[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 170 (Monday, October 28, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1353]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     COMMEMORATING ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL

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                           HON. STEVE STIVERS

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 28, 2019

  Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate one-hundred 
and fifty years of college football. In 1869, Rutgers College, now 
Rutgers University, won the first college game against the College of 
New Jersey, now Princeton University, with a score of 6 to 4. Since 
then, this time-honored game has been woven into the fabric of our 
nation and the lives of countless Americans. I will always remember 
Saturdays spent at ``the Shoe'' as a student at The Ohio State 
University, gleefully cheering on the Buckeyes, and the comradery I 
felt with tens of thousands of fans there.
  As our differences are used to divide us, college football allows us 
to celebrate what unites our nation. We value grit and determination; 
we believe in teamwork, and in having the will to succeed; we embrace 
our individual roles to advance an idea or organization that is bigger 
than us. College football allows us to put aside our differences and 
rally around a common, unifying cause: victory for our team.
  Knowing that nearly five million Americans attended college football 
games during the 2018 season highlights just how ingratiated this game 
is in today's culture. It makes our communities grow closer and gives 
each of us a sense of pride that was honed during raucous chants of 
``O-H-I-O,'' ``Roll Tide,'' or ``Hook 'em, horns.''
  Beyond the undeniable excitement and sense of community our teams 
foster every Saturday, it is undisputable that the stories and memories 
made live on well after the lights have been shut off. Commemorating 
the memories, from the first game a child attended, bonding with their 
parents, keeping family tradition alive, to the tailgate where total 
strangers became lifelong friends--it's easy to see the importance this 
game has played in our history for over one hundred and fifty years. I 
am confident that, for the next one-hundred and fifty years, Americans 
will continue to eagerly await college football season and the 
excitement, pride, and unity it brings. Madam Speaker, I encourage my 
colleagues to join me in recognizing this milestone for college 
football.

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