Sports Tribute: Matthew Stafford

 As a lifelong Detroit Lions fan I felt it necessary to make a post on the recent departure of our quarterback #9, Matthew Stafford. He has been the face and leader of our team since he was drafted as the 1st pick in 2009. For 12 seasons he starred at quarterback for the Lions, and broke so many statistical records. Although he never achieved any proper glory (0-3 in the playoffs) I still want to give him some homage here. I would ultimately define Matt Stafford as a good quarterback, but not a great quarterback. He is however in my opinion the greatest Lions quarterback of all time. He is also my third favorite Lions player behind Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson. 

The Arrival of Matthew Stafford

So a quick recap on my Lions fanhood; it began as a teenager in the mid 90s, inspired by the great Barry Sanders. In those days we were a running team, and despite the inconsistent performances of our quarterback Scott Mitchell, we were still a decent team. After their impressive 1991 season, by which they won the division and a playoff game, the Lions made it 5 more times in the 90s as a wildcard team (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1999). Even though they lost each of those games, it was still an encouraging time to be a Lions fan, much thanks to the greatness of Barry Sanders. 

However after the sudden (and early) retirement of Barry Sanders, the Lions took a sharp decline in the 2000s. They underwent various quarterback changes including Charlie Batch, the epic flop of Joey Harrington, and the vet John Kitna. Then came the infamous 0-16 season in 2008, by which the Lions became the 1st winless team in NFL history. The Lions had completely hit rock bottom and a total face-lift was much needed. Enter head coach Jim Shwartz, and superstars Calvin Johnson, Ndamukong Suh, and the 1st round draft pick of 2009 Matthew Stafford.

After 3 successful seasons at the University of Georgia, Matthew Stafford became the #1 draft pick of the Detroit Lions in 2009. He started in 10 games and quickly hit it off with superstar receiver Calvin Johnson, aka "Megatron". His opening season was promising, however he struggled with injuries and the Lions still finished a disappointing 2-14. The following season he only played in 3 games before once again missing out due to injuries. His NFL career had no doubt gotten off to a rough start and it appeared he was going to be yet another draft bust for the Lions. Then came his breakout year in 2011. 

The Breakout of Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford starred in all 16 games in the 2011 season and threw for a career high of 5038 yards. The Stafford-Megatron connection became the most formidable QB-Receiver duo in the league. Calvin Johnson led the league in reception yards with 1681. Despite his breakout season, Stafford was somehow snubbed for the Pro Bowl selection. The Lions finished with an impressive 10-6 record and made the playoffs for the first time since 1999. However they unfortunately loss to the New Orleans Saints. I remember ordering some chicken wings for this game and watching it on my computer at my apartment in Indy. Despite the disappointing loss it was quite encouraging to see the Lions finally had some star power again. 

I revamped my NFL attention in 2013 when I started a new job at Dow Agro and gave my full attention to the on-goings of my Detroit Lions. I watched as much media as I could on my down-time at work, including analysis and press conferences from head coach Jim Shwartz. And I watched every game on Sunday, often with my neighbor and fellow Lions fan, Josh. In 2013 we had a very promising season, yet finished poorly towards to the end of the season, with a 7-9 record. This marked the end of Shwartz's career and the start of the Jim Caldwell era. Caldwell arrived in 2014 as a respected NFL veteran and further upgraded the Lions credibility. Stafford and Megatron continued to put up big numbers, and the team made the playoffs twice more in 2014 and 2016. Stafford established himself as the comeback king, and made the Pro Bowl in 2014, and broke the single season comeback record in 2016. 

The Lions had so much potential from 2014-2018, and finally had achieved some above average credibility. In 2016 a new GM from New England Bob Quinn was hired with intentions to take the Lions to an even higher level. Yet after another disappointing mediocre finish of 7-9 finish in 2018, Quinn decided to fire Caldwell and replace him with a fellow New Englander Matt Patricia. The Detroit Lions thus attempted to mimic the system of the successful New England Patriots which quickly proved to be an epic fail. The Patricia/Bob Quinn era in Detroit was a total failure after 3 seasons, and the Lions digressed entirely. Stafford's career also digressed and in 2019 he brought an end to his impressive 139 consecutive starts. The following season he also struggled with poor play and injury. And so after 12 seasons at the age of 32 Stafford came to a mutual decision to part ways with the Detroit Lions. 

The Down Sides

So now I want to break down the good sides and down sides of Matt Stafford's game. I want to be quite frank here in saying that he was hands down the best Lions quarterback we've ever had, however he was not top tier. He had many flaws in his game, and despite his impressive stats, toughness, and comeback victories he also had many downsides. The two biggest stats that define Stafford's lackluster career at Detroit is his 0-3 playoff record, and his 10-60 (approx) record against winning teams. These numbers simply demonstrate that Stafford could never rise to the big occasion required to uplift the Lions to the next level.

Of course there are many cases to be made, that the talented Stafford was operating in a poor system, with poor management, and poor quality around him. These cases are certainly warranted, and the Detroit organization can certainly take some blame for it's poorly run franchise (in comparison to other teams). However aside from the head coach, it's the quarterback who leads the team by example, and thus Stafford is also to blame for Detroit's downsides. If he can be accredited for the good, he certainly can be accredited for the bad. 

My biggest argument with Stafford's overall game style, was his frequent poor decisions. This included taking far too many sacks, and many costly fumbles or interceptions. I can't count the amount of times Stafford turned the ball over on key drives in which the game hung in the balance. Ultimately I came to the conclusion that Stafford was a gifted quarterback, however in the big moments he would often buckle under pressure. That being said he also played best when his back was against the wall and hope was at it's most dismal. This is perhaps why Stafford was able to lead the Lions to so many sneaky comebacks, and acquire so many cheap stats in blown-out games. It seemed he didn't really activate his best play until the 4th quarter, and while this did lead to many comebacks, it ultimately led to more defeats. 

The Good Sides

Now that I got the negative out of the way I want to finish on a positive note and highlight the many good sides to Matt Stafford. For starters, perhaps his greatest asset was his throwing arm. These days there are many types of quarterbacks, ranging from agile/running QB, to the staying-in-the-pocket and throwing QB. Stafford was definitely an old school gunslinger who couldn't scramble or run well, but was very sharp on his throwing. He could throw far, fast, and accurately (into very tight windows) which is no doubt why he broke so many passing yards. If Stafford plays 10 more years he could certainly pass Drew Brees all-time record of 80,358 yards (Stafford sits at 45,100 but if he continues to average 4000 per season he could pass that incredible milestone). 

