Iconic college football item heads to Ireland for Georgia Tech-FSU game

The Heisman Trophy sits during a news conference before the award ceremony Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

The Heisman Trophy sits during a news conference before the award ceremony Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

DUBLIN — For the first time in its 90-year history, the Heisman Trophy has left the country, arriving in Dublin for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in celebration of the 2024 college football season opener.

The Heisman Trophy will be on display throughout game week. Georgia Tech and Florida State, meanwhile, will be competing for the Keough-Naughton Trophy and the Coach’s Award, which will be presented at the end of the game to the respective winner.

The Heisman Trophy will be exhibited through Saturday’s kickoff, including appearances at the Helluva Block Party at 3 p.m. Irish time Friday, the Georgia Tech welcome experience for fans attending via on location travel packages, inside Aviva Stadium and around Dublin.

“The Aer Lingus College Football Classic spotlights the best of college football in one of the most culturally rich countries in the world,” co-founder of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic John Anthony said. “As we continually aim to elevate the experience for fans, players, and participating schools, we are pleased to have on display an iconic trophy annually awarded to the top college football player, a symbol of both individual and team greatness on and off the field.”

The Heisman Trophy is named after John Heisman, whose standout coaching career included 15 years at Tech, where his team was a scoring powerhouse and tallied 33 consecutive wins. During his coaching career, Heisman helped legalized the forward pass. And following retirement, Heisman organized and set in motion the structure and voting system to determine the best collegiate football player in the country.