The Illibuck pass is one of the most unique traditions in collegiate athletics. It dates back to 1925 when members of Atius-Sachem at the University of Illinois got together with members of Bucket & Dipper of The Ohio State University to commemorate the rivalry between the two schools, making it one of the oldest trophies in college football. Each year members of Bucket & Dipper and Atius-Sachem meet on the field to pass the trophy (nicknamed "Illy Illibuck") to the victor of the previous year’s game. Originally a live turtle, picked for its long life expectancy as a symbol of the long life of the rivalry, the trophy became a wooden turtle when the original passed away in 1927. Since then, 9 "Illibucks" have been carved, each with the scores from games on its back.
You can learn more about Bucket & Dipper and this Ohio State tradition at: http://bucketanddipper.org.ohio-state.edu/index.html