University of Maryland Terrapins Football

Maryland Stadium 
90 Stadium Dr.
College Park, MD 20742

The Matt Ward History Experience traveled to Maryland Stadium in College Park, Maryland for the sixth stop on the 2016 College Football History Tour. The University of Maryland Terrapins hosted the Rutgers University Scarlet Knights (New Brunswick, New Jersey) on November 26th.

The University of Maryland (then the Maryland Agricultural College) football team played their first season in 1892. The team went scoreless in all three of their games. The following season, the team went 6-0. For the first two decades of the team's history, Maryland primarily competed against local universities and high schools, including Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. 

In 1911, Harry "Curley" Byrd was named head coach of the team. Byrd held this position for more than two decades before being named the university president. Maryland joined the Southern Conference in 1921, where it remained for thirty years.

Maryland adopted their mascot the Terrapins, or Terps for short, during the 1933 season after a species of turtle that is native to the state of Maryland. Between the 1935 and 1946 seasons, the team had several head coaches including Frank Dobson and Paul "Bear" Bryant. 

Head coach Jim Tatum led the Maryland football team from 1947 to 1955. Under Tatum, the Terps had a series of successful seasons. During the 1949 season, Maryland was ranked 14th nationally and participated in their first bowl game. The team defeated Missouri in the Gator Bowl by a score of 20 to 7. Maryland Stadium was opened on September 30, 1950. From 1950 to 2015, it was known as Byrd Stadium after Harry "Curley" Byrd. 

Maryland was ranked third nationally in 1951 and defeated Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl. In 1953, Maryland and six other teams left the Southern Conference to form the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). During this season, Maryland also captured an ACC Championship and National Championship. In 1955, the Terps again captured an ACC Championship, and went on to lose to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. 

Maryland was nationally ranked again in 1973 under Head Coach Jerry Claiborne. During this season, the team was ranked 20th and was defeated by one point in the Peach Bowl by Georgia. The Terps were again ranked nationally from 1974-1976, and captured two ACC Championships in 1975 and 1976. In 1978, the Terps were ranked nationally for the last time under Head Coach Claiborne's tenure. That season #20 Maryland was blown out by Texas in the Sun Bowl. 

In 1982, Bobby Ross took over the head coaching duties for Maryland. From 1982 to 1985, the Terps had yet another run of successful and nationally ranked seasons. This run was highlighted with ACC Championships from 1983 to 1985, and victories in the Sun Bowl (1984) and Cherry Bowl (1985).

Former Maryland player Ralph Friedgen took over as head coach in 2001. During this season, Maryland captured its first ACC Championship since 1985. The team under Friedgen also went to be nationally ranked in 2002 and 2003, with victories in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (2002) and Toyota Gator Bowl (2003). Maryland also had bowl appearances in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. 

In 2011, Randy Edsall was hired as head coach of the Terrapins. Edsall led the team to two bowl appearances in the 2013 Military Bowl and 2014 Foster Farms Bowl. The team was defeated in both games. Edsall was fired during the 2015 season. That year, a resolution was passed to remove Harry "Curley" Byrd's name from the stadium due to his past segregationist policies. The stadium was renamed Maryland Stadium.

As of 2016, the head coach of the Terps is former Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin. Following a 6-6 season, the team was selected to face Boston College in the Quick Lane Bowl on December 26th in Detroit. 

Below are a few more photos, along with two links with more information on the history of Maryland football:

http://www.umterps.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=208126655

http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/database/maryland_database.htm

MW

University of Pennsylvania Quakers Football

Franklin Field 
235 S. 33rd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104

The Matt Ward History Experience traveled to Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the fifth stop on the 2016 College Football History Tour. The University of Pennsylvania Quakers hosted the Brown University Bears (Providence, Rhode Island) on October 29th.

Founded in 1876, the University of Pennsylvania Quakers football team bills itself as "college football's most historic program." Over their long history, Penn has played in over 1,300 football games, more than any school in college football. Penn plays its home games at Franklin Field, the oldest stadium in football. The stadium was built in 1895, and once served as the home of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles from 1958-1970. Franklin Field has also been the home of the Penn Relays, the oldest and largest track and field competition, since 1895.

Penn football has seven national championships (1894, 1895, 1897, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1924), and a 1917 Rose Bowl Game Championship. The Quakers defeated Oregon 14-0 on New Year's Day to capture this title. From 1938 to 1953, George Munger served as head coach of Penn football. Along with coaching some of the best players in the program's history, Munger compiled an outstanding record of 82-42-10.

The Quakers competed as an Independent until the 1956 season when they joined the Ivy League, a conference that they continue to compete in today. Penn captured its first Ivy League Championship in 1959. Penn has captured a total of 17 Ivy League Championships, with the most recent title coming in 2015 under head coach Ray Priore.