Another defining quality of Stafford was his remarkable toughness. So many times in his career with the Lions he struggled with various injuries, yet so many times he played thru them. This is best exemplified in his incredible stat of 139 consecutive starts from 2011-2019. Stafford sits at 7th place on this list (very far behind the endurable Brett Favre who set the bar at 297). The past couple seasons he has however succumbed to further injury and had to miss more games as a result. 

Third and perhaps Stafford's most defining quality is his competitive leadership. There can be no question that Stafford is a competitor who wants to win games. And over the years he had become more and more of a leader. He is very humble off the field and never engaged in social media or much advertisement. He was a team player who never put himself above any other player on the team. For these qualities I would not be very surprised to see Stafford excel in perhaps a more established team. It will of course be difficult to watch him succeed elsewhere, but I truly do hope he can continue to build his legacy. I someday hope to see him returned as a Lions legend with his name enshrined on the Lions Ring of Honor. 

Most Memorable Stafford Moments

5. Game against Mahomes and the Chiefs (2019): Perhaps one of Stafford's most incredible games of which the Lions still loss to the eventual Super Bowl champs. Stafford was sharp as ever in this game, and made many incredible throws into very tight windows. The most impressive was the TD dart he threw to Kenny Golladay thru 4 KC defenders. 

4. Comeback against the Falcons in London (2014): That year Stafford had many iconic comebacks that led the Lions to another wildcard birth. My neighbor and I use to joke they were the Cardiac Cats, and kept us invested each game to the final second was off the clock. The game against Atlanta in London was probably the biggest comeback by which the Lions were down 21-0 at halftime. In the 2nd half Stafford chipped away at this deficit to bring us the victory. 

3.  Game Winning Drive against Vikings (2016): This was a very entertaining game, where with some 30 seconds on the clock and no time-outs, Stafford was able to get the team into field goal range to take the game into overtime. On the next drive in OT, he threw a pass to Golden Tate who broke loose and did a memorable butt-flip into the end zone to win the game. 

2. Dislocated Shoulder against Browns (2009): Early in his career, he suffered a terrible shoulder dislocation against the Browns. However with the game hanging in the balance, he came out on the final play to throw the game winning touchdown. Although this game took him out for the remaining of the season it demonstrated Stafford's undeniable resilience. 

1. Fake Spike Against the Cowboys (2013): Stafford led the Lions some 80 yards in 1 minute to completely steal the game from the Cowboys with a final fake spike TD. This was a very entertaining game between superstar receivers Calvin Johnson and Dez Bryant. The victory at Ford Field became one of Stafford's first of many incredible game winning drives and is all the more special if you listen to his mic-ed up audio during the drive.   

Regarding Clemson University

It has been nearly 10 years since I have visited a new college stadium outside of the many that I worked for while traveling for Sportvision. Well thanks to my cousin Marc's recent relocation to Greenville, SC I was finally able to add another major college stadium off my bucket list. That just happened to be the defending 2018 football champion Clemson Tigers. It was an incredible experience to witness southern football at it's finest and thanks to various surprises from Marc. It will go down as one of the most memorable sports experiences of all time for me.


My Visit to Greenville

The past five years now I have made 4 trips to visit my cousin Marc and his family, usually around the end of October. The first visit was in Kansas City in 2014, then Bowling Green, KY in 2016 and 2018, and now just recently to South Carolina. I enjoy these visits because it gives me a chance to visit with family yet also I enjoy seeing the countryside during the fall time. The drive to Greenville was an 8 hour journey thru the Appalachian Mountains, that seemed to fly by for me. I had a car rental, some mixed CDs, and was quite awe-inspired by the mighty Smokey Mountains.

I arrived to Greenville Friday evening and caught Logan's baseball game. We then had a nice pasta dinner, watched some Star Wars, and went to bed early. The next morning Marc and I ran a 10k in downtown Greenville, which was a nice town. We relaxed that afternoon then set off for Clemson University for the big night time football game against Boston College which was an incredible experience. It was about an hour drive from Greenville.

On Sunday we took it easy around the house all day, worked on a puzzle and watched The Empire Strikes Back. Around lunch time Brett, Logan, Marc, and myself went to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the Lions defeat the Giants. That evening we played some tennis and had a nice turkey dinner that Laura made. I left early Monday morning for what was yet again another perfect visit with my cousin. They always do such a great job hosting.


Clemson Football

Now the chance to catch a Clemson football game was no doubt the top highlight for me. The college has always been a formidable southern school (winning their first championship in 1981), yet under head coach Dabo Swinney the program has experienced a major resurgence in the past 10 years. Dabo has taken the school to 3 national titles, winning 2 in 2016
and 2018. Although they are not in the much superior SEC conference they have dominated their ACC conference the past few years and have beaten the behemoth Alabama several times now in the championship game. The team is led by their superstar sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is the epitome of a California surfer dude. It will be interesting to see how longer he lasts playing college and when he will enter the NFL draft.

So my experience at Memorial Stadium with Marc went above and beyond expectations. We got there around 3ish and planned to scalp some parking tickets. We were able to find a good deal near the stadium however had a hard time finding exactly where the lot was located. After a little bit of asking around we finally found it and were situated in our spot by around 4pm. We had a cooler of beer and played various drinking games as well as tossed the football around. We both were pretty sloshed up by around 6pm. Marc insisted that we arrive early to the game in order to catch the band marching in.

We walked around the stadium which was an awesome environment of drunken orange Clemson students, alumni, and fans galore. We eventually got to the back of the stadium and stood along a hill to watch the band come marching into the stadium. This was very cool to see. We then got into the stadium and Marc devised a plan to sneak in some Bud Lights thru the fence which we did. He then surprised me with VIP suite seats, which included an all you can eat buffet. We caught the team run down the hill, as is their tradition, and caught the game in great seats. Clemson got off to a great start and by the end of the 1st quarter it seemed pretty clear that Boston College was no match for them.

However Marc was not satisfied with our VIP seats and took the surprise to another level. As I was pouring our Bud lights in plastic cups he managed to sneak us into the President's VIP club. This had a buffet, an incredible view, yet even better was an all paid for bar. Marc had pulled the ultimate con trick and spent the night hobnobbing with wealthy folk. It was a hilarious scene like something from the movie Wedding Crashers. I had several Stella Artois, some hot dogs, desserts, and enjoyed the game thru indoor seats thru a glass window. This was already on par with my VIP experience at Old Trafford. However Marc took it even a step further after this.

