TheMiami Redskins football (now known asMiami RedHawks football ) teams from 1888 to 1899 representedMiami University inAmerican football . These were the earliest years of intercollegiate football at the school. Highlights include the following:
On December 8, 1888, Miami played its first intercollegiate football game againstCincinnati , ending in a scoreless tie. The 1888 game between Cincinnati and Miami was the first in what later became theVictory Bell series that has been contested more than 110 games and is one of the oldest rivalries in college football.[ 1] It was also the first college football game played in the State of Ohio.[ 2] [ 3] On November 9, 1889, Miami won its first game, defeating Dayton High School by a 44–0 score. On December 14, 1889, the team also defeatedCincinnati , 34–0, for its first victory in the Victory Bell rivalry. The 1889 team also compiled the first undefeated record in school history with four wins and no losses. On November 26, 1891, the team lost toOhio Wesleyan by a 104–0 score. It was the most one-sided defeat in Miami school history. In 1893 and 1895, the team compiled perfect 3–0 records. These were the second and third undefeated seasons in school history. The team did not have a paid coach from 1888 to 1894.[ 4] C. K. Fauver became the first head coach in 1895. He was succeeded byErnest Merrill in 1896,Herbert J. McIntire in 1897, andGeorge Greenleaf in 1899.
The team's most common opponents during this period were theUniversity of Cincinnati (11 games),Earlham College (seven games), andCentre College (three games).
The1888 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1888 college football season . The 1888 team was Miami's first football team to compete in intercollegiate football. The team played only one game, a scoreless tie with theUniversity of Cincinnati football team atOxford, Ohio , on December 8, 1888.[ 4] [ 5]
The players on the first Miami football team included W. Chidlaw, S. Fox, J. Lough, F. McCracken, J. Macready, R. Mason, E. Reed, S. Stephenson, W. Stubbs, and S. Townsend.[ 6]
The1889 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1889 college football season . In its second season, Miami went undefeated and had a 4–0 record.[ 8] There was no paid head coach for the season.
No team
The1891 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1891 college football season .[ 8] There was no paid head coach for the season. In their second game, theylost 0 to 104 against Ohio Wesleyan .
Date Opponent Site Result November 21 Hamilton AC W 38–0November 26 atOhio Wesleyan L 0–104
The1892 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1892 college football season .[ 8] There was no paid head coach for the season. They had a 2–2 record in 4 games.
Date Opponent Site Result October 21 atEarlham L 0–12November 11 Hamilton AC W 28–0November 19 Cincinnati YMCA W 8–0December 2 atCentre L 6–12
The1893 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1893 college football season .[ 8] There was no paid head coach for the season. They went undefeated in 3 games.
The1894 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1894 college football season .[ 8] There was no paid head coach for the season. They played in 3 games and had a 1–2 record.
The1895 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1895 college football season .[ 8] In their first season with a head coach, they went undefeated with a 3–0 record. Their coach wasC. K. Fauver .
The1896 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1896 college football season .[ 8] Their coach wasErnest Merrill .
Date Opponent Site Result October 2 atCincinnati W 6–4October 15 at Dayton W 10–0October 17 Earlham W 26–0November 7 Butler L 4–16
The1897 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1897 college football season .[ 8] Under new head coachHerbert J. McIntire , Miami compiled a 2–4–1 record.
Date Opponent Site Result October 2 Dayton AC T 0–0October 9 Cincinnati L 0–6October 17 atEarlham W 10–0October 23 Nashville Guards W 10–0October 30 at Cincinnati L 6–10November 16 atIndiana L 6–22November 25 atCentre L 0–18
The1898 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1898 college football season .[ 8]
The1899 Miami Redskins football team was anAmerican football team that representedMiami University during the1899 college football season .[ 8] [ 13] Under new head coachGeorge Greenleaf , Miami compiled a 1–5 record.
^ "Miami Celebrates 125 Years of Football" . Miami University Library. RetrievedSeptember 25, 2016 .^ "Football Welcomes Longtime Rival Miami (Ohio) To Nippert Saturday" . University of Cincinnati. September 20, 2016. Archived fromthe original on September 27, 2016. RetrievedSeptember 25, 2016 .^ "5 cool facts about the Miami-Cincinnati 'Battle for the Bell' rivalry" .Journal-News . September 20, 2016. Archived fromthe original on September 24, 2016. RetrievedSeptember 26, 2016 .^a b "2005 Miami University Football Media Guide" (PDF) . 2005. pp. 114, 122. Archived fromthe original (PDF) on September 27, 2016. RetrievedSeptember 25, 2016 .^ "Miami, Cincy old foes" .The Bryan Times . November 23, 1977. p. 18.^ 2005 Media Guide, pp. 139-143. ^ "A gridiron battle: The first game of the Battle for the Victory Bell" . Miami Student. RetrievedNovember 12, 2024 .^a b c d e f g h i j "2019 Football Media Guide" (PDF) . Miami University. 2019. p. 21.^ "Miami's Rush Line—And Heavy Play too Much for the Cin. Gym Foot Ball Team" .Hamilton Daily Democrat .Hamilton, Ohio . November 6, 1893. p. 3. RetrievedMarch 20, 2023 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Oxford Boys—Were Not in it—The Cincinnati University Eleven Win the Honors" .Hamilton Daily Democrat .Hamilton, Ohio . October 22, 1894. p. 4. RetrievedMarch 21, 2023 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Around The Ends" .The Kentucky Post .Covington, Kentucky . November 15, 1895. p. 4. RetrievedMarch 21, 2023 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Stone—Were the U. C. Boys at Oxford" .The Cincinnati Post .Cincinnati, Ohio . October 10, 1898. p. 2. RetrievedMarch 9, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Miami Game by Game Results" .CFBDataWarehouse.com . Archived fromthe original on July 24, 2014.^ "Brilliant—Victory For U. C. Marked the Opening of the Football Season" .The Cincinnati Enquirer .Cincinnati, Ohio . October 8, 1899. p. 6. RetrievedMarch 20, 2023 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Miami Beaten By The U. Of C." The Daily Republican-News .Hamilton, Ohio . October 9, 1899. p. 8. RetrievedMarch 20, 2023 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Vanderbilt 12, Miami 0" .The Courier-Journal . October 15, 1899. RetrievedApril 20, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "State College 18, Miami 5" .The Courier-Journal . October 19, 1899. RetrievedApril 28, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .
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