The 1891 season
160 games on file. The AP poll didn’t exist yet. Share
Scoreboards
Conference champions
- Indiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- Purdue
- Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Football Conference
- Penn State
From each program’s Wikipedia article, with the conference’s name that season. Titles come from the articles of today’s FBS and FCS programs, so a title shared with a school outside them lists only one champion.
Consensus All-Americans
- EFrank Hinkey, Yale
- EJohn A. Hartwell, Yale
- OTWallace Winter, Yale
- OTMarshall Newell, Harvard
- OGPudge Heffelfinger, Yale
- OGJesse Riggs, Princeton
- CJohn Adams, Penn
- QBPhilip King, Princeton
- RBEverett J. Lake, Harvard
- RBLee McClung, Yale
- FBSheppard Homans Jr., Princeton
Players picked by enough of the major selectors to count as consensus, shown in bold in Wikipedia’s 1891 All-America article. Every selector’s teams, first to last, are on the 1891 All-America teams page.
From the newspapers
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Yale Wins the Great Football Con- test at New York. OVER THIRTY THOUSAND PEOPLE WITNESS THE GAME. Princeton Works Hard, But Yale Comes Out Victorious by Score of I9 to O-Chfcago University Defeats Cor nell-Games at Cleveland, Omaha, Milwaukee and Denver. Special to the REcoRD-USrox. y long will it be remembered by the thou sands who saw one of the finest games ever played in this country. 1t was q fight on its merits, and the best team won. The great throng began to gather before the gates opened at 10 O’Clock, and soon after all manner of vehicles began to arrive. Tally-hos, crowded with shout ing students, were to be seen on every thoroughfare leading to the grounds. They were drared in blue and draped in orange and black, but which ever color il was the noise was just the same. From every row of seats huttered orange and black flags and blue flags, and it was difficult to tell which color was more prevalent. Many women, so there would be no mistake as to their sympathies. wore blue costumes, while others. and particularly a bevy of handsome brunettes, wore striking costumes of orange and black. The first person to take seat in the grand stand was a handsome young woman who wore an immense yellow chrysanthemum. She occupied seat in front, and when the Princeton boys saw her they howled loud and long. The grounds were not III good conditon. The rain of Monday had left more marks than could be covered up by the little sawdust on hand, and yesterdays game between Pennsylvania and Wesleyans left the turf badly cut up. The rain which fell to-day did not help things. 1t ceased entirely before the game began, however, and every one was happy Fully thirty-seven thousand persons were In attendance before the game was called at 2 o’clock. Princeton won the toss, and chose the west side Of the field. SymmeS, the great center-rush Of Prince ton, had the ball, and as the players drew up he snapped it back TO King, star quarter-back. Quick as lightning the famous ‘‘N’ trick was played, and amid wild cheers for Princeton was recorded eight hard-fought yards. Again Symmes shot the sphere back and Flint made dash, only to lose five yards when downed by the great HefeIfinger. Homans gave his friends the first sight Of his ability as kicker when he sent 1t back like shot for thirty yards into 1ale’s territory. Mccormack caught in clever style, and it was snapped back TO Yale’s Captain, McClung, who amid a storm Of cheers made one of his famous runs and records of the game at fifteen yards. He was finally thrown heavily by Vincent of Princeton. Bliss, in a great squirt, made five yards, and soon another gain, but was downed by Vim cent. In the second five minutes Captain McClung made gain of twenty yards, but was finally tackled and thrown by the giant Riggs. Close fighting, in which three downs were counted against Yale. raised the excitement of the multitude to fever. Then the Yale cohorts cheered a thirty-five-yard punt by Bliss, but directly after old reliable Homans returned 1t back twenty-five yards into the hands of Captain McClung. In the next five minutes Mccormack gained fifteen yards, only to be tackled beautifully by Poe. Again Homans made one of his famous kicks for forty yards, and his men rushed on so swiftly that the ball was put in play on down. Hetfelfinger could make but tour yards in the rush, but the ball was still with the blues. The ‘‘V’‘ trick failed to work, and Bliss kicked the ball forty yards, while the Yale people cheered un- Til the very air was blue. twenty-five minutes passed, with no points scored. Homans worked a clean catch of Bliss punt of forty yards, and after the men lined up made gain OF five yards. Then the ball flew back to Homans, who kicked it well into Yale’s territory into McCormack’s hands, forty yards down the field. McClung lost on Harold’s tackle. and Bliss kicked for twenty yards before the ball was caught legs where anindividual play could not be noted made the crowd frantic, and as the tangle was loosened it was seen that Yale had the ball. Thirtyfive minutes passed, and nc points. ale forced the play now. Nc CIung and Mccormack failed to gain. and Bliss punted the ball well into Prince toms territory. On the return Me- Cormack failed to catch Homans’ punt, but fell on the ball, saving it for Yale Scrimmage after scrimmage followed and Riggs of Princeton showed what q hero he was as he prevented Heffelfingel gaining for Yale with mighty rush o1 his two hundred pounds. Forty-lve minutes passed and Yale had the ball, but gained little ground. There was but five minutes more of the first half to play. McClung made a desperate ten-yard gain, and Bliss advanced the ball still further, to be thrown heavlily by Vincent, who also gained the ball amid wild yell from all the admirers OF the Tigers” Then Princeton’s Captain tried his f1ll-backs ability at a punt five yards, and found Mccormack wait ing for it. Vincent was on his back before the ball was cold. Only two minutes were left Every nerve was at tension. a drizzling rain began falling, but was unnoticed The ball shot back to Bliss, and the inning ended with five yards gain for Flint by the use OF the ‘‘V’‘ trick. When the teams came on for the sec ond half the Princeton boys were very confident, while desperation was pictured on the face of every Yale player. A determined effort was made at the outset to break through Princeton’s line. After a tremendous fight the Princetons, with dismay, beheld the gigantic Heffelfinger make an opening, through which Nc Clung was carried for five yards Prince ton fought hard, but the Yale army pierced their center, while the wearers OF orange and black began to wonder in what manner the weakness suddenly came over their center and rush line. Another fight took place. Yale advanced two yards, and then with a great hurrah the bali is snapped back to Nc Cormick, while the rush line fought Princeton down and made an opening through which Mccormick made the first touchdown. Bedlam was let loose. fiyi g high on every side. and yell went up that pierced the clouds. Yale 4, Princeton o. The pig-skin was then brought back to the forty-yard line, where Princeton tried the “V’ trick, and made five yards head way before Flint went to grass. They returned TO the attack with vigor, and Flint was rushed past Yale’s line two yards, while Poe made 4 circuit around Yale’s left end for three yards. 1t was a bad omen for the orange and black, Yale went to work with hammer and tongs. McClung sneaked around Prince toms right end and Winter went through the center and made another touch