New information extends Monmouth-Knox Gridiron Rivalry

Release Date: November 4, 2002

MONMOUTH, Ill. — When Monmouth College defeated Knox College 36-3 last fall in Galesburg, it was thought that the victory gave the Fighting Scots a 52-50-10 lead in their all-time series with
the Prairie Fire.

But thanks to research organized by Rich Topp of suburban Chicago and Dan Newton of Cupertino, Calif., a new game, as well as a new result, have been uncovered in the century-old
rivalry. The new game, in fact, pre-dates what was thought to be the first contest between the schools.

For the past 10 years, Topp and Newton have been busy compiling a college football encyclopedia that will include every football game ever played by 1,021 four-year institutions, including “active, inactive and defunct” schools, said Topp, who added, “By the time we’re finished, the encyclopedia will include over 300,000 games.” The history starts with a meeting between Princeton and Rutgers on Nov. 6, 1869 in New Brunswick, N.J.

The storied rivalry between Monmouth and Knox was thought to have started in 1891, when the schools met in football as part of a full slate of athletic and oratorical competitions also involving Illinois College. However, Topp learned that on Oct. 20, 1888, Knox defeated Monmouth 15-0. His source was the November 1888 issue of Knox’s student newspaper.

Additional research by Topp, which was confirmed either through Chicago area newspapers or the Knox College archives, changed the outcome of one of the meetings in 1894. Knox had previously
been credited with a 6-0 win, but it was learned that Monmouth actually won the game by a 6-0 score.

Leading 4-0 right around halftime – a touchdown was worth four points in that era – Monmouth players left the field, being told by the referee that the half was over. However, another official
ruled there was still time on the clock and, playing against no defense, Knox scored a touchdown and the ensuing two-point conversion. When Monmouth learned of the ruling and wasn’t able to reverse it, the team left the venue in protest, ending the game.

Knox credited itself with a 6-0 forfeit win, although Topp’s research suggests that Monmouth was eventually awarded the forfeit win, perhaps because of the unfairness of the decision to allow Knox’s score to stand.

Using Topp’s data, Knox picks up a win in the series (1888) and Monmouth gets a win while taking one away from Knox (1894). Thus, the new total for the rivalry stands at 53 victories by
Monmouth, 50 by Knox and 10 ties.

With 113 meetings, rather than 112, the Monmouth-Knox “Bronze Turkey” rivalry moves up a notch in the national rankings. Previously known as the seventh-most-played rivalry in college
football, it has now moved up to sixth, trailing Lafayette-Lehigh (137), Yale-Princeton (124), Yale-Harvard (118), Williams-Amherst (116) and Albion-Kalamazoo (115).

Topp’s research has also changed Monmouth’s all-time record, adding a win and a tie overall. Believed to be 441-432-39 entering the 2002 season, the mark has now been adjusted to 442-432-40.

Other Monmouth trivia that Topp uncovered changes the record book yet again. The University of Chicago, led by its legendary coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg, played Monmouth early in the 20th century in a previously forgotten meeting, and Monmouth football fans probably wish it had stayed that way.

On Sept. 30, 1903, in MC’s season opener, Chicago pounded Monmouth 108-0. That margin doubles what was previously thought to be the record for the worst loss by a Monmouth team, a 53-0 setback to Ripon in 1958.

Fortunately, Monmouth is not alone on the list of soundly-defeated Chicago opponents. In fact, MC is not even listed first in Chicago’s record book. In 1919, Stagg’s team thrashed Great Lakes 123-0. In all, Monmouth was outscored 332-6 in eight losses to teams coached by Stagg, who was 242-112-27 in his Chicago career.

Speaking of the University of Chicago, Topp says the team was orginally called the Yellow Stockings and had school colors of goldenrod and white. Stagg thought the uniforms were too
effeminate, and the team became the Maroons, which is how they’re still known today.

Topp and Newton have made many other fascinating discoveries in their research, including the first forward pass. It was thrown on Oct. 2, 1906, but not at the Wesleyan-Yale game as widely
believed. Rather, two hours earlier in Waukesha, Wis., St. Louis University tried a forward pass during its 22-0 win over Carroll College. Also, under the unassuming name of T.W. Wilson, Woodrow Wilson coached Wesleyan College’s team in the 1880s, a quarter-century before becoming the nation’s 28th president.

“I love the small colleges,” concluded Topp, who can often be found at Division III games around the Chicago area on Saturday afternoons in autumn. “Those are your pure athletes.”