Timeline of college football in Kansas facts for kids

College football in Kansas has a long and exciting history! It all started way back in 1890. Since then, games have been played every single year in the state. This timeline shares some of the most important moments in Kansas college football.

How College Football Started in Kansas

College football officially began in Kansas in 1890. It grew from the creation of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. The very first game was played on November 22, 1890. It was between Baker University and the University of Kansas in Baldwin City. Baker University won that first game with a score of 22 to 9.

Key Moments in Kansas Football History

The Early Years: 1890s

• 1890
  • February 15 – The Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Association was formed. This group helped organize college sports.
  • November 22 – The first official college football game in Kansas was played. It was in Baldwin City between the University of Kansas and Baker University. Baker won 22–9.
• 1891
  • October 31 – The first "Border War" game was played. This is a big rivalry between Kansas and Missouri. Early games were in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1912, Kansas hosted the game in Lawrence for the first time.
• 1893
  • Ed Haney, an African American player, joined the football team for the University of Kansas.
  • November 30 – Kansas State played its first college football game. They played against St. Mary's College and won 18–10.

New Centuries and Rivalries: 1900s

• 1902
  • October 4 – Kansas State and Kansas played their first game against each other. This started a long-standing rivalry. Kansas won 16–0.
• 1904
  • October 28 – Haskell College played against Carlisle at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. This was a big game, seen by 12,000 people!
• 1905
  • October 6 – Cooper College (Sterling) played Fairmount (Wichita State) in a night game. This was the first college football night game west of the Mississippi River.
  • December 25 – Washburn and Fairmount played a special game to test new football rules.
• 1908
  • November 26 – Kansas finished a perfect 9–0 season. They won the championship of the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association. This was the first major conference title for a Kansas state school.

Growing Traditions: 1910s

• 1911
  • October 21 – Kansas beat Kansas State 6–0. This game started a continuous series between the two teams that has lasted over 100 years. It's one of the longest continuous rivalries in college football history!
  • November 25 – More than 1,000 people in Lawrence watched a live model reenactment of the Kansas vs. Missouri game. Game updates were sent by telegraph!
• 1913
  • Kansas State officially left the Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Association. They joined the Missouri Valley Conference to play against larger schools like the University of Kansas.

Changes and Firsts: 1920s-1940s

• 1928
  • December 1 – The old Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference changed. It became the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, also known as the "little six."
• 1939
  • October 28 – Kansas State's homecoming game against Nebraska was broadcast on television. This was the first college football game shown on TV in Kansas. It was only the second one ever broadcast in the whole nation!
• 1948
  • January 1 – Both Wichita State and Kansas played in bowl games on the same day. These were the first bowl appearances for any of the state's schools. Wichita State played in the Raisin Bowl, and KU played in the Orange Bowl.
• 1949
  • September 24 – Harold Robinson played his first game for Kansas State. He was the first African-American athlete to receive a scholarship in the Big Eight Conference.

Hall of Fame and Championships: 1950s-1960s

• 1951
  • September 14 – Coach Harold Hunt of Southwestern gained national praise. He rejected a touchdown when he saw his player step out of bounds.
  • Former coaches Bennie Owen (Washburn, Bethany) and Fielding H. Yost (Kansas) were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• 1955
  • Former Haskell football coach Matty Bell was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• 1957
  • December 21 – Pittsburg State won its first NAIA national championship.
• 1961
  • Pittsburg State won its second NAIA National Title.
  • The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame was founded. It honored many Kansas sports figures, including several football legends.
• 1966
  • Former Kansas State head coach Pappy Waldorf was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• 1969
  • October 11 – Kansas State beat KU 26–22 in the first Governor's Cup game. This game featured future Pro Football Hall of Famer John Riggins for KU and quarterback Lynn Dickey for KSU.
  • November 22 – The Kansas State High School Activities Association held its first state championship games for high school teams. Before this, champions were decided by media polls.

Tragedies and New Rules: 1970s

• 1970
  • October 2 – About half of the Wichita State University football team died in a plane crash. They were on their way to play a game against Utah State University.
  • December 5 – The first Boot Hill Bowl game was played.
• 1971
  • The Kansas State High School Activities Association created new overtime rules. These rules later became the standard for college football overtime.
• 1974
  • The College of Emporia closed, ending its football program.
• 1978
  • Former Kansas State head coach Charlie Bachman was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• 1979
  • Willie Jeffries became the head coach at Wichita State. He was the first African-American head coach of an NCAA Division-I program at a mostly white school.

Program Changes and New Coaches: 1980s

• 1980
  • November 20 – The first Sunflower Bowl was played.
  • November 21 – The final Boot Hill Bowl game was played.
• 1986
  • November 15 – The final Sunflower Bowl was played.
  • December 2 – Wichita State University stopped its football program.
• 1988
  • December 13 – Bill Snyder, who was the offensive coordinator for the Iowa Hawkeyes, became Kansas State's new head coach.
• 1989
  • Emporia State reached the NAIA National Championship game, but lost to Carson-Newman.

National Recognition: 1990s

• 1991
  • Pittsburg State won its first NCAA Division II National Championship. This was their third overall title.
• 1992
  • Saint Mary of the Plains closed, and its football program ended.
• 1995
  • October 28 – Kansas State and Kansas played each other as ranked teams for the first time. KU was ranked #6, and KSU was #14. KSU won the game 41–7.
  • The Wheat Bowl played its first game.
• 1996
  • August 31 – Texas Tech played at Kansas State in the first ever Big 12 Conference football game.
• 1998
  • November 9 – Kansas State reached the #1 ranking in the Coaches Poll. This was after they improved to 9–0. It was the first time a Kansas state school was ranked first in the nation in NCAA Division I college football polls.

Modern Era and Hall of Fame: 2000s

• 2001
  • John H. Outland, a former player and coach at Kansas, Washburn, and Haskell, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• 2002
  • Former Wichita State head coach Marcelino Huerta was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• 2004
  • Charlie Richard, former head coach at Baker University, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• 2005
  • November 19 – Bill Snyder retired after 17 seasons as head coach at Kansas State.
• 2006
  • The final Wheat Bowl game was played.
• 2007
  • November 24 – Kansas, ranked second, had a chance to become #1 by beating Missouri. However, Missouri won 36-28 and took the top spot.
• 2008
  • November 24 – Bill Snyder returned as head coach at Kansas State. He coached for another 10 seasons.
• 2009
  • May 12 – The first Kanza Bowl was played.

Recent History: 2010s

• 2010
  • Former Bethany Swedes head coach Ted Kessinger was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
  • Former Wichita State head coach Willie Jeffries was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• 2011
  • Pittsburg State won its second NCAA Division II title. This was their fourth title overall.
• 2012
  • November 15 – The final Kanza Bowl was played.
  • Former Haskell head coach William Henry Dietz was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• 2015
  • January 9 – Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
  • May 22 – Haskell University paused its football program for the 2015 season.
• 2016
  • Baker University reached the 2016 NAIA Football National Championship game, but lost to Saint Francis (Indiana).