The 1870 College Football Season: A Genesis of American Football
The 1870 college football season marks a significant chapter in the early development of American football. It represents the second intercollegiate season, evolving from rudimentary beginnings into a more structured, albeit still nascent, sport. This season involved only a handful of teams and games, yet laid the groundwork for the future of college football.
The Dawn of Intercollegiate Competition
Following the inaugural season in 1869, the 1870 season saw the return of Rutgers and Princeton, joined by a new contender, Columbia University. This expansion, albeit small, signaled a growing interest in the sport. Much like the initial year, the rules remained fluid, often determined on a game-by-game basis. These rules were rooted in the football rules published by the London Football Association in 1863, which were the precursor to the modern rules of football (soccer), but they included elements similar to rugby football that would be important in the evolution of American football.
Rule Set and Gameplay
Teams aimed to score “goals” by kicking a round ball between two goal posts on a goal line. The primary method of advancing the ball was through kicking, with restrictions on passing. According to the 1863 Association rules, players could catch a kicked or bounced ball once but were prohibited from running with it. After a catch, the player had the option to pass the ball or take a free kick from that location. A free kick was awarded to the team whose player first touched the ball if it crossed the goal line without going between the posts, with the point of the kick depending on which team touched the ball first. The Association rules left certain fundamental rules of the game unspecified. The rules did not specify the size of each team, the duration of a game or whether play would be subject to breaks. These and other matters were agreed by teams (or stipulated by the home team) prior to each game.
Key Games and Results
The 1870 season featured just two documented intercollegiate games:
- November 5: Rutgers hosted Columbia on their campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey, securing a 6-3 victory.
- November 26: Princeton played host to Rutgers, defeating them 6-2.
Princeton's Undefeated Season and Claim to the National Championship
Princeton emerged as the only team to conclude the 1870 season without a loss, achieving a 1-0 record. As a result, the College of New Jersey, then more commonly known as Princeton College, was retroactively named the national champion by the Billingsley Report, National Championship Foundation, and Parke H. This recognition, however, came long after the season, as the concept of a "national champion" was not yet established.
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The Princeton Tigers football team represented the College of New Jersey, then more commonly known as Princeton College, in the 1870 college football season. Led by captain Alexander Van Rensselaer, Princeton dominated their only college football game of 1870. After splitting the national championship the year before, Princeton came through in their only game of the year to snatch the undefeated, undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.
Football Beyond the Intercollegiate Arena
While intercollegiate football involved only three teams in 1870, the sport was also played, with varying degrees of acceptance, at other schools in the north-eastern United States. At Vermont, the annual football game between the freshman and sophomore classes was held on 5 October. At Dartmouth, the faculty initially banned the sport in autumn 1870, but reversed course in late October. Other schools, such as Yale and Harvard, banned the game outright. On 31 October, a Yale student was arrested after a group of sophomores were caught playing football on New Haven Green. Following the arrest, a group of 200 students gathered outside the police station and one student, Arthur Watson, was seriously injured after being clubbed over the head by a policeman (Officer Kelly).
The Hiatus After 1870
1870 proved the last time college football was played for two years. After winning the school’s first two national championships, Princeton opted to keep competition in-house the following season. Intramural games continued on campuses throughout the northeastern reaches of the United States, but the defending champions kept the fun to themselves. In similar fashion, Rutgers lost the will to arrange new contests without their rival to add to the schedule. Columbia, still reeling from the disappointment of their first foray into the intercollegiate game, stayed sidelined as well. Blueblood programs at Yale, Harvard, and other upper-crust schools still had a couple of years before their skyrocketing trajectory to the forefront of the sport commenced.
Significance and Legacy
The 1870 college football season, despite its brevity, holds a crucial place in the annals of American football. It showcases the sport's infancy, characterized by evolving rules, limited participation, and regional pockets of enthusiasm. The season's events, including Princeton's undefeated record and the growing interest in football at various institutions, foreshadowed the sport's eventual rise to national prominence. Less than a decade after the Civil War, New Jersey was still leading the way as the epicenter of college football.
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