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College Football originated in English Rugby  

The origins of college football go back to England in the mid-1800s and the split-up of association football and rugby.  Ironically, association football in the United States became known as soccer and rugby became football, which was played under varying rules at the nation’s colleges.  The first college football game was played between Princeton and Rutgers in 1869, with Princeton being victorious. That game actually used a soccer ball, had 25-men on a team and a field that was much larger than the football field of today. 

Walter Camp, considered to be the “father of American football,” was a college player at Yale.  He suggested rule changes that were incorporated into the game, which included the system of downs, the marking of yard lines on the field, the eleven-man team, and changes in scoring.   Football was more violent in its beginnings, with up to a dozen players killed in a year. The kicking and dragging of players was not uncommon. 

In the early 1900s there were close to 250 college football teams, and Harvard University built what is considered the first football stadium in 1903. The game remained so brutal and out of control that President Theodore Roosevelt threatened to ban the game if changes were not made.  That led to a meeting of colleges and universities in 1910, that established college football’s first governing body, which has since become known as the NCAA, or National Collegiate Athletic Association. Shortly after, new rules started to appear--the flying wedge, which sort of resembled a stampede in V formation, was banned and the forward pass was added to the offensive game. 

The emergence of pro football did little to dampen the enthusiasm for college football, which remains very popular to this day.  Now the season begins the end of August and teams play a total of twelve regular season games.  Although for many years the national champion was determined by polls, computer rankings, and a series of bowl games, starting in 2007 a change was implemented to hold a Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game. The Champion is decided from teams competing in the Rose, Fiesta, Orange, and Sugar Bowls, with the championship game rotated among the four bowl locations. 

Each year college football’s most outstanding player is awarded the Heisman Trophy, named after John Heisman, a former college player and coach. It is usually awarded to a quarterback or a running back, and practically guarantees a pro football offer. Among  famous players to receive a Heisman are Roger Staubach, Jim Plunkett, Tony Dorsett, Marcus Allen, Hershel Walker, Doug Flutie, Vinnie Testeverde, and Barry Sanders. 

Over the years intense rivalries have developed among college football teams with players and fans looking forward to the annual match-ups.   Among the hottest of these are Ohio State/Michigan, Auburn/Alabama, Utah/Brigham Young, Texas/Oklahoma, Clemson/South Carolina, Army/Navy, Florida/Georgia, Texas/Texas A&M, LSU/Arkansas, and Miami/Florida State. 

Some college regional football rivalries go back to the 1800s, such as the University of Cincinnati and Miami (OH) who have played the Battle of the (Victory) Bell since 1888.  Other century-old rivals include Harvard/Yale, Lehigh/Lafayette, and Princeton/Yale.