Harvard University: A Founding Father of the Game
Long before the rise of today's powerhouses, the Harvard Crimson stood as one of the founding fathers and dominant forces of American football.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Harvard helped write the rules of the new sport while building a juggernaut on the field.
The Crimson claims 12 national championships, with seven recognized as consensus titles, all from this early era of dominance. Legendary coach Percy Haughton led the program to its peak, creating an undefeated dynasty and winning the 1920 Rose Bowl.
Harvard's history is also defined by "The Game," its annual rivalry against Yale, which remains one of the oldest and most storied traditions in all of American sports.
Though the creation of the formal Ivy League in the 1950s shifted the program's focus away from national title contention, Harvard's foundational role in the sport's creation and its early dominance secure its permanent place in college football history. 🏈