Penn football has had a number of notable players over the years, including 63 First Team All-Americans. John Heisman, the namesake for the annual trophy given to the best player in college football, graduated from Penn in 1892. Heisman played for the Quakers from 1890 to 1891, and coached the team from 1920 to 1922.

The Maxwell Award is given out to the collegiate player of the year. As of 2016, three Penn players have received this honor including Bob Odell (1943), Chuck Bednarik (1948), and Reds Bagnell (1950). Penn also has its share of College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame members, including Chuck Bednarik (Class of 1949) who was inducted in both halls of fame.

Below are a few more photos, along with two links with more information on the history of Penn football:

http://www.pennathletics.com/page/football-history

http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/sports/football/1800s/sources.html

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University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens Football

Delaware Stadium 
625 Marvin Dr.
Newark, DE 19713

The Matt Ward History Experience traveled to Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware for the fourth stop on the 2016 College Football History Tour. The University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens hosted the Stony Brook University Seawolves (Stony Brook, New York) on October 22nd.

The University of Delaware was founded in 1743 by Presbyterian minister Francis Alison who founded the university as a "Free School" in his New London, Pennsylvania home. The school and name changed many times before becoming the Academy of Newark in 1769. The institute was recognized as a college in 1834.

Delaware football played their first season in 1889. From 1889 to 1945 the team was not affiliated with a college football conference. The Delaware mascot has been the Blue Hen Chicken since 1911. The mascot was adopted because of the popularity of the bird among Delaware troops during the American Revolution. Delaware troops would carry these birds with them in order to hold cockfights for entertainment in their spare time.

The arrival of head coach William "Bill" Murray in 1940 began Delaware's proud football tradition. During Murray's 11 seasons as head coach, he and the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled a 49-16-2 record. In 1946, Delaware became affiliated with the NCAA Division II Mason-Dixon Conference. 1946 was also the year that Delaware captured its first National Championship with a victory over Rollins College in the Cigar Bowl in Tampa, Florida.

From 1947-1957, Delaware competed as an Independent. David Nelson took over the head coaching duties for Delaware in 1951. During his tenure, Delaware defeated Kent State in the 1954 Refrigerator Bowl, and won a National Championship in 1963. It was also during Nelson's tenure that Delaware joined the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) in 1958. Nelson also brought the "Michigan" style helmet to Delaware that is still used today.

Harold "Tubby" Raymond served as head coach from 1966-2001. Despite having a tough start to his tenure as head coach, Raymond went on to compile a record of 300 wins, 119 losses, and 3 draws. Raymond also led the team to twenty postseason appearances in bowl and playoff games. In 1970, Delaware started to compete again as an Independent. Delaware won back-to-back National Championships in 1971 and 1972. Delaware captured another National Championship in 1979 with a victory over Youngstown State. Delaware did not join another conference until 1983 when it began to compete in the Yankee Conference.

From 1997 to 2006, Delaware competed in the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). The 2002 season was head coach K.C. Keeler's inaugural season with Delaware. Keeler served as head coach until the 2012 season. Keeler led the Fightin' Blue Hens to four postseason appearances, and captured an NCAA Division I-AA Championship in 2003 with a win over Colgate University. Delaware joined its current conference, the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), in 2007. Delaware has a reputation of being a power house in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) football. Between 1999 to 2010, the team averaged more than 20,000 fans per game.

Dave Brock served as head coach of Delaware from 2013 to 2016. During his tenure, Delaware did not reach the postseason. Brock was relieved of duties on October 16, 2016 following a disappointing start to the season. Brock was replaced by Dennis Dottin-Carter who is currently serving as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

Below are two links with more information on Delaware football, along with several photos I took this weekend:

http://www.bluehens.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=29100&SPID=110401&SPSID=670226

http://www.liquisearch.com/delaware_fightin_blue_hens_football/history

MW

Temple University Owls Football

Lincoln Financial Field 
1020 Pattison Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19148

The Matt Ward History Experience traveled to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the third stop on the 2016 College Football History Tour. The Temple Owls hosted the Southern University (SMU) Mustangs (Dallas, Texas) on October 1st.

Temple University was founded in 1884 by Baptist Minister Russell Conwell. Early Temple students were generally working class people who pursued their studies in the evenings in the basement of Conwell’s Baptist Temple on North Broad Street. As a result, these students were dubbed "night owls." This name for Temple's early students led to the university's future mascot. By 1907, the university incorporated as a university.

