Football

American football is more than a game – it is a cultural milestone in the United States. High school football under the Friday night lights, college football game days, and the spectacle of the NFL’s Super Bowl showcase some of American football’s ability to entertain millions of fans and spectators each year with its unique blend of competition, strategy, strength, and entertainment.

The game has its origins in rugby and soccer.  Early forms of American football were played in colleges across America in the mid-1800s. The first recorded game was played in 1869 between Rutgers and Princeton.  Over the following decades, developments of rules and procedures helped distinguish American football from its inherited cousins, while also introducing concepts like carrying and passing the ball.  The most recognized and important developments and adaptations were the forward pass, the introduction of the line of scrimmage, and the implementation of a down-and-distance system by the early twentieth century. 

American football developed quickly for several reasons, with primacy being the wide popularity of the collegiate version of the game, which help spurn a professional game with the advent of leagues.  The American Professional Football Association officially became the National Football League (NFL) was formed in 1920.  Today, the NFL stands as the largest professional football league in the world in terms of revenue and viewership.

A standard American football game is played with two teams with 11 players on the field at a time. The standard dimension of an American football field is 100 yards by 53.3 yards (301 x 91 m

Games are played in four quarters of 15 minutes each, with a halftime break after the second quarter. Each team alternates possession, and each offensive series begins with four downs (plays) to advance the ball at least 10 yards. If they make, they receive a new set of downs, if not, possession changes hands to the defensive team.

Scoring can also take place through field goals worth three points or safeties worth two points. The numerous strategies and formations regarding both offense and defense are necessary to the complexities of the game and are part of the coaching process to the success of each team.

Passionate is an understatement for college football. It is an event that is highly anticipated in the fall across America, with universities competing for more than wins- they compete for pride, legacy, and territory. There are rivalries that can attract tens of millions of television viewers like Michigan v Ohio State or Alabama v Auburn and involve over 100,000 fans attending the game.

College football is regulated by NCAA, and each season teams compete for playoff selections and bowl game invites. College football is also the main feeder system to the NFL and each spring the best college football players will typically be selected in the NFL Draft to become professional players.