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1891 Cornell Big Red football team
Reference material by Wikipedia contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
American college football season
February 2026
August 2023
1891 Cornell Big Red football Independent 7–3 None Carl Johanson
The 1891 Cornell Big Red football team was an American football team that represented Cornell University during the 1891 college football season. The team compiled a 7–3 record and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 298 to 34.
Schedule
y October 3 Syracuse Ithaca, NY W 68-0 October 10 Bucknell Ithaca, NY L 0-4 Bucknell Downs Cornell https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-times/162822369/ The Times Philadelphia, Pennsylvania October 11, 1891 14 January 11, 2025 Newspapers.com Bucknell, 4; Cornell, 0 https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/162822250/ Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois October 11, 1891 5 January 11, 2025 Newspapers.com October 17 Stevens Ithaca, NY W 72-0 Great Work by Cornell's Eleven https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/200224333/ The Chicago Sunday Tribune Chicago, Illinois October 18, 1891 5 June 24, 2026 Newspapers.com October 24 Lafayette Ithaca, NY W 30-0 November 7 Lehigh Ithaca, NY W 24-0 November 14 at Princeton Princeton, NJ L 0-6 November 21 vs Michigan D.A.C. Park Detroit, MI W 58-12 November 23 at Detroit Athletic Club Detroit, MI W 32-0 November 25 at Chicago University Club South Side Park Chicago, IL L 4-12 The Indianapolis Journal November 27, 1891 1, 3 Cornell Beaten https://www.newspapers.com/article/132695333/ Newspapers.com November 28 vs Michigan South Side Park Chicago, IL W 10-0
1891 Cornell Big Red Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football December 10, 2015 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/cornell/1891-schedule.html
Game summaries
Michigan (Detroit)
The 1891 season included two games against the 1891 Michigan Wolverines football team, played in Detroit on November 21, 1891, and in Chicago on November 28, 1891. In the first game, played at D.A.C. Park, Cornell won by a lopsided score of 58-12.CORNELL WINS THE THIRD: The U. of M. Football Players Beaten and Dragged in the Mud Detroit Free Press November 23, 1891 https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1727626112.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+23%2C+1891&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=7&desc=CORNELL+WINS+THE+THIRD. https://web.archive.org/web/20121107083227/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1727626112.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+23,+1891&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=7&desc=CORNELL+WINS+THE+THIRD. dead November 7, 2012 2 July 2011 The Detroit Free Press reported that the game was played in the rain and, while the crowd of 2,300 persons was "made up of the best class of people including many ladies, the rain doubtless kept fully as many away who would have been on hand but for the thought that the game would be played in the mist and mud."Football: Cornell Was Victorious Again Detroit Free Press November 23, 1891 https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1727626132.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+23%2C+1891&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=7&desc=FOOT+BALL. https://web.archive.org/web/20121107083239/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1727626132.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+23,+1891&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=7&desc=FOOT+BALL. dead November 7, 2012 2 July 2011 Michigan's scoring came on touchdowns by Van Inwagen and Rittinger, and two successful goal kicks by Dygert.
Despite the lopsided score of the first Cornell game, the Chicago Daily Tribune reported: "The Cornell-University of Michigan football at D.A.C. Park this afternoon was undoubtedly the finest exhibition of sport ever seen in Detroit. The game was one-sided, but was by no means a walkaway for the victors."MICHIGAN TOO LIGHT FOR CORNELL: White and Red Victorious at Detroit by a Score of 58 to 12 Chicago Daily Tribune November 22, 1891 https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/430948012.html?dids=430948012:430948012&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+22%2C+1891&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=MICHIGAN+TOO+LIGHT+FOR+CORNELL.&pqatl=google https://web.archive.org/web/20120302023121/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/430948012.html?dids=430948012:430948012&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+22%2C+1891&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=MICHIGAN+TOO+LIGHT+FOR+CORNELL.&pqatl=google dead March 2, 2012 2 July 2011 Michigan coach, Mike Murphy, also saw some positive signs in Michigan's performance, as the Free Press reported: "Michigan has the greater weight on the rush line and with practice will be far stronger than at present. In fact Murphy is jubilant and thinks that next year he can hustle them all."
Michigan (Chicago)
The final game was played on November 28, 1891, at the South Side Baseball Grounds in Chicago, with Cornell winning 10-0.FOUGHT IN THE SNOW: CORNELL DEFEATS MICHIGAN IN A HARD STRUGGLE; An Interesting Game in Which an Absence of Slugging Was a Noticeble Feature--The Yellow and Blue Beaten by a Score of 10 to 0--Ann Arbor's Strong Play-Cornell's Work Better than That of Thanksgiving Day Chicago Daily Tribune November 29, 1891 https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/430958742.html?dids=430958742:430958742&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+29%2C+1891&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=FOUGHT+IN+THE+SNOW.&pqatl=google 2 July 2011 2 March 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120302023124/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/430958742.html?dids=430958742:430958742&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+29%2C+1891&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=FOUGHT+IN+THE+SNOW.&pqatl=google dead The New York Times called it "one of the prettiest foot-ball games ever played in the West" and described the wintry conditions of the game: "The field was covered with a six-inch blanket of snow, the air was icy, and frosted feet and hands were among the thousands of spectators ... Three minutes after the game began the ball was covered with ice, but the dazzling white ground soon began to look as though a herd of elephants had been tramping on it."On a Snow-Covered Field: Cornell Defeats Michigan in a Very Brilliant Game The New York Times November 29, 1891 https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1891/11/29/106055123.pdf 2 July 2011
The Detroit Free Press reported that Michigan gave Cornell "a sharp tussle" and that six of Cornell's points "were scored on a fluke, the ball being fumbled on a pass back." Powers, left end; Mowrey, left tackle; Thomas, left guard; Jeffries, center; Tupper, right guard; Griffin, right tackle;Hayes, right end, Sherman, quarterback; Van Inwagen, left half; Riitenger, right half; Dygert, fullback.FOOT BALL Detroit Free Press November 30, 1891 https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1727635112.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+30%2C+1891&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=7&desc=FOOT+BALL. 2 July 2011 7 November 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121107083331/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/freep/access/1727635112.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+30,+1891&author=&pub=Detroit+Free+Press+(1858-1922)&edition=&startpage=7&desc=FOOT+BALL. dead
References
Cornell
Category:Cornell Big Red football seasons
Cornell Big Red football