1899 college football season

American college football season August 2023 1899 File:Sewanee 1899 Football Team.jpg 1899 Sewanee Tigers 41 September 9 to December 27 HarvardPrinceton Not awarded until 1935 The 1899 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing Harvard and Princeton as having been selected national champions.http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book 70 The National Collegiate Athletic Association August 2009 Indianapolis, IN 2009-10-16 Chicago, Kansas, and Sewanee went undefeated. With just 13 players, the Sewanee team, known as the "Iron Men", had a six-day road trip with five shutout wins over Texas A&M; Texas; Tulane; LSU; and Ole Miss. Sportswriter Grantland Rice called the group "the most durable football team I ever saw." https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19411127&id=SaQhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4ZkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3862,5618014 Grantland Rice November 27, 1941 Reading Eagle Football in 1899 American football in 1899 remained a variant of rugby, played with a virtually identical ball and sharing a fundamental prohibition of use of the forward pass to advance the ball."Football Rules," in Walter Camp (ed.), Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide, 1899. New York: American Sports Publishing Co., 1899; p. 187. The game was played on a field 110 yards long and 53-1/3 yards wide, marked off with white lines parallel to the goal lines every five yards.Walter Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," in Walter Camp (ed.), Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide, 1899. New York: American Sports Publishing Co., 1899; p. 5. The game was played by teams of 11 players, aligned typically with 7 "rushers" or "forwards" at the line of scrimmage, and four "backs" behind them.Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 9. These were a quarterback immediately behind the line, two halfbacks stationed a couple yards behind him, and a fullback or "goal tend," who stood deep behind the halfbacks. Duration of the game was 70 minutes, divided into two 35-minute halves, which could be shortened by mutual consent,"Football Rules," p. 181. with play regulated by three officials."Football Rules," p. 173. Teams were allowed three downs to either advance the ball 5 yards or retreat towards their own goal 20 yards via running or lateral pass, otherwise being forced to surrender the ball to the defenders at the last spot.Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 11. All tackles had to be made above the knees."Football Rules," p. 193. A pair of light sticks with a 5-yard length of stout cord or chain were used to measure the line-of-gain for a new first down. As with the modern game, teams typically did not turn over the ball on downs, since "if the prospects of completing the five-yard gain appear small, it is so manifestly politic to kick the ball as far as possible down the field..."Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 13. A dropkick or place-held field goal over the 10-foot crossbar and through the goalposts mounted at the goal line counted 5 points, as did a touchdown. Safeties counted as 2 points, as the case remains today."Football Rules," pp. 192. The possibility of an extra (6th) point followed each touchdown, with the scoring team given the option of a place-kick from any point on the field parallel to where the touchdown crossed the goal line; or a "punt out," in which the scoring team punted the ball from the end zone to a fair-catching teammate, which (if successfully executed) would provide the spot for a drop kick for the extra point."Football Rules," pp. 190–191. The extra-point placekick was executed with the holder elevating the ball slightly above the ground as the defenders lined up at the goal line. The play began when the ball was touched to the ground, with a mad rush ensuing to block the kick. Players played both offense and defense without substitution; those being replaced due to exhaustion or injury were forbidden from returning for the duration to the game. Coaching from the sideline was expressly prohibited. Conference and program changes Conference establishments One conference played its final season in 1899: Maryland Intercollegiate Football Association – active since 1894 Membership changes School 1898 Conference 1899 Conference Arizona Varsity Program Established Independent Baylor football Program Established Independent Davidson Wildcats Independent SIAA Furman Hornets Independent SIAANorthern Illinois State Normal footballProgram Established Independent Conference standings Major conference standings Independents Minor conferences ConferenceChampion(s)Record Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Kalamazoo 4–1 See also 1899 College Football All-America Team References