Football, American Football, is most directly descended from rugby football in the UK. American football probably dates from the early 1800's when a football like game that bore little resemblance to the modern game was played at some colleges and universities. There are disputed claims that Rutgers University and Princeton University played the first game of college football on Nov. 6, 1869 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. That game was very different from today's football. The first game of American football that would be more recognizable was played between Tufts University and Harvard University on June 4, 1875. Even though recognizable, the rules and play were still quite different. It was not until 1912 that American football took on its current form.
Professional Football
Professional football developed in the American Midwest and has since grown to include a many leagues in the United States and Canada including the CFL and the NFL, various arena and indoor football leagues, and even a women's professional football league.
Outdoor Professional Football
American professional football is most commonly associated with the two outdoor professional football leagues, the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL).
National Football League (NFL) - Founded in 1920 in Canton, Ohio, the NFL is almost synonymous with American football. The NFL is the pinnacle of professional football in North America, and is the largest American football league in North America.
Canadian Football League (CFL) - The CFL holds a similar status as the pinnacle of professional football in Canada. CFL football is very similar to football of the NFL but there are many significant differences in the rules.
Both the NFL and CFL brand of football is designed to be played outdoors, although many teams do play in domed stadiums.
Arena Football / Indoor Football
Arena football or indoor football is a variation of American football with rules variations to make it suitable to play in smaller venues such as gymnasiums and ice hockey arenas. There are currently eight indoor football leagues in North America, including:
There are also a couple of women's professional football leagues in North America. Both of these leagues play games similar to the NFL in outdoor venues.
Having had its origins in colleges and universities, football is an extremely popular college sport. College football is played at four NCAA division levels (NCAA Division I-A, NCAA Division I-AA, NCAA Division II, and NCAA Division III). It is also played by teams in the the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) using NCAA rules.
2008 NAIA Football Championship Series First Round Preview The 2008 NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) will begin with eight first-round games scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22. Defending national champion Carroll (Mont.) College opens up by hosting Dickinson State (N.D.) University at Nelson Stadium for a 12:07 local time kick-off.
NAIA Selection Sunday Video on CBS College Sports Network At this point in the season Ryan Malleus and Michael Gabaldon, CBS College Sports Network, have seen a lot of football. These college sports enthusiasts are on a 14 week road trip traveling the country tracking the ins and outs of college football and stopped at the NAIA for Selection Sunday.
2008 NAIA Football National Players of the Week - #11 The 11th and final installment of the 2008 NAIA National Football Players of the Week were announced today (Nov. 17): Drew Dallas of Kansas Wesleyan University was named NAIA Offensive Player of the Week, Travis Eason of McPherson (Kan.) College was named NAIA Special Teams Player of the Week and Adarrious Ross of Lindenwood (Mo.) ...
2008 NAIA Football Championship Series Qualifiers Announced The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially announced the 2008 NAIA Football Championship Series. A total of 16 teams will play at eight first-round sites on Saturday, Nov. 22. Defending national champion Carroll (Mont.) College opens up by hosting Dickinson State (N.D.) University in Helena, Mont.
Buckeyes' Pryor set to face Michigan (AP) Ohio State tight end Rory Nicol didn't think there was anything special about rivalries -- until the opening kickoff of his first game against Michigan. "I was a freshman and Ernest Shazor knocked me into, probably, the third week of my junior year," he said, wincing at the thought. Nicol's story may provide some insight as Ohio State's touted freshman quarterback, Terrelle Pryor, prepares for his...
Pitt counting on RB McCoy vs. Cincinnati (AP) If Pittsburgh's Top 25 game at Cincinnati is tight in the fourth quarter Saturday night, both teams know what will happen when the Panthers have the ball. The same thing that happened in last year's Panthers-Bearcats game. The Pitt-Notre Dame game earlier this month. The Pitt vs. then-No. 2 West Virginia game last season.
Muschamp to replace Brown, but when? (AP) Texas coach Mack Brown insists Will Muschamp's elevation to head-coach-in-waiting doesn't start the tick-tock on the countdown to his retirement. Actually, it does. Not because fans are pushing him out the door, but because any time Muschamp's name is mentioned, it's sure to be followed by "you know, the guy who's been promised Mack Brown's job when he leaves." "When?" just became a perpetual...
Ball State survives scare, moves to 11-0 (AP) Ball State found itself in an unfamiliar situation at halftime, deadlocked for the first time after 30 minutes all season. The No. 14 Cardinals and Central Michigan were still tied midway through the fourth quarter when MiQuale Lewis stepped up, carrying six times for 63 yards and setting up Nate Davis' fourth touchdown pass of the game in Ball State's 31-24 victory on Wednesday night.
Miami looks to move closer to ACC title (AP) Look who's back in the rankings and trying to nail down a championship. Yep, it's the Miami Hurricanes, who have reason to be proud of themselves even if this sort of thing was once the norm in south Florida. Trying to break away from the pack in the convoluted Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 23 Miami can move a step closer to locking down a division title with a win over Georgia Tech on Thursday...
