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125-673: The Essex Spartans were an American Football team based in Grays , Essex, England. The team played under the Spartans name since 1998 following a merger between two local teams and currently play in the BAFA National Leagues , Southern Football Conference 2 East. Able to trace its history back to 1989, the team has been playing under the Essex Spartans name since the close of the 1998 season when two local rival teams,

250-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless

375-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,

500-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along

625-711: A challenge for the team, who collected only one victory against 9 losses to finish bottom of the table. With the British American Football Association re-aligning the Divisions for the 2013 season, the Spartans were placed in the National League, alongside the Kent Exiles, Colchester Gladiators , Bedfordshire Blue Raiders , Maidstone Pumas , Watford Cheetahs , and Milton Keynes Pathfinders . A second consecutive 1–9 record

750-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are

875-553: A forfeited match) coupled with a number of injuries, a few players transferring to other teams and some US armed forces players from a nearby base unable to play, they were forced to withdraw halfway through the season and were realigned into Division Two for the next season. 2002 was a transitional year for the Spartans. The team moved back to the Chiefs' old home ground in Basildon, but their long-time star offensive player Shulba Hunt

1000-457: A group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in a game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change

1125-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear

1250-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and

1375-424: A lowly 1–8–1 saw Dean Gibson re-instated to the head coach position in 2009 (having previously served as head coach until 2007), returning with him was offensive co-ordinator Brendan Bride. This combination had brought success to the Spartans in previous years, their previous tenure ending with playoff appearances in both 2005 and 2006. Unfortunately the team was unable to improve on the previous season's mark and ended

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1500-571: A merger with local team the East Essex Sabres under a new committee and coaching structure. Lost 19–33 to Gateshead Senators in semi-final. Relegated to Division Two. Lost 6–14 to Oxford Saints in quarter-final. In addition to the senior squad, the Spartans also operate a youth team which is scheduled to begin league play in 2014 after a successful development season. They are led by Head Coach Steve Mitchell and Assistant Coaches Wes Bourke and Steve Watson. The Spartans Youth team

1625-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before

1750-510: A modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as the "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton

1875-477: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If

2000-583: A player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits, the game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as

2125-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating

2250-511: A round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with

2375-455: A season which saw the team lose 13 players through injury, the Spartans finished third from bottom of their group with a 2–6 record. However, some consolation was found in some individual player performances, with Steve Berlingo ending the season as the league's leader in interceptions, and Shulba Hunt finishing as the sixth highest rusher in the league. The Spartans continued to struggle the following season. After five straight defeats (including

2500-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with

2625-403: A separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble a gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following

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2750-599: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . Wisconsin Badgers The athletic director

2875-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by

3000-416: A touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish

3125-405: A tradition of doing the amount of pushups that the football team has every time they score. Wisconsin is the only Big Ten school and one of only four Power 5 schools that do not sponsor baseball, the other three being Colorado , Iowa State , and Syracuse . Wisconsin previously sponsored a baseball team , but discontinued it after the 1991 season. Wisconsin is also the only Big Ten school with

3250-561: A varsity men's rowing program. Badger men's rowing has won 9 national championships, making it Wisconsin's most successful athletics program. Wisconsin has made it to the NCAA Final Four four times in its history — back-to-back trips in 2014 and 2015, in 2000, and in 1941, when it won the national championship. The Badgers participated in the NCAA tournament for 19 consecutive seasons (1999–2017). Wisconsin tied for first place in

3375-610: Is Chris McIntosh , former professional football player and lineman for the Wisconsin Badger football team. The Badgers team colors are cardinal and white, and the team mascot is named "Buckingham U. Badger," known as " Bucky Badger ." The Badgers have several major on-campus facilities, including Camp Randall Stadium , the UW Field House , and the Kohl Center . Wisconsin was dubbed the "Badger State" because of

3500-460: Is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with

3625-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or

3750-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as

3875-579: Is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in the United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However,

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4000-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over

