This week is College Football 150th Anniversary Week, celebrating the first ever college football game, which took place on Nov. 6, 1869, between Rutgers and Princeton in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Many universities hosting games between Nov. 2-9 will recognize the anniversary as part of the in-game stadium presentation, and a number of other special events and ceremonies are planned:

Nov. 4

• ESPN will release its list of the 150 greatest games in college football history on ESPN.com.

 

• The NFL will recognize CFB150 during the Monday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Nov. 6 - The Anniversary Date

• 2 p.m. ET - Members of the Rutgers football team will participate in a "Ringing of the Bells" ceremony at Old Queens on the Rutgers campus.

 

• 3:30 p.m. ET - A commemorative plaque of the birthplace of college football and the first game will be unveiled on the Rutgers campus.

 

• 7 p.m. ET - Rutgers and the Big Ten Network will host an event titled, "Celebration at the Birthplace: 150 Years of College Football," at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. The program will include panel discussions with representatives from the Big Ten Conference and Rutgers, and it will be taped for a future broadcast on the Big Ten Network

 

• 8 p.m. ET - ESPN2 will televise the game between MAC opponents Miami (OH) and Ohio in Athens, Ohio, which will feature recognition of the anniversary. In addition, the Ohio University Center for Sports Administration will stage a symposium/workshop on CFB150 in the afternoon.

 

• Fans visiting the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta on Nov. 6 will receive a commemorative CFB150 sticker.

 

• Various members of Congress representing different political parties, congressional committees and regions of the country are acknowledging CFB150. A flag will be flown over the Capitol building in recognition of the milestone.

Nov. 8

• The Princeton Entrepreneurship Council, Princeton Department of Athletics, Princeton Association of New York City and Princeton Alumni Angels will host the third Tiger Entrepreneur Conference. The all-day event at the Altman Building in New York City will feature a keynote talk by Princeton alum Chris Halpin, the EVP and Chief Strategy & Growth Officer at the NFL. Additional panels will focus on trends in sports media with speakers from professional sports leagues and major media outlets.

Nov. 9

• Princeton will play Dartmouth at Yankee Stadium, one of college football's iconic neutral site venues. The game presentation will include in-stadium recognition of the anniversary and Princeton's participation in the first game. The game will be televised on ESPNU at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Yankees have invited more than 100 people from college football stakeholder groups to attend the game.

The College Football 150th Anniversary is being celebrated nationwide throughout 2019! The national celebration of 150 college football seasons showcases the rich history and traditions of the sport and its contribution to American society while also promoting the current opportunities it annually creates for the thousands of student-athletes across all levels of the sport.