The Fighting Scots won the inaugural trophy with a 2-0 victory. The "Bronze Turkey" was then awarded each year to the winner, a proud symbol of bragging rights for the victor and an incentive for revenge for the loser.

All was quiet and peaceful until the early 1940s when the famous bird suddenly came up missing. The first in a long line of pranks and raids between Monmouth and Knox students, the abduction lasted a full five years. The location of the Turkey remained a mystery until Monmouth officials were tipped that the trophy had been buried under the old dirt indoor track in the basement of Waid Gymnasium. The trophy was recovered and passed between the two schools, legally or otherwise, for many years until the latest disappearance.

In the spring of 1984, the Turkey was again liberated, this time from the Monmouth College gymnasium display case. Its whereabouts were only a matter of rumor and speculation. The Register-Mail purchased a second "Bronze Turkey" statue for the 1985 game, which was won by Knox 16-14. The replacement bird was quickly recovered and retained by Monmouth, which won the next seven games in the series. Just as mysteriously as it first disappeared, the original trophy resurfaced in the fall of 1993 when it was returned to a Monmouth class reunion during Homecoming Weekend. The return of the true "Bronze Turkey" has served to renew some of the spirit and emotion of the rivalry begun over 100 years ago.

The two teams have played to ten ties and have had some memorable contests over the years. Knox can claim a 50-0 shutout in 1901 as their largest margin of victory while the Scots have scored over 45 points six times, most recently in a 49-0 shutout in 1986 and a 45-6 victory in 1988. Monmouth's first overtime game was also against Knox (a 13-7 win in 1991). The series enjoyed a milestone in 1989 -- the 100th meeting between the two schools. Monmouth won the game that year 14-0 on two late fourth-quarter touchdown drives and evened up the all-time record at 45-45-10. In the fall of 2000, the Scots pulled ahead in the series 51-50-10 with victory  in front of more than 2,200 fans at Bobby Woll Memorial Field.  Knox took the early lead in that game, scoring on a field goal try.  The Scots actually had lined up for a field goal attempt, but the Prairie Fire's Brandon Orr blocked the kick, scooped it up and raced 80 yards for an early lead before the Scots were the ones to catch fire for a 34-17 win.