4125-650: Is open to all individuals from the age of 14 to 18. There are several former players and coaches from the now defunct Anglia Ruskin Phantoms, who played in the BUAFL , currently in the Spartans organisation. In May 2008, the Spartans began a twinning program with the Billerica Memorial High School football team. This was done with a view to developing the club and squad by exchanging resources, coaching staff and players, and further strengthening

4250-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job

4375-746: Is the fourth-oldest college football stadium in the country and has a capacity of 80,321. The student section at Camp Randall is considered by many to be one of the best in all of college football. Among the stadium traditions is a well-known student celebration to the House of Pain song " Jump Around ," occurring at the end of the third quarter of every home game. The students also sing songs in unison, including " Sweet Caroline " and " (Build Me Up) Buttercup ". The University of Wisconsin Marching Band performs its "Fifth Quarter" after every game. The Badger men won their sixth national championship in 2006, at

4500-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside

4625-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are

4750-776: The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on the field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league;

4875-595: The Bradley Center in Milwaukee , with a 2–1 victory over Boston College Eagles . The men's team had previously won the national championship in 1973, 1977, 1981, 1983, and 1990. The Badger women won their first title in 2006, at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis , with a 3–0 victory over the defending champion Minnesota Golden Gophers. This was the first women's hockey national championship for Wisconsin and

5000-797: The Canada Life Cardinals and the London Mets, the Spartans finished second in their conference and so qualified for the playoffs. They defeated the Southern Sundevils in the quarter-final, but were finally beaten 19–33 away to the Gateshead Senators . The 2000 season started badly with two consecutive defeats to the London Blitz , followed by a heavy defeat away to the London O's two matchdays later. In

5125-532: The Kohl Center in Madison. The women's team plays their home games at LaBahn Arena . Both teams use the LaBahn Arena as a practice facility. The Badgers softball team began play in 1996. The team has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2018. The current head coach is Yvette Healy . The University of Wisconsin wrestling team was established in 1911. Through

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5250-548: The NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in the world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but

5375-548: The South Wales Warriors in a wild-card playoff, and turned up at the Warriors' home field to play the match. However, they complained to BAFL ( British American Football League ) that the Warriors' pitch at Bedwas RFC was too short, and therefore did not comply with competition rules. After consultations between the two teams, the game was played as normal but BAFL decided afterwards that the Warriors would forfeit

5500-412: The center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until the snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform

5625-409: The commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to a league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of

5750-555: The forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of the features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered

5875-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on

6000-407: The neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912, the field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance

6125-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to

6250-413: The 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained a tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement

6375-577: The 2001–02 season and has led the Badgers to the NCAA Tournament every year. During the 2006–07 season, he not only achieved his 500th win as a college coach but the Badgers were also ranked Number 1 in the AP Top for the first time in program history. On December 12, 2009, Ryan earned his 200th win with the Badgers (against 75 losses), defeating in-state rival Marquette. During the 2014–2015 season,

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6500-619: The 2005 season, Alvarez's last year as coach, the Badgers defeated the Auburn Tigers 24-10, in the Capital One Bowl . In 2006, Bret Bielema took over as head coach, posting a 12–1 record and defeating Arkansas 17-14, in the Capital One Bowl. On December 5, 2012, Bielema announced his departure for Arkansas, stating, "I just felt it was time for me to try and spread my wings and fly a little bit further." Bielema

6625-413: The 2009 season with an identical 1–8–1 record. 2010 proved to be a break-out season for the Essex Spartans. The close season 2009–2010 saw ex Wisconsin Badgers and Detroit Lions star Cyrill Weems join the team firstly in an advisory capacity before taking over as head coach prior to the start of the 2010 season. Weems' professional influence and high work ethic brought about a complete culture change at

6750-414: The 2010 season and beyond were Kieron Goymer as offensive line coach, ex-Tiptree Titan and Chelmsford Cherokee speedster Wes Bourke as defensive backs coach, longtime Essex Spartan Craig Brittney as wide receivers coach and Anglia Ruskin Phantoms offensive co-ordinator Chris Hunt as offensive analyst. 2010 also saw general manager Tony Palmer celebrate 25 years running the club, and for his tireless work for

