1898 College Football Summary

When the initial All-America Team was announced in 1889 and until this season, would only included players from the East Coast and mostly ones that played for the traditional Big Three powerhouses.

Chicago finished its 11-game schedule at 9-2-0; shutting out its first 6 opponents (and 8 total) while allowing just 5 points in the victories.

Michigan would end its season 10-0-0 and would meet the Chicago Maroons, with the winner being name the Western Conference's third champion.

The highlight of the game when these two teams met to decide the crown was a fake punt by Clarence Herschberger and subsequent pass for a first down.

While the play for Chicago worked; it wasn't enough as Michigan prevailed, 12-11.

Herschberger's overall earned him the honor of being the initial non-Eastern All-American selection, as a halfback, on Walter Camp's honor team.

Camp's would annually select a second and third elite teams; with the Western Conference was well-represented on the former.

All of the players were on Camp's second team and would include Herschberger's teammate, Walter Kennedy, was on the second team; along with Michigan players Allen Steckle and center Bill Cunningham. Wisconsin's Pat O'Dea was also selected on the second squad.

One of college football's best players in history, Charles Daly, he was the success in Harvard's title-run this season. The signal-caller led Harvard's win 11-5 over Penn; snapping its 31-game winning streak

Yale after winning its first nine games on the year surrendering just 11 points would give-up 23 (while being shutout) to close-out the season, to finish the season 9-2-0; in losses to Princeton and Harvard.

The Princeton match-up was one that has gone down into history as one of the most thrill games ever played.

The Tigers' defense led by Arthur Poe and Arthur "Doc" Hillebrand help create a pile-up. As the teams were getting untangled, Poe stole the ball from Al Durston and raced 95-yards for the only touchdown of the game. Abe Ayers tacked on the goal after touchdown, the 6-0 victory.

Two future college football rivalries began play this season: Michigan-Michigan State and Nebraska-Colorado.

Michigan was victorious, 39-0; while Nebraska, known as the Bugeaters would claim a 23-10 triumph.

Leading the latter in his first of 5 schools in as many seasons as a head coach was Fielding Yost.

Kicking was Pat O'Dea forte'. In Wisconsin's 47-0 triumph against Northwestern, he would put-on a clinic.

He booted a pair 60+ yard field goals (60 and 62 yards); and top-it-off he would send a punt 116 yards on a 115-yard field.

The Badgers' won 8 of nine contests all by shutout; with the school's alumni were the only unit to score but lost, 12-11.

E. Sweetland returned a blocked kick 87 yards in leading Cornell NY to 47-0 victory over Lafayette.

Nebraska's W. Mefford converted 40 of 43 goals after touchdown

1898 Leaders

• Offensive Scoring Leader (Most Points Scored)
  Pennsylvania (12-1-0), 392 points
• Defensive Scoring Leader (Least Points Allowed)
  Kentucky A&M (Kentucky) (7-0-0), 0 points
• National Champions (Retroactive)
  Harvard and Yale
  

Writers J. Parmly Paret and Elliott Goldsmith of the Outing Magazine; along with, Caspar Whitney and Charles Patterson all named Harvard National Champions.

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