Both of us were quite drunk by the end of the game and Marc was suddenly on a mission to get us on the field. As the fans poured out of the stadium, we went further into it, down the levels, down the stairs, and somehow Marc was able to convince the security guards to allow us on the field. At this point it had started to downpour and Marc and I played catch on the field which was amazing. After sometime the fans had to leave the field. Marc and I had some trouble finding our car but were eventually able to get there and get home. It was a once in a lifetime experience in which Clemson football will always hold a place in my heart now, much thanks to cousin Marc. 

Detroit vs Everybody

After yet another controversial loss for my Detroit Lions in last night's Monday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers, I feel it is time to vent some major frustration. As a lifelong Lions fan, I have seen many of these close games go against us by a few terrible officiating calls. Of course there is always the argument that we should play better than the refs, but in today's NFL it seems every game is decided by just a few crucial plays in the fourth quarter. And what really burns me more than anything is when the referees steal the outcome with a terrible controversial call.

In this post I want to touch upon the many instances in recent franchise history where the referees have literally stolen a victory from the Detroit Lions. Sure this will come off as petty sore-loser complaining, but every Lions fan can attest to the unfair biased decisions we have received.

It has given birth to the moniker, Detroit Vs Everybody, which emphasizes the disrespect the Lions have always received from the media, the league, and especially the game officials. As far as I can remember the Lions have rarely received the benefit of the doubt. I won't get into any conspiracy or corruption theories however do believe that the city of Detroit simply has a negative connotation associated to it and thus because of that, tight decisions always seem to go unfavorable for our team.

I'm only going to highlight instances from the past 10 years, in which I have become a much more dedicated fan in my post-college/working class years. (I have been a fan of the Detroit Lions since 1996, when I was 12). I have not missed a Detroit Lions game for several years now which has not always been easy living in Indianapolis where the games are never on local broadcast. Over the past 10 years I've seen some good times, a lot of mediocrity, some bad times, and just far too many heartbreaking losses at the hands of poor officiating.


September 12th, 2010: Season Opener against the Chicago Bears

I remember this one quite well as I watched it with some college friends at Audrey's house. I was excited for my new life living in Indianapolis and was fully on-board to follow my Detroit Lions that year. However their season opener was robbed by one of the most controversial calls in NFL history, the infamous "no-catch". With the game on the line, 24 seconds in the 4th quarter, Shaun Hill threw a 25 yard pass to Calvin Johnson who made an incredible catch and the touchdown was signaled. However upon further review the refs came to the decision that Megatron did not complete the catch process. While he had clear control of the ball, the refs felt that he did not survive the ground as he intentionally dropped it to celebrate the game winning touchdown. This was one of those splitting hair decisions that could have gone either way, and is just one of many instances where the Lions got the unfavorable vote.


January 4th, 2015: NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys

I remember watching this game at my place with my fellow Lions fan and neighbor Josh. We were quite excited with the early start the Lions got off to taking a 14-0 lead in the 1st quarter. However the game got much more choppy later on, and the Cowboys began to gain momentum. In the fourth quarter with 8:20 to go, Stafford threw a pass to tight end Brandon Pettigrew which was called a pass interference and would have given the Lions the first down in good field possession to score more points. However the refs for some odd reason decided to reverse this decision against the Lions, which forced them to punt and the Cowboys were able to respond with a game winning drive.


October 5th, 2015: Monday Night Football against the Seahawks

I remember this season we had a good team however a tough early schedule and were win-less after 3 weeks. However the Monday Night Football game in week 4 against the Seahawks was a very tight game and could have provided the Lions with a much needed victory. With a minute to go in the 4th quarter the Lions were driving for the go-ahead touch down. Stafford threw a pass to Calvin Johnson who nearly reached into the endzone, however the ball was punched loose by Kam Chancellor. The officials ruled this as a fumble and gave possession to the Seattle Seahawks at the 20 yard line where they were able to close out the game. However according to rules, the Lions should have been allowed to retain possession after this play in which they could have at least tied it with a field goal. Once again a major incorrect mistake by the referees that was unfavorable for the Lions. 


December 3rd, 2015: Thursday Night Football against the Packers (Motown Miracle)

I remember at this point in the season we were 4-7 and although it was going to be a long shot to make the playoffs we had some major momentum going on a 3 game winning streak. And once again as the Lions often do, we got off to a great start in the 1st quarter then began to let the game slip from us. And as Aaron Rodgers often does he began to heat up in the 4th quarter. However the game should have been over before Rodgers got his infamous chance to win it with the "motown miracle" hail mary pass. With 6 seconds to go the Packers began a last ditch effort of tosses that eventually ended up back to Rodgers who was tackled with no time left. However the refs as per usual made a terrible call in awarding Rodgers a face-mask and thus one more play. Upon replay Rodgers face-mask was never touched, he only twisted his head in a way to make it look as such. This was an unfair incorrect call that allowed Rodgers to break everyone's heart at Ford Field on the following play. This was perhaps the hardest loss for me to swallow as a Lions fan.


September 24th, 2017: Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons

I remember watching this one a couple years ago with some friends at Buffalo Wild Wings. Our team was off to a good start that season, undefeated at 2-0 and it seemed we were about to be 3-0 facing the Atlanta Falcons. With 10 seconds to go in the 4th quarter, Stafford threw a go-ahead touchdown to Golden Tate which should have sealed the deal. However yet again the refs decided to play spoiler to the poor Lions fans, by not only reversing the touchdown indicating that Tate was short of the goal-line, but also applying a 10-second run-off on the clock, which ended the game. Thus the refs made two controversial decisions in this one that stole the victory from the Detroit Lions.