6875-610: The 2011–2012 season, with their running back Montee Ball , who was a finalist but lost to Robert Griffin III (RG3). Running back Melvin Gordon was runner-up in 2014.Under Paul Chryst they have won 4 straight bowl games and 2 NY6 bowl wins in the Cotton and Orange bowls and never winning less than 8 games in a season in his 4 years. The Wisconsin Badgers football team plays its home games at Camp Randall Stadium . Built in 1917, Camp Randall

7000-530: The 2018–19 season, the UW Badger wrestling team has had 18 NCAA champions, 70 Big Ten champions, 112 All-Americans, and 4 Olympians. Home dual meets and tournaments take place at the Wisconsin Fieldhouse. Barry Davis served as head coach of the program for 25 years until his retirement in 2018. Former South Dakota State University head coach Chris Bono, took over as Wisconsin's head coach at

7125-567: The 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap

7250-537: The Badgers lost to 3rd-seeded Pittsburgh in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In the 2004–05 season Wisconsin finished third in the Big Ten. In the 2005 NCAA Tournament, Wisconsin advanced to the Elite Eight by defeating 11th-seeded Northern Iowa , 14th-seeded Bucknell , and 10th-seeded North Carolina State . In 2005–06 the Badgers lost to Indiana in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, and to Arizona in

7375-686: The Badgers reached the National Championship game, but lost to Mike Krzyzewski 's Duke squad. Badgers currently in the NBA include Sam Dekker , Frank Kaminsky , Devin Harris , Greg Stiemsma and Jon Leuer . Wisconsin's football program has been among the most successful in the Big Ten since the early 1990s, when Barry Alvarez was hired as head coach. Under Alvarez, the Badgers won three Big Ten Championships and three Rose Bowls . In

7500-468: The Big Ten in the 2001–02 season, along with Indiana , Illinois , and Ohio State . In 2002–03 the Badgers won the Big Ten outright, but then lost in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament to Ohio State. In the NCAA Tournament, Wisconsin lost to Kentucky in the Sweet 16. In 2003–04, Wisconsin finished second in the Big Ten. The team went on to win the program's first Big Ten tournament title. However,

7625-795: The Essex Chiefs and the Redbridge Fire, decided to merge. After initial training sessions, the team's numbers were boosted by the demise of the Cambridge Cats (who later reformed). As both the former teams had been competing at the same level in the British Senior League, the newly formed Spartans were granted a spot in the National Division (which was then the second of the league's three tiers). After winning six of their games (including shutouts against

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7750-603: The Exiles relegation from Division One, an 18–18 tie at home and a narrow 24–20 loss away, with the game decided on the final play. The Spartans only other defeat came at the hands of the Watford Cheetahs, and as such, the team finished in second place in the division and qualified for the post-season for the second successive season. The team travelled to Lancashire to face the Lancashire Wolverines in

7875-610: The IRA eights championship. The University of Wisconsin has been involved in disputes with a number of high schools, including Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska , and schools in Iowa , New Jersey , North Carolina , Ohio , Texas , and West Virginia , as well as with D-II Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas . The issue involved the use of the Badgers' athletic logo, the "motion W". As

8000-516: The NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at the time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from

8125-570: The NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in the FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by

8250-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2  psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),

8375-572: The ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of

8500-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as

8625-430: The ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on the offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except

8750-591: The college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following the 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with

8875-552: The conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for the second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of

9000-551: The conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in the United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of

9125-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After

9250-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on

9375-400: The defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from

9500-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called

9625-667: The division behind eventual league champions the London Olympians rewarding them with a trip to the Hampshire Thrashers in the BAFACL Quarter finals. An extremely entertaining and hard-fought game eventually finished 29–15 to Hampshire, with the deciding score coming in the final few minutes. Coach Cyrill Weems returned to the United States in July 2010, offensive co-ordinator Brendan Bride having departed

9750-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run

9875-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of

10000-499: The feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create a standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from

