[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 173 (Thursday, October 31, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE STRONG HISTORY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN AMERICA

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                           HON. RODNEY DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 31, 2019

  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first ever college football 
game played between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869. Just twenty-one 
years later, the Big Ten university in my district, the University of 
Illinois, would field its first football game in 1890.
  Since those days, college football has become one of our nation's 
most beloved pastimes. Today, it's enjoyed by millions of Americans and 
the sport has grown immensely with nearly 80,000 student-athletes 
taking to the field every fall.
  In many ways, it is a game that embodies the spirit of what makes us 
great as a country. As Americans, we have a determination to succeed; 
we believe in teamwork; we embrace our individual roles as we work 
together toward a common goal bigger than ourselves. Over the last 150 
years, we've seen college football players become U.S. Presidents, 
Rhodes Scholars, actors, activists, CEOs, successful entrepreneurs, 
academics, and yes--even elected officials.
  So today we recognize the strong history of college football in our 
nation: the games, the teams, the rivalries, and the memories. My 
family and I are longtime fans of college football, and I am proud to 
celebrate 150 years of its history today.

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