Is it Taylor ham or pork roll? The decades-long New Jersey debate will finally be settled after Montclair State University and Rowan University clash in their annual rivalry football game.
On Monday, both institutions announced the creation of “The Breakfast Bowl”, which will determine if New Jersey’s popular deli meat will be known as Taylor ham or pork roll for the next calendar year.
The concept is the brainchild of Montclair State head football coach Mike Palazzo. He said that he started thinking about the idea in 2019 when another Division III rivalry game took centerstage in Montclair State’s backyard.
Montclair State head football coach Mike Palazzo helped to create the new trophy game.
Courtesy of Matt DeLuca Photo credit: Matt DeLuca
“It was around 2019, when Ithaca and Cortland played at MetLife Stadium, and that was a huge, huge game,” Palazzo said. “Forty-five thousand people were there for the Cortaca Jug, which is literally a little jug painted, right? [Division III] rivalries are a little bit quirky. I think all rivalries have that quirky trophy. So I always thought, what game could be a rival game for us?”
Palazzo said that he contacted Prof first-year head coach Pat Ruley to pitch the idea. Together, they crafted the plan to organize the big game.
“Professionally we’ve known each other for a long time, and we’re around the same age, so in the interview process, I pitched the idea to him, and he’s like, Oh my God, I love that idea. It’s great. Let’s, run with this,” Palazzo said. “So it’s been a little bit better to have that kind of line of communication between me and him to like, have somebody else on board with it.”
Trophy games are part of the fabric of all levels of college football, where heated rivals fight over a number of objects from cups to bells and even axes. Before the game was announced there was no trophy game in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). The Profs and Red Hawks will now fight for a winged pig every fall.
Montclair State and Rowan will compete in the first-ever "Breakfast Bowl."
Courtesy of Matt DeLuca
The game will be played for a good cause as well. Both teams have partnered with Community FoodBank to help fight food insecurity in the Garden State. QR codes at the game will allow fans to vote for “pork roll” or “Taylor ham” with donations.
Donations for team pork roll will be sent to the Egg Harbor Township location, while Taylor ham supporters will benefit the Hillside location
T-shirts are also available for purchase, with proceeds also going to Community FoodBank.
The Red Hawks also traveled to Hillside this week to volunteer at the food bank they will represent on Saturday.
Ruley told rowanathletics.com that the trophy game elevates the Montclair State-Rowan rivalry.
“It’s really cool to be involved in the first annual trophy game the NJAC will have,” Ruley said. “Obviously, the naming rights of a breakfast meat is a fun incentive to come out on top in this game, but to be involved with a game that has a charitable element to it, as we aim to address food insecurity in our state, is a good feeling.”
The first Breakfast Bowl will be played Saturday in Glassboro. The Red Hawks lead the series 36-26.
