Robert Orlandini is a veteran writer and editor with 20 years' experience. He started his career as a sports writer with the "Tribune-Star" daily newspaper in Terre Haute, Ind., and has since written and edited several daily, weekly and niche publications as well as several online publications.
Overview
College football has come a long way since the sport's opening kickoff in the late 1860s. From helmets to the shape of the ball and from the size of the field to the amount of players on a team, the game has undergone a multitude of change in its evolution. The popularity of college football has grown as the sport has evolved.
First Game
College football traces its roots to November 6, 1869, when Rutgers played Princeton in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Using a soccer-style ball, Rutgers won the game, scoring six goals to Princeton's four.
Father of Modern College Football
Walter Camp, a former player at Yale, revised the rules governing college football in the 1880s. Teams were reduced to 11 players on the field (the first game in 1869 featured 25-man sides) and the line of scrimmage and the first down rule were introduced.
Bowl Games
The first college football bowl game was played in 1902 between Stanford and Michigan in Pasadena, California. The annual game soon would be known as the Rose Bowl.
The Heisman Trophy
Each year, the Heisman Trophy is awarded to the top college football player. The trophy is named for John Heisman, a pioneer of the game, who is credited with, among other things, inventing the snap from the center to the quarterback.
Tie Games
Games at the highest level of college football that ended in a tie were recorded as such until 1996, when the NCAA officially adopted rules for overtime.
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