Centre Colonels football
| Centre Colonels | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| First season | 1880 |
| Athletic director | Brad Fields |
| Head coach | Andrew M. Frye 10th year, 58–42 (.580) |
| Stadium | Cheek Field and Farris Stadium |
| Seating capacity | 6,000 |
| Field surface | Field Turf |
| Location | Danville, Kentucky |
| Conference | Southern Athletic Association |
| Past conferences |
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1911–1941) Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (1962–2011) |
| All-time record | 509–374–37 (.573) |
| Bowl record | 2–1–0 (.667) |
| Conference titles | 11 SCAC, 3 SIAA, 1 SAA |
| Consensus All-Americans | 2 |
| Colors | Gold and White |
| Website | centrecolonels.com |
The Centre Colonels football team, historically also known as the Praying Colonels, represents Centre College in NCAA Division III competition. The Colonels currently play in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA), which was established in 2011. Before the establishment of the SAA, Centre played 50 seasons in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Despite the school's small size (2008 enrollment of 1,215), the football team has historically had success and possesses a strong tradition. At the end of the 2008 season, the school ranked as the 12th winningest school in Division III with an all-time record of 509–374–37.
On April 9, 1880, a Centre College team traveled to Lexington to play against Transylvania University in the first football game south of the Ohio River. The Colonels lost that game, and a rematch at home later in the month, but it was the start of a long-running rivalry with their in-state opponent. The first officially recognized game of Centre and the University of Kentucky took place in 1891. In that series, the Colonels compiled an 20–13–2 record before the Kentucky athletic council decided to permanently drop Centre from their schedule after the 1929 season. From 1917 to 1924, Centre compiled a 57–8 record while playing against some of the best teams in the nation. After the 1920 season, Centre faced Texas Christian (TCU) in the Fort Worth Classic. The Colonels convincingly routed them, 63–7.
The 1921 Centre–Harvard game resulted in one of the most shocking upsets in college football, with the Colonels winning, 6–0. The star of that game, back Alvin "Bo" McMillin, was twice named a consensus All-American, in 1919 and 1921. Center Red Weaver was named a consensus All-American alongside him in 1919. The Colonels finished the 1921 season undefeated, outscoring their opponents, 314-6. In the Dixie Classic, precursor to the modern Cotton Bowl Classic, Centre faced Texas A&M. Miscues contributed to the Colonels' defeat, 22–14. This is also the game in which Texas A&M's 12th man tradition originated. In 1924 Centre defeated Georgia and Alabama and claims a southern title. As early as 1927 it was noticed this prior success was over.
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