October 14th, 2019: Monday Night Football against the Packers

This was the final straw for me as I saw this as an important game for us to take the lead in the division. The Packers are no doubt a good team this year, especially at their home field in Lambeau, and with one of the all time greats Aaron Rodgers leading them. But if you watched that game last night, you felt the Lions were the better team and deserved the win. Sure they settled for far too many field goals instead of touchdowns, but it shouldn't matter if victory was in their hands. It was stolen from them yet again by the referees on these 3 poor decisions (there were several other poor calls against the Lions that I will not mention)

• 4th quarter (10:16) 3rd and 10; Aaron Rodgers is sacked which would force the Packers to punt, however DE Trey Flowers is flagged for illegal use of hands to the face. Upon watching the replay it is clear this was not the case and it was a completely incorrect call. Nonetheless the Packers get the first down from the bad call, and were then able to score a touchdown on the same drive.
• 4th quarter (7:08) 2nd and 6; Matthew Stafford throws a deep pass to Marvin Jones, in which he is clearly interfered with. However no call from the refs. To be fair Matt Patricia could have and should have challenged this but he did not. Nonetheless the poor no-call caused the Lions to punt it away
• 4th quarter (1:45) 3rd and 4: Aaron Rodgers throws an incomplete pass which will cause them to attempt the field goal and give the Lions one last chance at an offensive drive. However the referees yet again decide to screw us by making another incorrect call on Trey Flowers for hands to the face. This unfair call right here was the final dagger that stole the game from the Lions and handed the Packers a major divisional win.    

Detroit vs Everybody

I realize that bad calls tend to go both ways and we have certainly had our share of favorable close calls. But I cannot think of an instance where the game was rewarded to us from a bad unfair call from the officials. I cannot think of a victory that left a sour taste in my mouth the way Aaron Rodgers felt last night (or these other winning teams in the games I mentioned above). There's no question the Lions have been a bad team for many years now, but they have also been a very unlucky team! In order for our franchise to ever stand a chance we need fair officiating at every game. This is the greatest league in the world, with the greatest athletes, and thus it should have the greatest officiating structure in place. 

History of the NFL

With it being the 100th anniversary of the National Football League, I thought it a fitting occasion to do a deeper dive into the history of my favorite professional sports league. I have written various times regarding my love of the NFL, my favorite team of the Detroit Lions, the leagues' greatest rivalries, the greatest players by position, and the greatest coaches. However I have yet to make a proper post regarding the history and formation of the league, as I did with baseball several years back (see History of the MLB). So in conjunction with my recent post regarding NCAA football, I will consider this my cumulative study on the sport of football.


The Birth of Football

The modern day game of American football as we now it, began as an infusion of soccer and rugby in the 1860s. It was in 1869 when the first considered football game took place between Princeton and Rutgers. These two teams were later joined by Colombia and Yale to establish a set of rules for the game that included a round ball and 20 players on each team. However the University of Harvard later demonstrated a new format inspired from Canadian rules, that introduced an 11 player team, tackling, and an oblong shaped ball instead of the round one. In 1879 a Yale athlete named Walter Camp, considered the father of American football, helped establish the Intercollegiate Football Association.

By the 1880s various rule changes continued to evolve the game, away from the format of rugby.  The concept of a snap, football pads, a first down, and the gridiron structure were introduced as well as a new point system that had different scores for a touchdown, field goal, and a safety. However the game was very physical and violent and after multiple fatalities President Theodore Roosevelt threatened to abolish the game unless there were major rule changes. In 1906 new rules were instituted that reduced the game play to 60 minutes, reduced the field to 100 yards, introduced the forward pass as an option away from running the ball, teams were allowed four downs instead of three downs to gain 10 yards for a first down, and increased the use of leather helmets and pads (helmets did not become mandatory until 1939). This general format to the sport remains in tact to this day, with many other bylaw adjustments along the way.


The Birth of the NFL

By the early 1900s football had become a very popular sport in America, and the desire to make money on the game began to emerge. In 1892 the collegiate superstars, William Heffelfinger and Ben Donnelly were recruited and paid by the Allegheny Athletic Association to become the first ever professional athletes. This began a series of regional circuit leagues throughout the Midwest trying to emulate the established National Baseball League. In 1917 the Ohio football league were able to recruit the national Olympic icon, Jim Thorpe to play and coach the Canton Bulldogs. Teams throughout Ohio and New York became quite popular as they went on barnstorming tours throughout the Midwest. Following WWI it became clear to various owners that a national league could be very successful and profitable.

In August of 1920 owners from the Ohio League met in Canton Ohio to establish the American Football Professional Association. This included mostly Ohio teams such as Thorpe's Canton Bulldogs as well as teams from New York and other Midwestern states. Several of the original teams quickly folded due to lack of interest and funding. The Akron Pros claimed the first championship in 1920. By 1922 various other teams had joined the league, that was headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and became known as the National Football League.

• Akron Pros (1908-1927)
• Columbus Panhandles (1901-1926)
• Decatur Staleys (1919-became the modern day Chicago Bears)
• Buffalo All Americans (1915-1929)
• Dayton Triangles (1913-1929)
• Detroit Heralds (1905-1921)
• Canton Bulldogs (1903-1927)
• Green Bay Packers (1919-present)
• Hammond Pros (1917-1926)
• Chicago Cardinals (1920-became the modern day Arizona Cardinals)
• Rock Island Independents (1907-1926)
• Muncie Flyers (1905-1925)
• Chicago Tigers (1920)
• Toledo Maroons (1902-1923)
• Racine Legion (1915-1926)
• Cleveland Tigers (1916-1921)
• Kenosha Maroons (1924)
• Rochester Jeffersons (1898-1928)

In 1925 the New York Giants joined the league and were later joined by the Portsmouth Spartans in 1930, who later relocated to Detroit in 1934 as the Detroit Lions. 

The Eastern/Western Conferences

In 1933 the league reorganized itself into two conferences, five teams from the east, and five teams from the west. The champion of each conference would face off in the NFL championship. At this point the Boston Braves (later the Washington Redskins), the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Pittsburg Pirates (later the Pittsburgh Steelers had joined the league. The New York Giants went on to defeat the Chicago Bears in the first NFL championship of 1933.

Original Eastern Division

Boston Redskins (1932-became the modern day Washington Redskins)
Brooklyn Dodgers (1930-1945)
New York Giants (1925-present)
Philadelphia Eagles (1933-present)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1933-became the modern day Pittsburgh Steelers)

Original Western Division

Chicago Bears (1919-present)
Chicago Cardinals (1920-became the modern day Arizona Cardinals)
Green Bay Packers (1919-present)
Portsmouth Spartans (1930-became the modern day Detroit Lions)
Cincinnati Reds (1933-1934)


The American Football League

The NFL had various competition from other leagues and one of the most notable of these competitors was the American Football League. The AFL first began operation in 1926 yet went defunct after only one season. It's second attempt came ten years later in 1935, and this time made it thru two seasons before it folded. A third attempt was made in 1940, however it yet again had to fold after only one season. This gave way to the more successful All-American Football Conference that lasted from 1946 to 1949. The league generated periods of success and after it's closure three of it's teams joined the NFL; the San Francisco 49ers, the Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore Colts.

