1896 Boston College football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1896 Boston College football Independent 5–3 Frank Carney 1st Joe Walsh South End Grounds The 1896 Boston College football team was an American football team that represented Boston College as an independent during the 1896 college football season. Led by Frank Carney in his first and only season as head coach, Boston College compiled a record of 5–3. This was the first year of the Boston College–Holy Cross football rivalry and produced one of its most controversial games. BC and HC both claim to have won their November 14 matchup at the South End Grounds, after each one refused to follow referees', instructions following a disputed play with three minutes remaining in the game. Holy Cross was leading 6–4 when Boston College scored what its players, and a raucous home crowd, asserted was the go-ahead touchdown; Holy Cross maintained the runner had been tackled for a loss. Officials initially ruled in favor of Holy Cross, and Boston College's players refused to take the field, leading the officials to declare a 6–4 Holy Cross win. Under pressure from the Boston crowd, however, they reversed their decision and asked Holy Cross, which had now left the field itself, to resume play. Holy Cross players refused. The game restarted with only Boston College players, who promptly scored a touchdown (then worth 4 points) to end the game with an 8–6 victory. Decades later, the two colleges continued to disagree on who had won the game.Who Won that 1896 Game Anyhow? B.C. or Holy Cross? Roger Birtwell November 22, 1953 58 Boston Sunday Globe Boston, Mass. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67734280/1896-boston-hc/ Schedule October 3 l y Campello Brockton Fairgrounds Brockton, MA 0–24 October 7 w y Exeter Academy 8–0 October 10 w Andover Academy 14–6 October 14 l y 1896 Tufts Jumbos Tufts Tufts Oval Somerville, MA 8–22 October 24 l y Whitman Athletic Club 0–4 November 7 w y Holy Cross Worcester College Grounds Worcester, MA rivalry 6–2 Boston College, 6; Holy Cross, 2 November 8, 1896 4 The Boston Sunday Globe Boston, Mass. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72168723/1896-holy-cross-bc/ November 14 w Holy Cross South End Grounds Boston, MA 8–6 500 Boston College 8, Holy Cross 6 November 15, 1896 16 The Boston Sunday Globe Boston, Mass. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72169025/1896-boston-hc/ November 28 w 1896 Boston University Terriers Boston University South End Grounds Boston, MA rivalry 10–0 References Boston College Category:Boston College Eagles football seasons Boston College football Category:1890s in Boston