College Football Then vs Now – Nerd Daddies Season 3 Episode 1 Highlights

🏈 College Football Through the Years – Nerd Daddies Season 3 Episode 1 Recap 🏈

In Season 3, Episode 1 of the Nerd Daddies Podcast, the guys dove deep into the origins and evolution of college football-how the game started, how the rules changed, and how technology transformed the sport we love today. Here are the biggest highlights from the discussion.

📜 1869 – The First College Football Game

The first official college football game took place in 1869 between Rutgers and the College of New Jersey (now Princeton).

The game looked nothing like modern football.
It was played under rugby-style rules.
No forward passes-everything was a run or kick.

College football started as a rough, chaotic ground game with very few standardized rules.

🏈 When Did They Start Throwing the Ball?

The forward pass was legalized in 1906, transforming football forever.

Before this, offenses relied almost entirely on running plays and lateral passes.
The forward pass was introduced to make the game safer and reduce dangerous mass formations.
It eventually led to modern offensive schemes, quarterbacks becoming stars, and the wide-open passing game we see today.

🧮 Scoring Back in the Day

Early football scoring looked very different from today’s system:

Touchdowns were not always worth the same number of points.
Field goals used to be worth more than touchdowns in some eras.
The scoring system evolved multiple times before settling into the modern format:
- Touchdown: 6 points
- Extra point: 1 or 2 points
- Field goal: 3 points
- Safety: 2 points

📏 1876 – The First Standardized Football Rules

In 1876, representatives from several schools met to establish the first standardized football rules.

This helped unify how the game was played across colleges.
It marked the beginning of organized college football as we know it.

📻 1921 – The First Radio Broadcast

College football entered American homes in 1921 with the first radio broadcast of a game.

Fans no longer had to be in the stadium to experience the action.
Radio helped explode the popularity of college football nationwide.

📺 1939 – The First TV Broadcast

In 1939, NBC aired the first televised college football game.

This was one of the earliest televised sporting events ever.
It paved the way for college football to become a national TV powerhouse.

🗳️ 1939 – The Start of the AP Poll Rankings

Also in 1939, the Associated Press (AP) Poll began ranking college football teams.

Rankings created national debates, rivalries, and championship arguments.
It laid the groundwork for today’s polls, playoffs, and endless fan arguments.

🎥 1963 – The First Instant Replay in Football

In 1963, instant replay made its debut in football broadcasting.

While not used for officiating at first, it changed how fans watched the game.
Eventually, replay became a critical tool for referees and coaches.

🔔 Catch the Full Episode

Listen to Nerd Daddies Podcast – Season 3, Episode 1 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.

And don’t forget-we stream live on Twitch and YouTube every Wednesday. Come hang out, talk sports, and nerd out with us.

What was your favorite college football era? Let us know in the comments!