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Message: [QUOTE="SWC75, post: 1999495, member: 289"] Like other eastern teams we got off to an earlier start than schools in other parts of the country. College football didn't really explode nationally until the 1920's. A lot of our 'career' totals are due to that. We've had three great periods: 1914-35, when we had 22 straight wining seasons. None were undefeated, (thank you Colgate), but James Howell ranks us the #1 team of 1923. The impetus was the building of Archbold Stadium, which was the equivalent of the Dome in it's time. When it ceased to be a novelty, it ceased to be an advantage. [URL='http://football.stassen.com/cgi-bin/records/calc-wp.pl?start=1914&end=1935&rpct=30&min=5&se=on&by=Win+Pct']I-A Winning Percentage 1914-1935[/URL] [URL='http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cf1923.htm']1923 NCAA Division IA Football Power Ratings[/URL] Then there was the Schwartzwalder Era. We had 22 straight non-losing season, (a couple were even) from 1950-71 and won a national championship with one of the great teams that ever took the field. Ben was a near miracle worker because Archbold was a crumbling rock-pile through much of this period and the budget and facilities were almost laughable. I remember Duffy Daugherty expressing amazement that been accomplished what he did with what he had to work with. Two platoon football, which more than doubled recruiting requirements and the black boycott ended any chance of continuing the success. The Dome should have been built in the 60's in the wake of the national title. [URL='http://football.stassen.com/cgi-bin/records/calc-wp.pl?start=1950&end=1971&rpct=30&min=5&se=on&by=Win+Pct']I-A Winning Percentage 1950-1971[/URL] Finally, there was the MacPherson-Pasqualoni Era, really 1983-2001. We had one losing record over that period, when we lost a bunch of close games to get an 0-4 start, then went 26-4-1 through the next 2 1/2 season to set up what was to come, (it was between the 4th and 6th game!). Then it faded for all the reasons we've discussed over the years. [URL='http://football.stassen.com/cgi-bin/records/calc-wp.pl?start=1983&end=2001&rpct=30&min=5&se=on&by=Win+Pct']I-A Winning Percentage 1983-2001[/URL] In all three eras, we were, on average a "second twenty" type team with occasional peaks. We had some great players but were never a consistent top ten type team. We would certainly have been higher on a list done 20 years ago. Hopefully we can have a fourth great era and begin climbing these lists again. Really, we have the profile of a basketball school like Georgetown or Villanova, both of which were once good in football but reduced themselves to small college in that sport decades ago and focused on their basketball program. We've managed to continue playing big time football and have a top basketball program, which is quite an achievement. [/QUOTE]

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