25 college football programs with the most tradition

Sep 26, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Isaac Rochell (90) is congratulated by cornerback Cole Luke (36) after making a tackle against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame defeats Massachusetts 62-27. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

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NEW HAVEN, CT – NOVEMBER 21: Dan Melow #27 of the Harvard Crimson leads the team onto the field after defeating the Yale Bulldogs, 38-19 on November 21, 2015, in New Haven, Connecticut. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /

22. Harvard Crimson

Harvard’s football team is one of the oldest in the world, dating all the way back to 1873, and the Crimson dominated the early years of college football. They won seven national titles between 1890 and 1919 and had over 80 All-Americans over the 40-year period between 1889 and 1928. From their early days, over 20 Crimson players have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Harvard’s annual rivalry with Yale, known simply as “The Game,” dates back to 1875. The Crimson and the Bulldogs have a few off years in their rivalry, and thus, are behind Lafayette-Lehigh. The Game is an important rivalry in college football because many of the most basic rules of the sport were ironed out while Harvard and Yale squared off, as college football predates professional football. In addition to laying the groundwork for the sport’s rulebook, Harvard-Yale also helped pioneer many of the college football traditions we have come to love, like fight songs and mascots.

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