By Darin In 1870, the “gridiron” was still a chaotic experiment of bruised shins and disputed rules, far removed from the spectacle we recognize today. While the previous year gave us the first intercollegiate game, this was the season where the sport truly had to prove it wasn’t just a one-hit wonder.
From the campus of Rutgers to the early stirrings of Ivy League rivalries, the 1870 season was defined by a transition from soccer-style “football” to the rugged, rugby-influenced DNA that would eventually dominate the American landscape.
Here is the full story of the 1870 American Football Season.
A Deep Dive into 1870 Football History and Highlights
The big news in the American college sports scene was that Columbia University officially joined Rutgers and Princeton in intercollegiate football ( most likely soccer).
- November 12, 1870: Columbia University’s first football game was played, against Rutgers in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Rutgers won the contest 6-3, which is recognized as one of the earliest intercollegiate football games. The match featured 20 players per side and was played under 19th-century rules that emphasized kicking over passing.
- November 1870: Princeton and Rutgers played again, with Princeton defeating Rutgers 6–0. This game’s violence caused such an outcry that no games were played at all in 1871.
We provide this in-depth historical look through careful research. The best sources are people from the period. Our main reference for this article is Parke H. Davis’s 1911 book, Football—The American Intercollegiate Game.