10125-409: The first round of the NCAA Tournament. The highlight of the season was a win over intrastate rival Marquette . In the 2006–07 season the Badgers had victories at Marquette and at home against 2nd ranked Pittsburgh. Its lone non-conference loss was against Missouri State . On February 19, 2007, they earned their first No. 1 ranking in school history with a 26–2 record, but were defeated the next day by

10250-535: The first round of the playoffs. In an unseasonably cold August day, the Spartans were unlucky to see a punt-return for a touchdown called back by a penalty and lost the game 7–0. As a reward for their vast improvements in both 2010 and 2011, the British American Football Association National League announced the Spartans would be promoted to Division One for the 2012 campaign. The step up proved to be too much of

10375-760: The first time that the NCAA Women's National Championship trophy left the state of Minnesota. (Minnesota-Duluth won the trophy in 2001, 2002, and 2003; Minnesota won it in 2004 and 2005.) The victory did, however, continue the Western Collegiate Hockey Association 's dominance of the women's crown. On March 18, 2007, the Badger women captured the back-to-back national championship with a 4–1 win over Minnesota-Duluth at Herb Brooks Arena, in Lake Placid, New York. The Badgers returned to

10500-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul

10625-655: The game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in the formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect

10750-473: The game, and therefore the game was awarded to the Spartans as a 1–0 victory. In the quarter-finals, they were once again drawn away to the Oxford Saints and were again defeated by the eventual divisional champions. They unable to repeat their playoff run in 2007, finishing fourth out of six teams with a 3–7 regular season record. A second poor season under head coach Dave Barham with the team finishing

10875-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of

11000-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of

11125-555: The illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922,

11250-451: The innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become the most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced

11375-480: The lead miners who first settled there in the 1820s and 1830s. Without shelter in the winter, they had to "live like badgers" in tunnels burrowed into hillsides. The badger mascot was adopted by the University of Wisconsin in 1889. His name, "Buckingham U. Badger", a.k.a. " Bucky Badger ," was chosen in a contest in 1949. The emblem, a scowling, strutting badger wearing a cardinal-and-white striped sweater,

11500-545: The national championship game in 2008, but suffered a 4–0 loss at the hands of Minnesota-Duluth. In 2009, the Badgers became the first team in NCAA history to reach the title game in four consecutive seasons, winning their third national championship with a 5–0 victory over Mercyhurst. The Badgers went on to win their fourth national championship in 2011, defeating Boston University 4-1 at Tullio Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania. Mike Eaves

11625-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score

11750-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and

11875-470: The playoffs. 2004 saw the squad depleted by a number of retirements, and the Spartan's young players could only manage a 3–6–1 finish to the season. However, 2005 saw the club's best season since they first entered the league. The coaching staff put an emphasis on developing the young squad into one full of multi-skilled positional players, and the team was bolstered by the arrival of a number of players from

12000-451: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this

12125-556: The primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football,

12250-429: The primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play the sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in

12375-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as

12500-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it

12625-454: The recently folded Southend Sabres. After a winning regular season which included two comfortable wins over league newcomers Maidstone Pumas , they finished second in their group with a 5–2–1 record, enough to qualify for the playoffs. They were drawn away to the Oxford Saints , where they beaten 0–20. 2006 saw the Spartans reach the playoffs once again after finishing second with a 5–4–1 regular season record. They were originally drawn to face

12750-631: The rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands the ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function

12875-507: The role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when the AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain

13000-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit

13125-539: The sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of

13250-439: The sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the "Father of American Football", established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized

13375-564: The start of the 2018–19 season. Wisconsin has won 32 NCAA national championships: Below are 21 national team titles that were not bestowed by the NCAA: † All men's and women's rowing titles above included winning the eights. The men's 1986 title was not an IRA championship but rather a now-defunct finals-only meet that included three rowing squads with a history of snubbing the IRAs. In 1990, Wisconsin's men's titles included both this event and