Teams of the AAFC

• New York Yankees (1946-1949)
• Brooklyn Dodgers (1946-1949)
• Buffalo Bisons (1946-1949)
• Miami Seahawks (1946-1947)
• Baltimore Colts (1947-1950)
• Cleveland Browns (1944-present)
• Chicago Rockets (1946-1949)
• Los Angeles Dons (1946-1949)
• San Francisco 49ers (1946-present)

In 1960 a group of business owners, referred to as the "Foolish Club" had grown frustrated with their denied attempts to join their teams to the NFL, so they established their own league. This time the AFL had become a major competitor to the NFL and even was able to recruit various big name college stars such as Joe Namath to the New York Jets. The league lasted for ten years until the NFL agreed to merge with them, which gave way to the modern day Super Bowl era.

AFL teams

• Boston Patriots (1960-became the modern day New England Patriots)
• Buffalo Bills (1960-present)
• Houston Oilers (1960-became the modern day Tennessee Titans)
• Miami Dolphins (1966-present)
• New York Jets (1960-present)
• Cincinnati Bengals (1968-present)
• Kansas City Chiefs (1960-present)
• Denver Broncos (1960-present)
• San Diego Chargers (1960-present)
• Oakland Raiders (1960)

AFL/NFL Merger

In an effort to compete with the up-and-coming AFL, the NFL began an expansion campaign in the 1960s which included the Dallas Cowboys, the Minnesota Vikings, the Atlanta Falcons, the New Orleans Saints, and the Los Angeles Rams. However it became clear to the NFL that the AFL had greater wealth and were beginning to recruit top notch college players. In 1966 an agreement was made to merge the leagues so that the AFL champion would play the NFL champion for the national championship. 

The first Super Bowl was played between the Green Bay Packers from the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL, with Lombardi's Packers winning the 1st ever Super Bowl in 1967. This format went on for four seasons until 1970 where both leagues merged into one league separated by the AFC and NFC conferences. This is the modern day Super Bowl format that still operates today. 

Modern Super Bowl Era

By 1970 football had become mainstream and it's popularity had begun to surpass that of baseball. Monday Night Football became a major feature of the national televised sport that drew massive audiences. In the mid 1970s two more teams were added to the league in the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the mid 1990s three more teams were added in the Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Baltimore Ravens. In 2002 the last team was added in the Houston Texans which capped the league off at the 32 teams that exist today. 

Since the merger the league has undergone various rule changes to make the game more exciting and safer. It also adjusted each conference into a eastern, western, and central division. With the addition of the Texans in 2002, the league readjusted itself into eight divisions of four teams (East, West, North, and South). This made for a more balanced playoff system in which each conference would have four divisional winners and two wild-card contenders. 

To this day the NFL is miles ahead of the competition, which includes that in the sport of football, as well as other sports. The evolution of this league is the epitome of American ideals, that demonstrate capitalism at it's finest. Today it has become a behemoth money maker, laced with advertisements, marketing, merchandise, video games, fantasy leagues, and so much glamour. The success of the NFL is no doubt accredited to the exciting physical game of football, yet also to it's business structure that has continued to expand. With that in mind, I enjoy the league just as it is, especially with the team salary caps, and dread the day it expands to became a global league. 

NFL Teams Today

AFC East

• Buffalo Bills (AFL team in 1960)
• Miami Dolphins (AFL team in 1966) 2 championships (1972, 1973)
• New England Patriots (AFL team in 1960) 6 championships (2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016, 2018)
• New York Jets (AFL team in 1960) 1 championship (1968)

AFC North

• Baltimore Ravens (Expansion team 1996) 2 championships (2000, 2012)
• Cincinnati Bengals (AFL team in 1968) 
• Cleveland Browns (AAFC team in 1946) 8 championships (1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1964)
• Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL team 1933) 6 championships (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 2005, 2008)

AFC South

• Houston Texans (Expansion team 2002) 
• Indianapolis Colts (NFL 1953 as Baltimore Colts) 4 championships (1958, 1959, 1970, 2006)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (Expansion team 1995)
• Tennessee Titans (AFL team in 1960 as Houston Oilers) 2 championships (1960, 1961)

AFC West

• Denver Broncos (AFL team in 1960) 3 championships (1997, 1998, 2015)
• Kansas City Chiefs (AFL team in 1960) 3 championships (1962, 1966, 1969)
• Los Angeles Chargers (AFL team in 1960) 1 championship (1963)
• Oakland Raiders (AFL team in 1960) 3 championships (1976, 1980, 1983)

NFC East

• Dallas Cowboys (NFL team in 1960) 5 championships (1971, 1977, 1992, 1993, 1995)
• New York Giants (NFL team in 1925) 8 championships (1927, 1934, 1938, 1956, 1986, 1990, 2007, 2011)
• Philadelphia Eagles (NFL team in 1933) 4 championships (1948, 1949, 1960, 2017)
• Washington Redskins (NFL team in 1932) 5 championships (1937, 1942, 1982, 1987, 1991)

NFC North

• Chicago Bears (NFL team in 1920) 9 championships (1921, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1963, 1985)
• Detroit Lions (NFL team in 1930) 4 championships (1935, 1952, 1953, 1957)
• Green Bay Packers (NFL team in 1921) 13 championships (1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1939, 1944, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1996, 2010)
• Minnesota Vikings (NFL team in 1961) 

NFC South

• Atlanta Falcons (NFL team in 1966) 
• Carolina Panthers (Expansion team in 1995)
• New Orleans Saints (NFL team in 1967) 1 championship (2009)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL team in 1976) 1 championship (2002)

NFC West

• Arizona Cardinals (NFL team in 1920 as Chicago Cardinals) 2 championships (1925, 1947)
• Los Angeles Rams (AFL team in 1936) 3 championships (1945, 1951, 1999)
• San Francisco 49ers (AAFC team in 1946) 5 championships (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994)
• Seattle Seahawks (NFL team in 1976) 1 championship (2013)

