We officially tip our hat to the 2024 Great Plate Debate champion

Daily Dirt for Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024

DR LOV joins IM A BETH and IMDUMB in the Hall of Champions … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,159 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Congrats, DR LOV. You are No. 1.

As today marks the end of the 2024 calendar year, it’s time to acknowledge The Daily Dirt’s Great Plate Debate champion. DR LOV, the license plate holding the weekly gold medal the last two months of the year, is officially our third-ever champion. It is crowned the most creative license plate across West-Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri.

DR LOV was spotted in the Quincy Medical Group park lot on a warm, autumn afternoon in early November. It immediately claimed the No. 1 ranking and never relinquished it.

Who will reign in 2025? The competition starts Wednesday!

The final medal stand for 2024:

• Gold medal: DR LOV. 
• Silver medal: GOD 911. 
• Bronze medal: WAR PIGS. 

Best of the rest for the final week of December:

• MR JOB 1
• MOE 1937
• MOM 1111
• U BABE 1
• NANNA W 1
• FUZZY 5
• RATCAT 2
• COKE XEC 

GREAT PLATE DEBATE ROLL OF CHAMPIONS

• 2024: DR LOV (held No. 1 final 9 weeks of year) Illinois plate
• 2023: BE A BETH (held No. 1 final 26 weeks of year) Illinois plate
• 2022: IMDUMB (held No. 1 final 10 weeks of year) Missouri plate

2. Did you know (Part 232)

That Spiderman Popsicles should be in stores sometime after the first of the year. Flavors we know of are Strawberry, Blue Raspberry and Lime. 

That Butterfinger Ice Cream Bars will be arriving in supermarkets at some point in January.

That Rold Gold and Auntie Anne’s are teaming up for some new Cinnamon Sugar Select Pretzel Twists.

That Butterscotch Scoop Ice Cream Candy Snickers Bars are coming to stores nationwide as you read this.

That it has been confirmed that Krispy Kreme doughnuts will be arriving at McDonald’s at some point in 2025. 

3. Here’s our picks for the College Football Playoff quarterfinal games:

Tuesday: 7:30 p.m., ESPN: Penn State 45, Boise State 17 (Fiesta Bowl). I love Boise State as much as the next fan, but this year’s Broncos team does not belong with the big boys. 

Wednesday: 1 p.m., ESPN: Texas 49, Arizona State 17 (Peach Bowl). This will likely be ugly from the onset. We may even get to see Arch Manning play for Texas.

Wednesday: 5 p.m., ESPN: Ohio State 38, Oregon 34 (Rose Bowl). This should be the game of the day, and possibly the de facto national championship game.

Wednesday: 8 p.m., ESPN: Georgia 28, Notre Dame 16 (Sugar Bowl). Coaching DOES matter, and Kirby Smart is arguably the best college boss in the country.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Once those Krispy Kreme doughnuts start arriving at McDonald’s, look for the big boy to set up camp underneath the Golden Arches. 

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He’ll see you next year.