The Temple football program started in 1894, when an 11-man team was fielded to compete against Philadelphia Dental College, a game that they won. For many years Temple played against smaller schools and there are few records available on these contests. In the early 1900s, Temple became a regional powerhouse, defeating numerous opponents via lopsided scores. From 1928-1977, Temple played their home games at Temple Stadium at Mount Pleasant Avenue and Michener Street.

From 1933-1938, Temple's football program was led by the College Football Hall of Fame coach Glenn "Pop" Warner. Warner led Temple to a 31–18–2 in six seasons. Following his departure from Temple, the team only had four winning seasons between the end of the 1938 season and the 1963 season.

In 1960, George Makris became the head coach of Temple and the team began competing in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). The Owls competed in this conference for ten years and won one conference championship in 1967. In 1969, Temple became an independent competitor in college football. Wayne Hardin took over head coaching duties in 1970. In 1978, the Temple football team moved home games to Veterans Stadium in South Philadelphia. Veterans Stadium was also the home of the Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles. Hardin led the Temple team to a 1979 victory over California in the Garden State Bowl. Hardin coached the Owls until his retirement in 1982. Hardin's successor was current Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians.

Arians coached Temple from 1983-1988. During his tenure, Temple had one winning season in 1984. From 1989-2005, Temple football was considered to be in a state of decline. The team was a member of the Big East Conference from 1991-2004, and did not have a single winning season and little fan support during this time period. In 2003, Temple began playing their home games at Lincoln Financial Field. "The Linc", as it is commonly referred to, is also the home of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Linc opened in 2003, and holds 69,176 people. At the end of the 2004 season, the Big East voted to expel Temple from their conference. The program had one winning season in 1990, and did not have another one until the team went 9-4 under head coach Al Golden. Golden coached the team from 2006-2010. In 2005 and 2006, the team was again not affiliated with a NCAA conference. The team played in the 2009 EagleBank Bowl in Washington, D.C. where they were defeated by UCLA 30-21.

Steve Addazio coached Temple during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. In 2011, he led the Owls to a victory over Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl. During the 2012 season, Temple again joined the Big East Conference. Matt Rhule is the current head coach of the Temple Owls. He was hired in 2013 when Steve Addazio left to take the head coach job at Boston College. 2013 was also Temple's first year in the American Athletic Conference (formerly the Big East). Under Rhule, the team appeared the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl where they were defeated 32-17 by the Toledo Rockets.

Below are two links with more information on the Temple Owls football team, along with several photos I took at the game this weekend:

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/temple/

http://www.owlsports.com/sports/2014/5/22/FB_0522142747.aspx

MW

Lehigh University Mountain Hawks Football

Goodman Stadium
150 Goodman Drive

Bethlehem, PA 18015

The Matt Ward History Experience traveled to Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for the second stop on the 2016 College Football History Tour. The Lehigh Mountain Hawks hosted the Princeton Tigers (Princeton, New Jersey) on September 24th.

Lehigh University, a private research university in Bethlehem, was founded in 1865 by Asa Packer. Packer was a businessman and Pennsylvania political figure who amassed a large fortune building up the railroad industry. From 1871 to 1891, Packer's endowment allowed the college to offer education free of charge to students who did well on a competitive exam.

The football program at Lehigh dates back to 1884, with the first official team being organized in 1894. During the 1884 season, Lehigh met their longtime rival Lafayette for the first time in a match up that became known as The Rivalry. Since 1896, the two teams have played each other every year. Lehigh's football team was originally known as the Engineers, a name that would last until the 1990s.

From 1914-1987, Lehigh called Taylor Stadium their home. The stadium held 20,000 people, and was one of the earliest concrete stadiums built in America. From 1929 to 1975, Lehigh competed in the Middle Three Conference, a round-robin type tournament that included Rutgers in New Jersey and Lafayette in Pennsylvania. In 1977, Lehigh captured the Division II National Championship.

Since 1979, Lehigh has competed in the NCAA Division I-AA/NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and has appeared in the playoffs nine times, with their most recent appearance coming in 2011. Lehigh was the Division I-AA runner up in 1979. During the 1986 season, Lehigh joined the Patriot League where they won ten Patriot League titles and has played in 20 post season games, winning 10 of the contests. The Lehigh football program moved from Taylor Stadium to Goodman Stadium in 1988. Goodman Stadium holds 16,000 people. In 1995, Lehigh changed its mascot from the Engineers to the Mountain Hawks.

Below are two links with more information on Lehigh football, along with several photos I took during Saturday's game:

https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/the-weird-wild-history-of-lehigh-lafayette-footballs-oldest-rivalry

http://www.lehighsports.com/

http://www.totalfootballstats.com/TeamProfile.asp?id=2216

MW