University of Northern Iowa Athletics
UNI Celebrates the 125 Anniversary of Panther Football
10/19/2020 12:51:00 AM | Football
Is the most interesting game in Panther football history the first game ever?
On Oct. 19, 1895, 11 Iowa State Normal School players with no coach traveled south from Cedar Falls to Cedar Rapids to take on Coe College. It was the first game of a 125-year tradition of UNI Football that includes undefeated seasons, Hall of Fame coaches and players, FCS playoff appearances, NFL MVPs, a national championship game appearance, and countless other events that have impacted countless lives.
The game was the first of 1162 Panther football games to date, and according to UNI record books, it was the first win, a 12-10 victory, but in the Coe College media guide, the game is listed as a 10-10 tie.
Surely there must be a mistake. There cannot be two final scores for a football game. You might think that, but you would be wrong. In a result that will remind many of the 2012 Seahawks-Packers game, the first “Fail Mary” might have come 125 years ago today.
Even the newspapers of the time disputed the final outcome of the game. The Cedar Falls Semi Weekly Gazette reported, “The Normal foot ball team went to Cedar Rapids Saturday, and played a game with the Coe College team of that city, winning by a score of 12 to 10." The headline for the Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette recap of the game was, “THE GAME WAS A TIE.”
There is something peculiar to the report on the game in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. At the time, newspaper typesetting was a labor-intensive process, and as a result, newspapers were not often large. Most local stories included just a paragraph or two. Sports stories often less. The recap of this game was a detailed report, on par with modern recaps. For the effort to be this great something interesting must have happened.
The game story is quick to point out, in typical 1890s newspaper lingo that, "The State Normal School has 900 to choose from and as a result brought eleven husky looking fellows."
They also point out that it was the first game ever for Normal and despite their size, "They are new at the business, however, and did not put up a very scientific game."
The game barely resembles the modern version now played across the country. It much more resembled rugby. Touchdowns were worth four points, and the conversion (kick) was worth two.
Coe took the opening kick and scored just seven minutes into the game to build an early 6-0 lead.
Neither team scored for the rest of the half. Coe took a 10-0 lead in the second half with a touchdown but missed the conversion.
Just when the game looked to be well out of hand, Yeager (only last names listed), one of Coe's best players, went down with a "bad sprain in his knee and was compelled to retire."
Normal took advantage behind two touchdowns in the final minutes from the left half Conway.
The first was scored without altercation. Conway ran in for a touchdown and the right end Robinson kicked the point after to cut the deficit to 10-6.
The controversy comes after his second touchdown. Shortly after the first score, Conway made a long end-around run for another touchdown. The decorum of the day states that after scoring a touchdown, the player returns the ball to the spot where the team tries the conversion. Conway in his excitement threw the ball back into the field of play, setting off a wild set of circumstances.
"Now comes the scrapping point of the game," the Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette reported. "Conway was so tickled to think he had made a long run and a touchdown that instead of carrying the ball quickly to kick the goal he threw the ball out on the grounds."
In what may be the first case of someone saying 'act like you've been there before.' The Coe student newspaper, The Cosmos, reported. "Conway made his goal and at once exhibited the fact that he was not accustomed to making such things as touch-downs. After touching it down he tossed the ball over his head into the field of play."
Two officials were handling the game, the umpire and the referee and they were not on the same page when it came to the post score celebration.
"Umpire Richmond immediately gave his ruling that they could not kick goal, as the ball has to be touched down and carried out before the goal can be kicked. They went ahead, however, and kicked goal. Referee Merriam of Lenox called it a goal. He says he has a right to decide the progress of the ball. But the umpire gave his decision first, and he is the judge of unfair tactics."
No team scored for the rest of the game to put the matter to rest and neither of the officials could be swayed to the others' position.
"Hence the game stands 10 to 10 as decided by the umpire and 12 to 10 as given by the referee."
With 125 years between the game and it is even less likely now that an agreement will be made.
Coe College, now a DIII school, has no desire to change their all-time record and recognize a loss to a DI school while a tie has stood on the books for 125 years. For UNI, winning the first game in a program's history is a badge not every university can claim and certainly not one that the Panthers want to give up.
This game had a bit of everything. Two different styles of play, an injury to a key player, a late comeback, an early attempt at a celebration penalty and finally an inconclusive result that will remain contested forever, honestly, it is a little more fun that way.
Even though, the referee is the official in charge, after all.
