 1978Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State21–1435September 15, 1979Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State27–2136September 20, 1980Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State22–337September 19, 1981Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State42–1338September 18, 1982Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State28–1439October 1, 1983Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin27–2540November 17, 1984Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin22–18No.DateLocationWinnerScore41November 23, 1985Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin19–1042November 22, 1986Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin28–1443November 21, 1987Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State33–2144November 19, 1988Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State20–1745September 18, 1989Natchitoches, LATie17–1746November 17, 1990Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State20–347November 23, 1991Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State52–048November 21, 1992Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State24–1049November 20, 1993Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin51–2050November 19, 1994Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin34–1351November 16, 1995Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin25–2052November 23, 1996Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State17–1053November 20, 1997Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State38–2454November 21, 1998Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State35–2155November 20, 1999Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin29–1456November 18, 2000Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin17–357November 17, 2001Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State31–1758November 23, 2002Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State42–3559November 22, 2003Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin44–1460November 20, 2004Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State37–1661November 17, 2005Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State41–2162November 16, 2006Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin20–1163November 17, 2007Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State31–1264November 22, 2008Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State34–2465November 21, 2009Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin19–1066November 20, 2010Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin36–1367November 19, 2011Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin33–068November 17, 2012Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin34–1769November 23, 2013Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State40–2770November 22, 2014Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin27–2471November 21, 2015Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State33–1772November 19, 2016Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin45–3173November 18, 2017Natchitoches, LANorthwestern State38–2174November 15, 2018Nacogdoches, TXNorthwestern State35–2375November 21, 2019Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin32–2076September 16, 2023Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin41–777October 5, 2024Nacogdoches, TXStephen F. Austin59–1778November 20, 2025Natchitoches, LAStephen F. Austin62–14Series: Northwestern State leads 45–30–3 | ||||
| 1 | November 7, 1924 | Nacogdoches, TX | Louisiana Normal | 7–3 |
| 2 | November 6, 1925 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 7–6 |
| 3 | November 6, 1926 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 28–0 |
| 4 | November 5, 1927 | Nacogdoches, TX | Louisiana Normal | 26–0 |
| 5 | November 3, 1928 | Shreveport, LA | Louisiana Normal | 26–0 |
| 6 | October 26, 1929 | Natchitoches, LA | Louisiana Normal | 41–6 |
| 7 | November 8, 1930 | Nacogdoches, TX | Louisiana Normal | 21–20 |
| 8 | November 6, 1931 | Natchitoches, LA | Louisiana Normal | 19–0 |
| 9 | November 5, 1932 | Nacogdoches, TX | Louisiana Normal | 39–0 |
| 10 | November 3, 1933 | Natchitoches, LA | Louisiana Normal | 39–0 |
| 11 | November 2, 1934 | Nacogdoches, TX | Tie | 0–0 |
| 12 | November 8, 1935 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 13–6 |
| 13 | November 6, 1936 | Nacogdoches, TX | Louisiana Normal | 20–7 |
| 14 | November 5, 1937 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 2–0 |
| 15 | November 4, 1938 | Nacogdoches, TX | Louisiana Normal | 6–0 |
| 16 | November 3, 1939 | Natchitoches, LA | Louisiana Normal | 20–6 |
| 17 | November 2, 1940 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 14–7 |
| 18 | November 29, 1946 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 27–6 |
| 19 | September 15, 1956 | Shreveport, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 14–12 |
| 20 | September 14, 1957 | Shreveport, LA | Northwestern State | 20–7 |
| 21 | September 12, 1959 | Shreveport, LA | Tie | 14–14 |
| 22 | September 17, 1960 | Shreveport, LA | Northwestern State | 14–0 |
| 23 | September 16, 1961 | Shreveport, LA | Northwestern State | 35–19 |
| 24 | September 15, 1962 | Shreveport, LA | Northwestern State | 23–6 |
| 25 | September 14, 1963 | Shreveport, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 10–0 |
| 26 | September 19, 1964 | Shreveport, LA | Northwestern State | 34–14 |
| 27 | September 19, 1970 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 9–7 |
| 28 | September 18, 1971 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 18–7 |
| 29 | September 16, 1972 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 20–7 |
| 30 | September 21, 1974 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 14–13 |
| 31 | September 20, 1975 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 17–13 |
| 32 | September 18, 1976 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 47–0 |
| 33 | September 24, 1977 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 20–6 |
| 34 | September 16, 1978 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 21–14 |
| 35 | September 15, 1979 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 27–21 |
| 36 | September 20, 1980 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 22–3 |
| 37 | September 19, 1981 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 42–13 |
| 38 | September 18, 1982 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 28–14 |
| 39 | October 1, 1983 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 27–25 |
| 40 | November 17, 1984 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 22–18 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 41 | November 23, 1985 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 19–10 |
| 42 | November 22, 1986 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 28–14 |
| 43 | November 21, 1987 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 33–21 |
| 44 | November 19, 1988 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 20–17 |
| 45 | September 18, 1989 | Natchitoches, LA | Tie | 17–17 |
| 46 | November 17, 1990 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 20–3 |
| 47 | November 23, 1991 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 52–0 |
| 48 | November 21, 1992 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 24–10 |
| 49 | November 20, 1993 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 51–20 |
| 50 | November 19, 1994 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 34–13 |
| 51 | November 16, 1995 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 25–20 |
| 52 | November 23, 1996 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 17–10 |
| 53 | November 20, 1997 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 38–24 |
| 54 | November 21, 1998 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 35–21 |
| 55 | November 20, 1999 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 29–14 |
| 56 | November 18, 2000 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 17–3 |
| 57 | November 17, 2001 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 31–17 |
| 58 | November 23, 2002 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 42–35 |
| 59 | November 22, 2003 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 44–14 |
| 60 | November 20, 2004 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 37–16 |
| 61 | November 17, 2005 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 41–21 |
| 62 | November 16, 2006 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 20–11 |
| 63 | November 17, 2007 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 31–12 |
| 64 | November 22, 2008 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 34–24 |
| 65 | November 21, 2009 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 19–10 |
| 66 | November 20, 2010 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 36–13 |
| 67 | November 19, 2011 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 33–0 |
| 68 | November 17, 2012 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 34–17 |
| 69 | November 23, 2013 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 40–27 |
| 70 | November 22, 2014 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 27–24 |
| 71 | November 21, 2015 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 33–17 |
| 72 | November 19, 2016 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 45–31 |
| 73 | November 18, 2017 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 38–21 |
| 74 | November 15, 2018 | Nacogdoches, TX | Northwestern State | 35–23 |
| 75 | November 21, 2019 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 32–20 |
| 76 | September 16, 2023 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 41–7 |
| 77 | October 5, 2024 | Nacogdoches, TX | Stephen F. Austin | 59–17 |
| 78 | November 20, 2025 | Natchitoches, LA | Stephen F. Austin | 62–14 |
| Series: Northwestern State leads 45–30–3 |