Wake Up The Echos

Yesterday, September 2, was for most the opening of the 2017 college football season.  A multitude of games were played across the USA, some of the results of which I have listed.  The University of Michigan Wolverines were victorious over the University of Florida Gators by a score of 33-17. The University of California Golden Bears defeated the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, 35-30. The University of Maryland Terrapins beat the University of Texas Longhorns, 51-41. 

When I was growing up in the 1950s, college football was one of the three most popular spectator sports, along with Major League Baseball and boxing. The NFL and the NBA, very popular today, were not significant then.

The first college football game I saw in person was at the Orange Bowl in Miami on Christmas day 1952.  I went with my brother, Paul, to see the North-South Shrine All-Star game.  It ended in a 21-21 tie.  

In the 1950s, there was only one college football game televised nationally every Saturday afternoon in the fall. Today, virtually every game is televised.  Other games back then were available on the radio in local or regional markets.  I remember listening to broadcasts of Syracuse University football games from my home, 40 miles from the campus.  

In 1959, Syracuse won the National Championship of college football with an 11-0 record with victories over Kansas, Maryland, Navy, Holy Cross, West Virginia, Pitt, Penn State, Colgate, Boston University, UCLA (on national TV from the LA Coliseum), and Texas at the Cotton Bowl (also on national TV) in Dallas on January 1, 1960.  Before 1959 and for many years after, the national championship was chosen by the vote of sportswriters. It is now won in a four team end of season tournament. 

Besides the local broadcasts, I remember listening to games in other regions of the USA on radio networks (NBC, CBS, etc.) with local affiliates.  One Saturday in 1953, I heard Navy crush Princeton by a score of 65-7.  A good memory!

In the East, most of the top college football teams (Syracuse, Penn State, Pitt, Boston College, Army, and Navy) were not affiliated with any league.  In 1956, the Ivy League, which had been an informal grouping of Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale, became official.  

Most of the rest of the country was divided into various conferences: the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Southeast Conference, the Southwest Conference, the Big Ten, the Big 7, and the Pacific Coast Conference.  Over the years, there have been many changes to this landscape.  Penn State moved to the Big Ten. Syracuse moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Maryland moved from the Atlantic Coast Conference to the Big Ten. Arkansas and Texas A&M moved from the Southwest Conference to the Southeast Conference.  The Southwest Conference merged with the Big 7 to become the Big 12.

The popularity of college football begins with the enthusiasm of the students.  Later, this translates to a loyal group of alumni.  I have been a fan of Penn since 1963.  I have also been a fan of Michigan since my daughter, Rachel, matriculated in 1993 and a fan of Maryland since my son, Bret, went there in 2003.  Finally, I have been a fan of North Carolina since I started working there in 2008.

Besides the students and the alumni, many other fans are drawn to the sport because of the enthusiasm of the players, who play, not because of money, but for the love of the game.

Last year, the Tennessee-Virginia Tech game at Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway drew over 150,000 spectators, which broke the old record (for largest attendance at a game) of more than 120,000 for the Notre Dame-Southern California game at Soldier's Field in Chicago in 1927.  Michigan, Penn State, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Ohio State, Southern California, Louisiana State, Texas, and Alabama have stadiums that can seat more that 100,000 fans for a football game, and usually do.

No story about college football would be complete without a reference to the University of Notre Dame (ND) located just outside South Bend, Indiana.  Before college football, ND was a small, little known mid-western Catholic university.  

"In 1913, Notre Dame burst into the national consciousness and helped transform the game in a single contest.  In an effort to gain respect, Notre Dame scheduled a game at national powerhouse Army.  On November 1, Notre Dame stunned Army 35-13, with    an attacking offense that featured long and accurate downfield forward passes from quarterback Gus Dorais to Knute Rockne in stride, which changed the forward pass from a seldom-used play into the dominant ball-moving strategy that it is today."

In 1918, Rockne became the Notre Dame head football coach.  In his 13 years, The Fighting Irish (nickname) won 105 games, losing only 12 times.  Rockne's 1924 team, which won the national championship, featured a backfield called the Four Horsemen (Jim Crowley, Elmer Layden, Don Miller, and Harry Stuhldreher) by the famous sports writer, Grantland Rice.  Rockne's 1929 and 1930 teams went undefeated and again won national championships.

Another legendary coach, Frank Leahy, took over The Fighting Irish in 1941. In his 11 years, his teams won 87 and lost only 11. This included a stretch of 39 games without a loss, 4 national championships and 6 undefeated seasons.  His last season, 1953, featured Heisman Trophy winner, Johnny Lattner.

In 1957, Notre Dame went to Norman, Oklahoma to play the heavily favored Sooners who had won 47 games in a row, still a record. Sports Illustrated ran a story that week as to why Oklahoma couldn't lose.  ND won, 7-0.  I watched the game on national TV.

In 1964, Ara Parseghian, who recently passed away, became the new Notre Dame head coach.  In his 11 seasons, The Irish won 95 games and lost 17, winning 2 national championships, had 2 undefeated seasons, and 3 major bowl game victories.  On his team was the great defensive lineman, Alan Page, who was born the same day I was.  

Hollywood benefited from Notre Dame's national popularity with two movies, Knute Rockne All-American (1940), which starred Pat O'Brien (Rockne) and future US President, Ronald Reagan (star running back George Gipp), and Rudy (1993), about "the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who harbored dreams of playing football at Notre Dame despite significant obstacles."

Since 1991, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) has exclusively broadcast all of Notre Dame's home football games (including yesterday's win over Temple).  No other school has their own deal with a broadcast TV network. This speaks volumes about ND's national popularity.  On the other hand, there is a large group of Notre Dame haters.  I used to be one until I visited its beautiful campus last year.  

Finally, although Penn (Fight on, Pennsylvania) and Michigan (Hail to the Victors) have great fight songs, I believe Notre Dame's is the best.

Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame, 

Wake up the echoes cheering her name, 
Send a volley cheer on high, 
Shake down the thunder from the sky! 
What though the odds be great or small, 
Old Notre Dame will win over all, 
While her loyal sons are marching 
Onward to victory!