Qwells24's Blog

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

qwells24 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:28:02 +0000

Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The team competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level. All home games are shown on NBC TV. The Fighting Irish have been awarded the most national championships and produced more All-Americans than any other Football Bowl Subdivision school. In addition, seven Fighting Irish football players have won the Heisman Trophy. Notre Dame is one of only two Catholic universities that field a team in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the other being Boston College. The team plays its home games on Notre Dame’s campus at Notre Dame Stadium, with a capacity of 80,795. Notre Dame has the 2nd highest winning percentage in NCAA history (.736), second only to Michigan (.738). At the end of the 2008 football season, Notre Dame had the 3rd most wins in NCAA history (831), trailing only Michigan (872) and Texas (832). Notre Dame also has the fewest losses of any program (285) (minimum 800 games played). Notre Dame has 102 winning seasons in 120 years of football, and only 13 losing seasons. The football program is tied with USC for most Heisman trophy winners at seven (Ohio State has seven Heisman trophies that were won by six players). Notre Dame holds the NCAA record for Most consecutive wins over one opponent, beating the US Naval Academy 43 times in a row before falling to them in 2007. The school holds on very tightly to tradition..fans know the saying “Tradition never graduates”.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

qwells24 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:14:00 +0000

The Oklahoma A&M Aggies joined their first conference for the start of the 1915 season, the Southwest Conference. In 1925, the Oklahoma A&M program joined the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association. In 1928, the MVIAA split into the Big Six Conference and the Missouri Valley Conference. A&M was the only large school that joined the smaller MVC. In 1956, A&M announced it was joining what had become the Big Seven for the 1958–59 academic year. As part of a transition period, the Cowboys went independent for two years. On May 15, 1957, Oklahoma A&M changed its name to Oklahoma State University. They officially became a part of the renamed Big Eight Conference in 1958. In 1996, OSU joined with the other Big Eight schools and four schools from the old Southwest Conference to form the Big 12 Conference. Their greatest player in OSU’s history is Barry Sanders. In 1988, in what has been called the greatest season in college football history, Sanders led the nation by averaging 7.6 yards per carry and over 200 yards per game, including rushing for over 300 yards in four games. He set college football season records with 2,628 yards rushing, 3,249 total yards, 234 points, 39 touchdowns, of which 37 were rushing (also a record), five consecutive 200 yard games, scored at least two touchdowns in eleven consecutive games, and 9 times he scored at least three touchdowns. Sanders won the Heisman Trophy as the season’s best player. Typically when someone thinks of Oklahoma State football, Sanders is first to come to mind.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

qwells24 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:04:53 +0000

The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. The Cornhuskers are currently in their 119th season and hold an all-time record of 823–340–40. Nebraska is one of only 7 football programs in NCAA Division I-A history to win 800 games. The Cornhuskers have the best winning statistics of the college football program over the last 50 years, both by winning percentage and number of wins. The Cornhuskers’ three national championships in Division I collegiate football over the past 25 years are the second most of any university, whhile having five all time. The nickname “Cornhuskers” was first applied to Nebraska athletic teams at the turn of the century by sports writer Charles “Cy” Sherman of the Nebraska State Journal. Before adopting Sherman’s suggestion, Nebraska sports teams were called The Bugeaters, Tree Planters, Nebraskans, Rattlesnake Boys, Antelopes and Old Gold Knights. Of course, today it is commonly shortened as “Huskers.”

University of Oklahoma Sooners

qwells24 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:50:45 +0000

The Oklahoma Sooners are a perennial powerhouse. As of 2008, ESPN ranked the Oklahoma Sooners as the most prestigious college football program since 1936. The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference and the FBS. The program began in 1895 and is the most successful program of the modern era (post World War II) with 524 wins and a winning percentage of .761 since 1945. The program has seven national championships, 42 conference championships, 148 All-Americans, and five Heisman Trophy winners. In addition, the school has had five coaches and 17 players inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and holds the record for the longest winning streak in Division I-FBS history with 47 straight victories. Coach Bob Stoops is currently in his 10th season with a record of 109-23. They play their home games at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, OK. The current capacity is 82,112 which makes it the 14th largest college stadium in the U.S. and second largest in the Big 12 Conference. Despite the official capacity, the Sooners average 84,561 in attendance for the 2006 season, nearly 2,500 over capacity.

Ohio State Buckeyes

qwells24 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:43:30 +0000

Ohio State has one the most prestigious and tradition-rich football programs of all time. Following the 2008 season, the Buckeyes ranked #3 in ESPN’s Prestige Rankings, dating back to 1936; trailing only the Oklahoma Sooners and the USC Trojans. In their 118-year history, the Buckeyes have been Division IA National Champions five times, and claim a total of 7 national championships. On September 6, 2008, the Buckeyes defeated Ohio University 26–14 for their 800th win, becoming the fifth FBS-team to reach the mark. The Buckeyes hold a total 9 undefeated seasons and 36 conference championships. 7 Buckeyes players have won the Heisman Trophy, including Archie Griffin who won it back to back in 1974 and 1975. The team has played their homes games in Ohio Stadium since 1922.Their program has produced 78 All-Americans.

Texas Longhorns

qwells24 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:32:37 +0000

Texas football is widely known for their great success in college football. They have a great fan base and a lot of supporting alumni. Here are a few stats the Longhorns hold: On November 27, 2008, the Longhorns passed Notre Dame as the second winningest college football team, having won 832 games to Notre Dame’s 831. They are ranked 2nd in all-time wins, one of only seven programs to have attained at least 800 all-time victories, ranked 3rd in all-time winning percentage (72.7%), ranked 2nd in number of bowl game appearances (25-21-2), and ranked 8th in number of games played (1182). The Longhorns have won four Division I-A national championships -in 1963, 1969, 1970, and 2005, 30 conference championships, and 129 All-Americans. They have had two players win the heisman trophy, both running backs- Earl Campbell (1977) and Ricky Williams (1998). In 2008 the Texas Longhorn football program kept its record NFL Draft streak alive by having at least one player selected in 71 consecutive drafts dating back to 1938. As of 2008, ESPN ranked the Texas Longhorns the 7th most prestigious college football program since 1936.

