Rutgers Celebrates 140th Year of College Football
Nov 06 | Football
It was 140 years ago Friday, November 6, that Rutgers became the Birthplace of College Football as Rutgers hosted Princeton in the first collegiate football game.
On a vacant field in New Brunswick, N.J., where the College Avenue Gymnasium now stands, is where 50 men gathered to faceoff for the first ever collegiate football game on November 6, 1869. Rutgers hosted its neighboring rival Princeton and defeated them 6-4 in front of about 100 spectators. This game started one of the greatest traditions in college history.
Over the next 30 years, Rutgers continued to compete under a sporadic, inconsistent schedule, ranging anywhere from one to 10 games per season. After the turn of the century, Rutgers fell into a more consistent schedule after the popularity of football continued to spread throughout the country.
The site of the historic first game, known as College Field, remained Rutgers’ home field until 1891, when Neilson Field became their new home. Rutgers competed on Neilson Field until 1938, when the new stadium opened across from the Raritan River. In 1994, the new, expanded stadium opened with a seating capacity of 42,000, a substantial increase in seating for the ever-expanding fan base.
Starting in 1913, Rutgers football began to produce a number of All-American athletes. Howard Talman received the first honors in 1913 as an offensive guard. The All-American tradition has continued through the 2008 season with the most recent honors given to wide receiver Kenny Britt. Over 95 years, Rutgers has produced 61 All-American football players.
Many of the tremendous athletes shaped through the Rutgers football program went on to play professional football with the NFL. Out of 161 Scarlet Knights in the pros, 22 Rutgers alums are still actively participating in the league.
Rutgers first began inducting alums into their Hall of Fame in 1988. The Hall of Fame not only includes outstanding student-athletes, but also former coaches and athletic directors, among others, of the University who helped in the expansion of the program.
In 1978, Rutgers played in their first bowl game in the history of the program. The inaugural Garden State Bowl was hosted at Giants Stadium, where Rutgers suffered a loss to Arizona State, 34-18. Rutgers and Arizona State met for the second time in 2005 at the Insight Bowl at Phoenix’s Chase Field, where the Sun Devils edged Rutgers 45-40.
The Insight Bowl was the beginning of a four-year Bowl game streak for Rutgers. In 2006, Rutgers defeated Kansas State 37-10 for their first bowl victory in the history of the program. The next season, Rutgers competed at the International Bowl in Toronto, Ontario, where they defeated Ball State 52-30. Last season, Rutgers overpowered North Carolina State at the Papajohns.com Bowl, 29-23, with a come-from-behind victory.
Rutgers tradition will continue to link the history of collegiate football for generations to come.
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