Lafayette College Football: A Legacy of Tradition and Rivalry
Lafayette College's football program boasts a rich and storied history, marked by periods of national prominence, legendary figures, and an unparalleled rivalry. From its humble beginnings in the late 19th century to its current standing in the Patriot League, Lafayette football has woven itself into the fabric of the college's identity.
Early Years and the Dawn of "The Rivalry"
Football was first introduced to Lafayette College in the fall of 1880 by Theodore H. Welles, a member of the class of 1884. Welles brought the game to Easton after learning it at Wilkes-Barre Academy and Princeton University. H.R. Craven, who had experience playing at the Lawrenceville School, served as the first team captain.
In these early days, football at Lafayette was loosely organized, with students primarily competing against each other on campus. However, in the fall of 1882, Lafayette took a significant step by traveling to Rutgers for its first intercollegiate football contest. On November 7, 1882, Lafayette faced Rutgers, resulting in a 0-0/8-3 loss in overtime. A week later, they suffered another defeat against the University of Pennsylvania, 0-0/1-3.
The year 1883 marked a turning point, as Lafayette secured its first-ever victory after initially losing its first three games to Princeton, Pennsylvania, and Stevens. They broke through with a win against Rutgers on November 10.
1884 brought a new and significant addition to Lafayette's schedule: Lehigh University. Located in nearby Bethlehem, Lehigh was about to play its first football game. Lafayette, with its experience and superior skill, dominated Lehigh with a 56-0 victory. This game marked the beginning of what would soon become known as "The Rivalry."
Read also: The History of Lafayette High School
Due to the proximity of the two schools, Lafayette played Lehigh again as their last opponent in 1884, winning 36-0 in Bethlehem. This frequent competition and the inherent geographic proximity fueled the development of true animosity between the two teams.
Defining Moments and the Rise of a Powerhouse
The late 19th century saw Lafayette football grappling with defining moments that shaped its identity. A game in 1886, where Lafayette was winning 12-0, was halted by a severe downpour. Despite football tradition calling for play in all weather, the team captains agreed to end the game. The referee consulted Walter Camp, who declared it a tie. However, Lehigh, acknowledging they were outplayed, conceded the victory to Lafayette.
Later that same season, a game against Lehigh was marred by controversy. With the game scoreless, Lehigh protested the officiating and pulled their team off the field. Lafayette seized the opportunity, picked up the ball, and scored a touchdown. To this day, Lafayette counts the game as a 4-0 win, while Lehigh considers it scoreless, highlighting the deep-seated nature of the rivalry.
A bitter rivalry also emerged with Pennsylvania. During their annual contest on the Lafayette Quad in 1889, a Lafayette player who had been ejected tripped a Pennsylvania player running along the sidelines. Spectators surged onto the field and "struck, kicked, and generally misused him." While some newspapers sensationalized the incident, it strained relations between the two schools and became a catalyst for forming the Alumni Advisory Committee in 1890.
Despite these controversies, Lafayette achieved significant success on the field. In 1896, they upset Penn, who was on a 66-game undefeated streak, in the National Championship game, winning 6-4.
Read also: Alumni Success Stories: UL Lafayette
Coaching Legends and National Acclaim
After being managed by students, Lafayette hired its first paid football coach, W.S. Moyle, in 1891. Moyle, familiar with the Yale system, played in nearly every game and carried the ball on nearly every down. However, the faculty eventually disapproved of his playing.
In 1895, the alumni athletic advisors hired Parke H. Davis, who would become a legendary figure in college football. Davis brought organization, recognition, and enthusiasm to Lafayette football. He led the team to its first winning season since 1888 and swept Lehigh for the first time since 1886. Davis is also credited with writing college fight songs.
Samuel B. Newton, who arrived after coaching Penn State, led Lafayette to its most victories ever with a 12-1 record in 1899. During this time, Newton coached Walter E. Bachman, who developed the roving center concept in football.