13500-473: The team both on and off the field and a young Essex side began the 2010 season with a renewed hope of bringing success back to the Essex franchise following a bleak period after their last playoff appearance in 2006. The Spartans finished the 2010 season with a 6 and 4 win–loss record, narrowly losing lost two close games to Bedfordshire and Norwich. This huge turnaround in fortune led to the team finishing second in

13625-462: The team in June 2010 due to personal circumstances. As such, a new coaching structure which would continue with the development of the programme was required and on 11 July 2010 the team were pleased to announce ex-Farnham Knight, ex-Coventry Jet and current Essex Spartan Marc Saunders as head coach, with Spartan stalwart Seán Benton taking over as offensive co-ordinator. Also joining the coaching staff for

13750-430: The team over this period he was honoured with a special presentation of a squad signed helmet at the 2010 team awards evening. 2011 saw the Spartans continue to progress. Under the guidance of Saunders and his experienced and talented coaching staff, the Spartans improved on their 2010 record by ending the season with 7 wins, 2 losses and one tie. The team faced old rivals Kent Exiles in two closely fought contests following

13875-408: The team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop the offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to

14000-403: The ties between the towns of Billericay and Billerica, Massachusetts , which have been twinned for the last 10 years. American Football American football , referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense ,

14125-433: The tournament proved fatal for the Badgers, who lost to UNLV . Dick Bennett is largely credited with beginning the turnaround of the program. During his six-year tenure at Wisconsin (1995–2000), the Badgers achieved a 91–68 record and had two 20-win seasons. Only twice previously had the Badgers won at least 20 games in a season, the most recent being the 1940–41 championship season. Coach Bo Ryan has been in charge since

14250-661: The unranked Michigan State Spartans . Entering the Big 10 Tournament as the second seed, their first game was against Michigan State, who the Badgers defeated 70–57. In the next round against Illinois, the Badgers won 53–41 and advanced to the final to face No. 1-ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes defeated the Badgers 66–49. In the NCAA Tournament Wisconsin received a Number 2 seed in the Midwest bracket. The Badgers defeated Texas A&M Corpus-Christi. The second round of

14375-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of

14500-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when

14625-408: The young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for a common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of

14750-457: Was Alvarez's handpicked successor, and he coached the Badgers in their return to the Rose Bowl. The Badgers are 16–14 in bowl games, and have made 14 bowl appearance in the past 15 seasons, including a school record seven straight appearances. The Badger football program has had two Heisman Trophy winners: fullback Alan Ameche in 1954, and running back Ron Dayne in 1999. They came close in

14875-510: Was designed by Art Evans in 1940 and updated in 2003. A live badger from Eau Claire was used at the first few football games that year, but proved to be too fierce to be controlled and was retired to the nearby Henry Vilas Zoo . For a time, the school replaced the live badger with a live raccoon named "Regdab" ("badger" backwards). In 2006, Bucky Badger became a charter member of the Mascot Hall of Fame's College Division. Bucky Badger has

15000-407: Was forced to retire through injury. They finished eighth out of nine teams with a 3–6 record. In the 2003 preseason, the then head coach Dean Gibson and his new offensive coordinator Dave Thomas developed a new offensive playbook featuring an emphasis on short passing. This seemed to suit the squad and results improved, but fell short of expectations as the Spartans finished 5–4–1 and just missed out on

15125-418: Was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included the reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams,

15250-440: Was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed a rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football

15375-556: Was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine a national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to

15500-469: Was the head coach of the men's hockey team until March 2016, while Mark Johnson coaches the women's hockey team. Both coaches were teammates on the Badgers' 1977 NCAA title team. Former Denver Pioneers head coach George Gwozdecky , the only other person besides Eaves and Johnson to win ice hockey national championships as both a player and head coach, was also a member of Wisconsin's 1977 national championship team. The men's team plays their home games at

15625-594: Was the result in a tough division, the team's only win coming against the Maidstone Pumas. At the end of the 2013 season, Head Coach Marc Saunders stepped down and was replaced by former assistant head coach and Spartan Hall of Fame member Seán Benton. In late 2023, following relegation from the SFC1 East, the Essex Spartans identity was sunsetted and the club was reborn as the Essex Tridents following

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