NFL Champions

1920 - Akron Pros

1921 - Chicago Staleys

1922 - Canton Bulldogs

1923 - Canton Bulldogs

1924 - Cleveland Bulldogs

1925 - Chicago Cardinals

1926 - Frankford Yellow Jackets

1927 - New York Giants

1928 - Providence Steam Roller

1929 - Green Bay Packers

1930 - Green Bay Packers

1931 - Green Bay Packers

1932 - Chicago Bears

1933 - Chicago Bears

1934 - New York Giants

1935 - Detroit Lions

1936 - Green Bay Packers

1937 - Washington Redskins

1938 - New York Giants

1939 - Green Bay Packers

1940 - Chicago Bears

1941 - Chicago Bears

1942 - Washington Redskins

1943 - Chicago Bears

1944 - Green Bay Packers

1945 - Cleveland Rams

1946 - Chicago Bears

1947 - Chicago Cardinals

1948 - Philadelphia Eagles

1949 - Philadelphia Eagles

1950 - Cleveland Browns

1951 - Los Angeles Rams

1952 - Detroit Lions

1953 - Detroit Lions

1954 - Cleveland Browns

1955 - Cleveland Browns

1956 - New York Giants

1957 - Detroit Lions

1958 - Baltimore Colts

1959 - Baltimore Colts

1960 - Houston Oilers (AFL)

1960 - Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)

1961 - Houston Oilers (AFL)

1961 - Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1962 - Dallas Texans (AFL)

1962 - Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1963 - San Diego Chargers (AFL)

1963 - Chicago Bears (NFL)

1964 - Buffalo Bills (AFL)

1964 - Cleveland Browns (NFL)

1965 - Buffalo Bills (AFL)

1965 - Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1966 - Kansas City Chiefs (AFL)

1966 - Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1967 - Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1968 - Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1969 - New York Jets (AFL)

1970 - Kansas City

1971 - Baltimore Colts

1972 - Dallas Cowboys

1973 - Miami Dolphins

1974 - Miami Dolphins

1975 - Pittsburgh Steelers

1976 - Pittsburgh Steelers

1977 - Oakland Raiders

1978 - Dallas Cowboys

1979 - Pittsburgh Steelers

1980 - Pittsburgh Steelers

1981 - Oakland Raiders

1982 - San Francisco 49ers

1983 - Washington Redskins

1984 - Los Angeles Raiders

1985 - San Francisco 49ers

1986 - Chicago Bears

1987 - New York Giants

1988 - Washington Redskins

1989 - San Francisco 49ers

1990 - San Francisco 49ers

1991 - New York Giants

1992 - Washington Redskins

1993 - Dallas Cowboys

1994 - Dallas Cowboys

1995 - San Francisco 49ers

1996 - Dallas Cowboys

1997 - Green Bay Packers

1998 - Denver Broncos

1999 - Denver Broncos

2000 - St. Louis Rams

2001 - Baltimore Ravens

2002 - New England Patriots

2003 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2004 - New England Patriots

2005 - New England Patriots

2006 - Pittsburgh Steelers

2007 - Indianapolis Colts

2008 - New York Giants

2009- Pittsburgh Steelers

2010 - New Orleans Saints

2011 - Green Bay Packers

2012 - New York Giants

2013 - Baltimore Ravens

2014 - Seattle Seahawks

2015 - New England Patriots

2016 - Denver Broncos

2017 - New England Patriots

2018 - Philadelphia Eagles

2019 - New England Patriots

NCAA College Football

With the start of another NFL season scheduled to kick-off later tonight, I thought it was a fitting time to discuss my appreciation for the sport of football. Perhaps it's the cooler autumn weather or the fast paced physical impact of the game that exhilarates me. Maybe it's the hype, the fans, the tailgates, the stadium atmosphere, the cheerleaders, the rivalries, and the downright intense game play. Football is no doubt a modern day blood-sport, where the physicality of it is what makes it so popular. However it is also a team sport, and requires much more than just brute mindless strength. It requires tactics both from the coaching and the player's execution. The sport has become a bedrock of American culture and society. 

In this post I want to shift my focus away from the behemoth professional sports league that is the NFL, the undisputed greatest league in the world. Instead I want to focus on the roots of the game that comes from the collegiate systems where football first developed back in the late 1800s. 

The first ever football game was played between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869 and the game has ever since evolved. College football has a tradition and culture of it's own and has grown to become a very profitable sports market. While it could be considered a farming 2nd tier to the NFL, there are many fans who prefer the college leagues over the NFL.

How I became a fan of College Football

I myself have become a fan of college football throughout the years for various reasons. First is my enjoyment of the sport of football that first developed in the mid 1990s when I discovered the NFL. I confess as a kid I wasn't too familiar with the college teams and mostly just followed the NFL. But when I went to Indiana University in 2003 I became more familiar with the culture of college football. 

Of course IU is more regarded for it's basketball than it's football program, but I still took it all in. It was all new to me, from the tailgating, the atmosphere, and the Big Ten conference. I began to understand the success of the Big Ten Conference and it's championship caliber schools such as Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. I was proud to be a part of all that, and even though IU wasn't a championship caliber football team they were at least in one of the best conferences in the nation. And so just as I declared myself a Detroit Lions fan when I was a kid, I declared myself an IU Hoosier football fan during my college years, since after all it was my alma matter. (Both teams have continued to disappoint, but I remain loyal and hopeful that some day before I die they will win a title). 

However my appreciation of college football took a much deeper dive after I graduated from IU. I began work as a tech operator for Sportvision and traveled with the ESPN Thursday Night Football Crew in the fall of 2007. In the fall of 2008 I worked with the Mountain West TV crew, and in various years after I worked many Big Ten and other local games. I have worked at over 30 different college stadiums (of which I will detail below), setting up cameras and computers, and operating digital lines during the broadcast. However the beauty of the experience was to witness each of the college atmospheres and how much they enjoyed their football team. I was especially impressed with the southern college atmospheres which everyone knows takes their football very serious. 

