1899 college football season

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. 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.

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. 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. with play regulated by three officials.

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. All tackles had to be made above the knees. 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.

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.

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. 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

Conference standings

Major conference standings

Independents

Minor conferences

References

References

1. (August 2009). "Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book". The National Collegiate Athletic Association.
2. (November 27, 1941). "Grantland Rice". Reading Eagle.
3. "Football Rules," in Walter Camp (ed.), ''Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide, 1899.'' New York: American Sports Publishing Co., 1899; p. 187.
4. 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.
5. Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 9.
6. Duration of the game was 70 minutes, divided into two 35-minute halves, which could be shortened by mutual consent,"Football Rules," p. 181.
7. "Football Rules," p. 173.
8. Camp, "An Introductory Chapter for Beginners," p. 11.
9. "Football Rules," p. 193.
10. 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.
11. [[Safety (gridiron football score). Safeties]] counted as 2 points, as the case remains today."Football Rules," pp. 192.
12. "Football Rules," pp. 190–191.