Northwestern and Central has become Miami-Dade County's most intense football rivalry in recent years.

Now, the series has a name.

Although the upcoming chapter of the Bulls and Rockets' feud likely will be another heated contest, representatives mutually agreed Monday afternoon to don the series ``The Commissioner's Cup.''

Both school's principals and athletic directors were among the faculty present at the ceremony, held at Mahogany Grille restaurant in Miami Gardens. The schools unveiled The Commissioner's Cup trophy that will be awarded to the winner of the regular-season game each year and kept by the victor for a year following the game.

An offensive and defensive most valuable player will also be selected at the end of the game, which is expected to sell out FIU Stadium's 17,000-seat capacity at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 8.

The game, which will be broadcast on ESPN2, will be the first to pit two Dade teams on national TV in Miami.

``In light of the two best teams in the state being in the same neighborhood, we wanted to come up with a way the rivalry could stand out among the best in the county's history,'' Central Alumni Association president D.C. Clark said.

If both teams win this weekend, Northwestern will likely enter the contest as the No. 1-ranked team in Class 6A, and the Rockets at No. 2.

Northwestern is ranked No. 4 nationally by ESPN, and Central is ranked 12th.

Both teams have blown away their opponents recently and are expected to settle the District 13-6A championship at the game.

Last season, Central beat Northwestern in the regular season to break a four-game losing streak in the series. The Bulls, however, avenged the loss in the regional semifinals en route to a third consecutive appearance in the Class 6A state championship game.

Should both teams advance to the second round of the playoffs this season, they would meet again.

The game will feature numerous major college prospects and a pair of talented quarterbacks. Northwestern's Teddy Bridgewater set the Miami-Dade County single-game record for touchdown passes Friday with seven against Hialeah-Miami Lakes. The previous night, Central's Jeffrey Godfrey threw for six touchdowns against Miami Springs.

``You've had some tremendous rivalries in Dade like Mays-Carver, Miami High-Coral Gables and the Soul Bowl between Northwestern and Jackson. We wanted to promote this game between these tremendous athletes not just from a football standpoint, but to make it an event where at the end of the day, both sides can come together as a community.''

Central principal Doug Rodriguez and Northwestern principal Charles Hankerson, Sr. both hoped that by giving the series between the longtime Liberty City rivals a name, it would promote the game as an event where fans on both sides could meet and celebrate it as a community without incident.

``It's a chance for our community to show that two urban high schools can come together, play a spirited football game, and then still come together in fellowship afterward,'' Hankerson Sr. said. ``I think by both sides coming together like this to cooperate to put this event together both sides realize that's there's something bigger to be gained here than just a football victory.''

Northwestern and Central announced that ticket sales will begin at both schools Monday, will be priced at $10 until the day of the game, where they will be sold at the stadium beginning at 5 p.m. Only 15,000 tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

``The phones are already ringing off the hook with the demand for tickets,'' Rodriguez said. ``I think the biggest message we want to send is that no matter who wins, we can all come together as brothers and showcase Dade County football.''

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