Purdue Boilermakers

qwells24 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:06:38 +0000

Purdue has had its ups and downs in their football program, but they are always known for their masket. One of their maskots is the Boilermaker Special. Part of the Purdue scene since 1940, the Boilermaker Special claims to be the world’s largest mascot. Weighing in at 10,800 pounds, the 24-foot vehicle is fashioned to look like an old-time locomotive. It is maintained by the Reamer Club. The current model, Boilermaker Special V, was built by Wabash National Corp. in Lafayette and unveiled at Purdue’s football game with Notre Dame on Sept. 25, 1993. The task force that redesigned the mascot consisted of Purdue alumni, local and national business leaders and students in the Reamer Club. Efforts to create the first Special began in 1939 with a letter to the editor of the Purdue student newspaper. The first Special, built with funds raised by the Reamer Club, operated until 1953. The second Special was created in mid-1953, the third one was dedicated in October 1960 and the fourth one is the Boilermaker X-tra Special, a toned-down version that was christened in 1979. As a representative of the university wherever it travels, the Boilermaker Special stands as that tradition of Purdue which is most familiar to alumni and fans alike. Some fans recognize Purdue from their distictive collors in the NCAA. Members of Purdue’s first football team in 1887 felt that the squad should be distinguished by certain colors, and since Princeton was at the time the most successful gridiron unit, its colors were considered. Though actually orange and black, the Princeton colors were known by many as yellow and black. Purdue gridders opted for old gold over yellow, kept the black, and began flying the colors which endure today.

Penn State Nittany Lions

qwells24 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:59:47 +0000

Penn State’s athletic symbol, chosen by the student body in 1906, is the mountain lion which once roamed central Pennsylvania. A student publication sponsored the campaign to select a mascot and Penn State is believed to be the first college to adopt the lion as a mascot. Since Penn State is located in the Nittany Valley at the foot of Mount Nittany, the lion was designated as a Nittany Lion. The word Nittany is after an Indian princess that was from Pennsylvania, near the current Mount Nittany. Penn State is also well known for their lion shrine on campus. Animal sculptor Heinz Warneke and stonecutter Joseph Garatti molded a 13-ton block of Indiana limestone into the most recognizable symbol of Penn State. The shrine was chosen from six models submitted by Warneke. The shrine is a gift of the Class of 1940 and rests in a natural setting of trees near Recreation Building. The site was chosen because of its accessibility, the surrounding trees and the fact that the sculpture would not be dwarfed by nearby buildings. Penn State’s student-athletes are instantly identified by their blue and white uniforms – but those weren’t the original school colors. A three-member committee representing the sophomore, junior and senior classes was appointed in October of 1887 to develop color options. Dark pink and black was the unanimous choice of the student body after considering the color combinations presented by the committee. Soon many students and the baseball team were sporting pink and black striped blazers and caps. However, problems arose when the pink faded to white after several weeks of exposure to the sun. The students then opted for blue, rather than black, and white. The official announcement of the new choice was made on March 18, 1890.

Texas Tech Raiders

qwells24 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:45:11 +0000

On Jan. 1, 1954, Texas Tech fans attending the Gator Bowl in Tampa, Florida, witnessed the evolution of a great tradition that Red Raider fans would embrace for many years to come. Dressed in black clothing with a long cape and mounted on a solid black gelding horse, Joe Kirk Fulton caught the eyes of the nation when he stormed out onto the playing field to lead the Red Raider football team. Fans at the game say that no team has ever made such an uplifting entrance in a bowl game. The dramatic entry by the horse and rider sparked the crowd as well as the team, which beat Auburn 35-13. Forty-eight years later, the Texas Tech Masked Rider is perhaps the most recognizable collegiate mascot in the country. Wearing black riding clothes, mask, bolero hat, and scarlet cape, and perched atop Amos- a jet black quarter horse, the Masked Rider is one of college football’s most unique mascots. Leading the team out onto the field before each home game, the Masked Rider can also be seen at other Texas Tech sporting events. The rider and horse also represent Texas Tech at rodeos, parades, civic events and school activities around the state.

University of Minnesota

qwells24 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:38:13 +0000

Minnesota football history was made on Sept. 29, 1882, when Minnesota played Hamline at the Col. King State Fairgrounds, near Riverside in South Minneapolis. These two teams, along with Carleton, were to take part in a “Field Day” at the Fairgrounds. Carleton failed to show up, and Hamline nearly left, but Minnesota team captain A.J. Baldwin talked Hamline into staying and playing what would be the first football game in U of M history. Baldwin scored the first points of the game to lead the Gophers to a 4-0 win. Minnesota recorded an undefeated season in 1892, playing future Big Ten opponents Michigan and Northwestern that season. That year the team won its first-ever conference title, the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest. Minnesota’s rivalry is Wisconsin. Minnesota and Wisconsin have met more times than any other NCAA Division I-A football rivalry, playing 109 games since 1890. The Gophers lead the all-time series 57-45-8. Since 1907 the two teams have played on an annual basis, the third-longest continuous series in college football. Since 1948 the two teams have played for Paul Bunyan’s Axe, a seven-foot traveling trophy that goes to the winner of the “Border Battle.”