College Stadiums I worked at

• Mississippi State 
• Auburn
• Cincinnati Bearcats
• Miami Hurricanes
• Georgia Tech
• Maryland
• Virginia Volunteers
• Virginia Tech
• West Virginia
• San Diego St
• Marshall
• South Carolina Gamecocks
• Rutgers
• Wake Forest
• Boise State
• Arizona
  
• Arizona State
• Michigan State
• Louisville
• Purdue Boilermakers
• Utah Utes
• BYU
• TCU
• Wyoming
• Northern Illinois
• Wisconsin Badgers
• Michigan Wolverines
• Ohio State Buckeyes
• Illinois Fighting Illini
• Ball State Cardinals
• Iowa Hawkeyes
• Western Michigan
• Northwestern

College Stadiums I would like to visit

• Notre Dame
• Washington Huskies
• USC
• Oregon
• Texas Longhorns
• Oklahoma Sooners
• LSU
• Florida Gators
• Alabama
• Tennessee Volunteers
• Penn State
• Clemson- I plan to visit this stadium (home to the 2018 defending champions) this fall with my cousin Marc

College Football vs Professional Football

Now just as I did with my post regarding NCAA basketball, I would now like to compare and contrast some of the major differences I notice between college football and the NFL. I'll be honest I prefer the NFL much more since it is what I have become most familiar with. First there is the obvious difference in player/team quality where stars in the NFL simply throw further, run faster, jump higher, and hit harder than in college which ultimately makes for a more thrilling viewership. It's always best to watch the best play the game, which is why I prefer the European soccer leagues over the American soccer leagues.

However in favor of the college leagues, there is an atmosphere and fan-ship that cannot be overlooked. Iconic football programs such as Notre Dame, U-of-M, USC, Ohio State, and Alabama to name a few have turned their football teams into cult-like status with an undeniable sense of pride. To many college football fans, their team represents a way of life and an embodiment of their local ideals. This idea is especially pertinent in the south where stadium capacities rival that of the NFL. The case being that in college football it's not so much about the money, glamour, and glitz, yet rather more about the team, the university, and the state. 

College Playoff System

My biggest argument against college football however is their playoff system which I don't feel is as adequate as that of the NCAA basketball tournament. For years it was just a regular season and then a series of Bowl games. The national title was the two best teams chosen by an overall ranking. Now there have been recent changes to the playoff format including 4 teams however I think this number needs to be increased to 16. 

The last game of the regular season is generally played around Thanksgiving, and if the Conference Title games are eliminated this format could be played throughout the month of December. This would bring us four weeks of elimination playoff football, and the Championship game could be played around the New Year holiday. This gives the top 16 teams a fair chance at the title which would make the champion much more undisputed in my opinion. And every other team who does not make the playoffs, yet still deserves contention, can still play in their respective bowl games in honor of tradition. This to me would make the college game all the more exciting especially come playoff time. 

