In 1869, when Rutgers and Princeton met

The 1869 college football season was the first ever season of anything named "football" to ever be played intercollegiately. It is considered the inaugural college football season, and consisted of only two total games, both of which occurred between the Rutgers University and Princeton University; The first was played on November 6 at Rutgers' campus, and the second was played on November 13 at Princeton's campus.

The first ever college football national championship awarded (retroactively) was split between the only two participants in 1869, Rutgers and Princeton. Princeton was named the champion by the Billingsley Report and the National Championship Foundation, while college football research historian Parke H. Davis named the two teams co-champions. (various other ratings and retrospectives have rated the teams differently)

The two games played were played under much different rules than what is currently understood as the game of football. (also, played under different rules from each other) However, what developed into a more rugby-style play and eventually into the football known by current fans had its beginnings in 1869.