The legendary roll of Lafayette coaches continued after Newton's departure. Dr. Alfred E. Bull coached between 1903 and 1907, compiling a 37-10-3 record. George "Rose" Barclay, a Lafayette football hero and helmet inventor, became coach in 1908 but tragically died after one season. His successor, Bob Folwell, posted a 19-2-1 record and led Lafayette to its first win against Princeton in 1909.
The Golden Age: National Championships and Undefeated Seasons
Between 1921 and 1948, Lafayette was considered one of the premier college football programs. The team earned two national championships, had four undefeated seasons, featured several All-Americans, and played in major games.
Read also: Lafayette College: An In-Depth Look
The hiring of Jock Sutherland in 1919 started Lafayette on the road to national prominence. In 1921, Lafayette went 9-0 and embarked on a 17-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 495-47. During the 1921 national championship season, no team came within three touchdowns of Lafayette except Pittsburgh.
Six games into the 1922 season, Lafayette was poised to claim another national championship. However, Sutherland left in 1923 to return to Pitt.
New coach Herb McCracken quickly proved himself, even defeating Sutherland at Pittsburgh. McCracken won his first five games before falling to Pennsylvania. At the start of the 1926 season, Lafayette inaugurated its new stadium with a 35-0 win over Muhlenberg. The team continued to dominate, winning their third national championship on the back of All-American halfback Mike "George" Wilson.
The Middle Three and a Night Game First
In 1929, Lafayette joined with Lehigh and Rutgers to form the Middle Three Conference, which consisted of round-robin games between the two teams.
Lafayette made college football history in 1930 when they played Washington & Jefferson in the first night indoor college football game at the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall.
After a 7-2 season in 1931, Lafayette's record began to decline. To revitalize the program, Lafayette hired Ernie Nevers, an assistant coach at Stanford University. However, plagued by injuries, the Leopards went 1-8 in 1936.
The Mylin Miracle and Bowl Speculation
In a remarkable turnaround, Edward "Hook" Mylin led the 1-8 Leopards of 1936 to an 8-0 record in 1937. The team posted seven shutouts and outscored opponents 130-6. Media sources began referring to the 1937 team as the "Mylin Miracle Men."
Lafayette concluded their perfect season with a 6-0 win over Lehigh. There was speculation that Lafayette would receive an Orange Bowl bid, but the administration did not want to interfere with academic activity.
Recent History and "The Rivalry" Today
Lafayette football has produced and nurtured several legendary football personalities, such as George Barclay, inventor of the football helmet, and Jock Sutherland.
For most of its history, Lafayette played an independent schedule until joining the Patriot League in 1986. Today, Lafayette is most noted for its fierce arch-rivalry with Lehigh, which is the most played rivalry in college football. ESPN considers "The Rivalry" to be among the top ten in college football.
The Lafayette and Lehigh football rivalry is the most played rivalry in college football. When Lafayette and Lehigh met, it marked The Rivalry’s 161st all-time meeting. However, there's more to this rivalry than wins and losses, with immense history throughout the series.
The first Lafayette-Yale football game was held in Easton, Pennsylvania in 1884. Lafayette began playing football in 1882 and approached Lehigh for competition after the standardization of football rules in 1883.
1891 marked the only year The Rivalry had three games. After each school hosted a home game, Lafayette and Lehigh traveled to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to play the third meeting of the year.
The 1987 edition of The Rivalry was the final college football game played at Lehigh’s Taylor Stadium and also was one of the coldest days in Rivalry history with minus-17-degree wind chills.
More than Rivalry bragging rights were on the line; the Patriot League title was on the line in 1995. Amid darkening conditions, Lehigh’s Bob Aylsworth passed to Brian Klingerman in the end zone, with Klingerman making a spectacular one-handed catch that would go down in history.
Lehigh entered The Rivalry ranked 12th in the country in 2005. On fourth-and-ten, Davis found RB Jonathan Hurt for a touchdown, taking the lead with 38 seconds left.
In celebration of the 150th game in the series, The Rivalry moved to Yankee Stadium. The Leopards and Mountain Hawks played in front of a sellout crowd.
tags: #lafayette #college #football #history