College Football Championship History

Year	National Champion	Heisman Trophy
2018	Clemson (AP, CFP)	Kyler Murray
2017	Alabama (AP, CFP)	Baker Mayfield
2016	Clemson (AP, CFP)	Lamar Jackson
2015	Alabama (AP, CFP)	Derrick Henry
2014	Ohio State (AP, CFP)	Marcus Mariota
2013	Florida State (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA)	Jameis Winston
2012	Alabama (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA)	Johnny Manziel
2011	Alabama (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA)	Robert Griffin III
2010	Auburn (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA)	Cam Newton
2009	Alabama (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA)	Mark Ingram
2008	Florida (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA)	Sam Bradford
2007	LSU (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA)	Tim Tebow
2006	Florida (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA)	Troy Smith
2005	Texas (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA)	Reggie Bush
2004	USC (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA-ESPN)	Matt Leinart
2003	LSU (BCS, NFF, USA-ESPN), USC (AP, FWAA)	Jason White
2002	Ohio State (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA-ESPN)	Carson Palmer
2001	Miami (FL) (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA-ESPN)	Eric Crouch
2000	Oklahoma (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA-ESPN)	Chris Weinke
1999	Florida State (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA-ESPN)	Ron Dayne
1998	Tennessee (AP, BCS, FWAA, NFF, USA-ESPN)	Ricky Williams
1997	Michigan (AP, FWAA, NFF), Nebraska (USA-ESPN)	Charles Woodson
1996	Florida (AP, FWAA, NFF, USA-CNN)	Danny Wuerffel
1995	Nebraska (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, USA-CNN)	Eddie George
1994	Nebraska (AP, FWAA, UPI, USA-CNN, USA-NFF)	Rashaan Salaam
1993	Florida State (AP, FWAA, UPI, USA-CNN, USA-NFF)	Charlie Ward
1992	Alabama (AP, FWAA, UPI-NFF, USA-CNN)	Gino Torretta
1991	Washington (FWAA, UPI-NFF, USA-CNN), Miami (FL) (AP)	Desmond Howard
1990	Colorado (AP, FWAA, NFF, USA-CNN), Georgia Tech (UPI)	Ty Detmer
1989	Miami (FL) (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, USA-CNN)	Andre Ware
1988	Notre Dame (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, USA-CNN)	Barry Sanders
1987	Miami (FL) (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, USA-CNN)	Tim Brown
1986	Penn State (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, USA-CNN)	Vinny Testaverde
1985	Oklahoma (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, USA-CNN)	Bo Jackson
1984	Brigham Young (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, USA-CNN)	Doug Flutie
1983	Miami (FL) (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, USA-CNN)	Mike Rozier
1982	Penn State (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, USA-CNN)	Herschel Walker
1981	Clemson (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Marcus Allen
1980	Georgia (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	George Rogers
1979	Alabama (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Charles White
1978	Alabama (AP, FWAA, NFF), USC (UPI)	Billy Sims
1977	Notre Dame (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Earl Campbell
1976	Pitt (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Tony Dorsett
1975	Oklahoma (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Archie Griffin
1974	USC (FWAA, NFF, UPI), Oklahoma (AP)	Archie Griffin
1973	Notre Dame (AP, FWAA, NFF), Alabama (UPI)	John Cappelletti
1972	USC (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Johnny Rodgers
1971	Nebraska (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Pat Sullivan
1970	Texas (NFF, UPI), Nebraska (AP, FWAA), Ohio State (NFF)	Jim Plunkett
1969	Texas (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Steve Owens
1968	Ohio State (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	O.J. Simpson
1967	USC (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Gary Beban
1966	Notre Dame (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI), Michigan State (NFF)	Steve Spurrier
1965	Michigan State (FWAA, NFF, UPI), Alabama (AP, FWAA)	Mike Garrett
1964	Alabama (AP, UPI), Arkansas (FWAA), Notre Dame (NFF)	John Huarte
1963	Texas (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Roger Staubach
1962	USC (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Terry Baker
1961	Alabama (AP, NFF, UPI), Ohio State (FWAA)	Ernie Davis
1960	Minnesota (AP, NFF, UPI), Ole Miss (FWAA)	Joe Bellino
1959	Syracuse (AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI)	Billy Cannon
1958	LSU (AP, UPI), Iowa (FWAA)	Pete Dawkins
1957	Ohio State (FWAA, UPI), Auburn (AP)	John David Crow
1956	Oklahoma (AP, FWAA, UPI)	Paul Hornung
1955	Oklahoma (AP, FWAA, UPI)	Howard Cassady
1954	UCLA (FWAA, UPI), Ohio State (AP)	Alan Ameche
1953	Maryland (AP, UPI)	Johnny Lattner
1952	Michigan State (AP, UPI)	Billy Vessels
1951	Tennessee (AP, UPI)	Dick Kazmaier
1950	Oklahoma (AP, UPI)	Vic Janowicz
1949	Notre Dame (AP)	Leon Hart
1948	Michigan (AP)	Doak Walker
1947	Notre Dame (AP)	Johnny Lujack
1946	Notre Dame (AP)	Glenn Davis
1945	Army (AP)	Doc Blanchard
1944	Army (AP)	Les Horvath
1943	Notre Dame (AP)	Angelo Bertelli
1942	Ohio State (AP)	Frank Sinkwich
1941	Minnesota (AP)	Bruce Smith
1940	Minnesota (AP)	Tom Harmon
1939	Texas A&M (AP)	Nile Kinnick
1938	Texas Christian (AP)	Davey O'Brien
1937	Pitt (AP)	Clint Frank
1936	Minnesota (AP)	Larry Kelley
1935	Minnesota (HELMS, NCF)	Jay Berwanger
1934	Minnesota (HELMS, NCF)
1933	Michigan (HELMS, NCF)
1932	USC (HELMS, NCF)
1931	USC (HELMS, NCF)
1930	Notre Dame (HELMS, NCF)
1929	Notre Dame (HELMS, NCF)
1928	Georgia Tech (HELMS, NCF)
1927	Illinois (HELMS, NCF)
1926	Alabama (HELMS, NCF), Stanford (HELMS, NCF)
1925	Alabama (HELMS, NCF)
1924	Notre Dame (HELMS, NCF)
1923	Illinois (HELMS, NCF), Michigan (NCF)
1922	Princeton (NCF), California (NCF), Cornell (HELMS)
1921	Cornell (HELMS, NCF)
1920	California (HELMS, NCF)
1919	Harvard (HELMS, NCF), Texas A&M (NCF), Notre Dame (NCF)
1918	Pitt (HELMS, NCF), Michigan (NCF)
1917	Georgia Tech (HELMS, NCF)
1916	Pitt (HELMS, NCF)
1915	Cornell (HELMS, NCF)
1914	Army (HELMS, NCF)
1913	Harvard (HELMS, NCF)
1912	Harvard (HELMS, NCF), Penn State (NCF)
1911	Princeton (HELMS, NCF), Penn State (NCF)
1910	Harvard (HELMS, NCF), Pitt (NCF)
1909	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1908	Pennsylvania (HELMS, NCF), LSU (NCF)
1907	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1906	Princeton (HELMS, NCF)
1905	Chicago (HELMS, NCF)
1904	Pennsylvania (HELMS, NCF), Michigan (NCF)
1903	Princeton (HELMS, NCF), Michigan (NCF)
1902	Michigan (HELMS, NCF)
1901	Michigan (HELMS, NCF)
1900	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1899	Harvard (HELMS, NCF)
1898	Harvard (HELMS, NCF)
1897	Pennsylvania (HELMS, NCF)
1896	Princeton (HELMS, NCF), Lafayette (NCF)
1895	Pennsylvania (HELMS, NCF)
1894	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1893	Princeton (HELMS, NCF)
1892	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1891	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1890	Harvard (HELMS, NCF)
1889	Princeton (HELMS, NCF)
1888	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1887	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1886	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1885	Princeton (HELMS, NCF)
1884	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1883	Yale (HELMS, NCF)
1882	Yale (NCF)
1881	Yale (NCF)
1880	Princeton (NCF), Yale (NCF)
1879	Princeton (NCF)
1878	Princeton (NCF)
1877	Yale (NCF)
1876	Yale (NCF)
1875	Harvard (NCF)
1874	Yale (NCF)
1873	Princeton (NCF)
1872	Princeton (NCF)
1870	Princeton (NCF)
1869	Princeton (NCF)

Championships by School

School	National Titles	Seasons
Princeton	28	1869, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889, 1893, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1911, 1920, 1922, 1933, 1935, 1950
Yale	27	1872, 1874, 1876, 1877, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909, 1927
Alabama	17	1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017
Michigan	11	1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997
Notre Dame	11	1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988
USC	11	1928, 1931, 1932, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004
Pittsburgh	9	1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976
Ohio State	8	1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014
Harvard	7	1890, 1898, 1899, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919
Minnesota	7	1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960
Oklahoma	7	1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000
Penn	7	1894, 1895, 1897, 1904, 1907e, 1908, 1924
Michigan State	6	1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966
Tennessee	6	1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, 1998
California	5	1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1937
Cornell	5	1915, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1939
Illinois	5	1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951
Miami (FL)	5	1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001
Nebraska	5	1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997
Georgia Tech	4	1917, 1928, 1952, 1990
Iowa	4	1921, 1956, 1958, 1960
Texas	4	1963, 1969, 1970, 2005
Washington	4	1960, 1984, 1990, 1991
Army	3	1944, 1945, 1946
Clemson	3	1981, 2016, 2018
Florida	3	1996, 2006, 2008
Florida State	3	1993, 1999, 2013
Lafayette	3	1896, 1921, 1926
LSU	3	1958, 2003, 2007
Ole Miss	3	1959, 1960, 1962
SMU	3	1935, 1981, 1982
Texas A&M	3	1919, 1927, 1939
Auburn	2	1957, 2010
Chicago	2	1905, 1913
Columbia	2	1875, 1933f
Georgia	2	1942, 1980
Penn State	2	1982, 1986
TCU	2	1935, 1938
Stanford	2	1926, 1940
Arkansas	1	1964
Boston College	1	1940
BYU	1	1984
Centre	1	1919
Colorado	1	1990
Dartmouth	1	1925
Detroit	1	1928
Kentucky	1	1950
Maryland	1	1953
Navy	1	1926
Oklahoma State	1	1945
Rutgers	1	1869
Syracuse	1	1959
UCF	1	2017
UCLA	1	1954