UAB's Move to the AAC Means the Best Rivalry Trophy in College Football Is Coming Back

The American Athletic Conference officially announced the additions of UAB, Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice and UTSA on Thursday in the latest moves in this round of conference re-alignment. While the conference is losing Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the Big 12, it's now adding some very solid football programs which should keep it right near the top of the Group of Five leagues.

More importantly, however, UAB's addition to the conference will revive an old rivalry with Memphis which includes arguably the best trophy in college football: The Battle of the Bones. Take a look at this bad boy.

Birmingham Wiki — The "Battle for the Bones" name was introduced for the 2006 match-up at Legion Field which was accompanied by a barbecue competition and the debut of a 100 pound bronze casting of a rack of ribs created by Sloss Metal Arts artist Heather Spencer which will be displayed by the winner of each year's game.

I feel personally affronted that this series was not continued even when Memphis left Conference USA for the AAC. When you have a 100-pound, bronzed rack of ribs on the line, you use one of your non-conference games to keep that going.

Luckily for all of us, though, this game is coming back and it's bringing the best trophy in college football with it. There's a real argument to be made the Bones trophy is more desirable than the College Football Playoff trophy. Until the crystal football comes back, this is the best prize in the sport.