History of College Football

NCAA football has been an intercollegiate sport for more then one hundred years. The first game was played on Nov 6, 1869 between Rutgers University and Princeton University. The game was at college field (now the site of the college avenue gymnasium) in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Rutgers won by a score of 6 to 4, but the game showed little resemblance of today's game. The rules were from the English Football Association, the basis of modern day soccer

Ivy League schools dominated college footballs early days. Yale University's Walter Camp thought up many of the rules in the early game. He made up rules and regulations such as 11 men lineups, lines of scrimmage separating offensive and defensive teams. Soon Camp has a say in reducing the field size since it was nearly double the size when the game first started. He also allowed the offense to get a first down after gaining 5 yards and 3 downs, much different then today's 10 yards in 4 downs.

Yale University was one of the greatest teams of the era. The earned a 324-17-18 record from 1872-1909 and won 11 National Championships. One of their greatest stars was 5 foot 9 150 pound Frank Hinkey, a four time All-American who is said to be one of the top players of his generation. Though college football was great for the players who played the game it was just as good for the fans that watched. It was said that the sport served as a unifying force for the increasingly large pool of diverse college students who were almost always seen wearing their school colors. Pleased University administrators viewed football as a means to require a larger student body.

College football was a game of strength in the early contests. There was no such thing as a forward pass so teams come up with formations such as the flying wedge in which the ball carrier would take the handoff and run while being surrounded by a wall of blockers. The best way for the defense to break the wedge was to dive into the knees of the oncoming blockers. A very dangerous move when you consider the only head gear was a stocking cap.

The first real uniform wasn't created until a Princeton player by the name of L.P. Smock in 1877. It consisted of a tightly laced canvas jacket, black knee pant, stockings, and a jersey. Cloth padding was sometimes was added to the shoulders, thighs, and knees but there still wasn't a lot protection for the players in the early game.

As football increased in popularity it was also growing increasingly violent. By the year 1905 the public outcry against the game was so dominate it made several colleges ban their football programs. Even the President of the United States demanded the reforms be made. But since the majority of the fans didn't want to eliminate the sport the reforms were never made and the National Collegiate Athletic Association was formed. The NCAA has been a major part in rule changes and setting up procedures and guidelines under which colleges operate their football programs.

College football was the predominant venue of American football prior to the founding of the National Football League. Although the NFL's income was very good the large crowds that packed the college stadiums was a financial equalizer for the game and most division one programs were consistently selling out huge stadiums