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1830
First archival records of a on-campus game called "football", although it appears to be closer to soccer or rugby that the present game of today.
1874
Students form the Georgetown University Football Association to develop an intercollegiate program. Unfortunately, with no opponents playing the game within 150 miles, the sport is confined to the intramural ranks.
1881
Georgetown schedules its first extramural game versus Alexandria (VA) HS. The high school team fails to show, the the game is deemed a forfeit.
1883
Two games are cited by the Georgetown College Journal between Georgetown and a team from "The House". This contest is cited by Gallaudet University as their first two games. The games are not presently recognized as an official game in Georgetown's records.
1884
A citation by the Washington Post claims that a football team from Georgetown traveled to play St. John's College of Annapolis, but this claim has not been verified.
1887
Georgetown plays its first official game against outside competition, defeating Emerson Institute 46-6. Home games are played on Varsity Field, the 5,000 seat baseball field that is now the site of Copley Lawn, but are soon moved off-campus to meet local demand.
1889
Georgetown plays its first official intercollegiate game, against Virginia. Georgetown records list the score as Georgetown 34-0, while Virginia records claim their side prevailed, 32-0.
1893
The first recorded accounts of the "Hoya Saxa" yell appear in newspaper accounts of games against North Carolina and Swarthmore.
1894
Georgetown captain George "Shorty" Bahen (C'1895) is killed following an injury suffered in a game against the Columbia Athletic Club. The sport is suspended at Georgetown for three years; as a result, Georgetown no longer schedules semi-pro competition.
1900
The first great two-sport star at the University, running back Arthur Devlin (C'1901) is snubbed for Walter Camp's All-America team because Camp's selections are restricted only to men from Harvard, Yale, or Princeton. After Georgetown, Devlin stars as a third baseman for John McGraw's New York Giants.
1913
Harry Costello (C'1914) completes a three year record of 22-3-2 (.851) at quarterback. Though weighing only 138 lbs, the "quadruple threat" (passer, rusher, punter, and drop-kicker) is acknowledged by legendary coach Pop Warner as "for his [size], one of the greatest players that ever lived.".
The popular but acrimonious Georgetown-Virginia series is cancelled amidst cries of unfair recruiting. The two schools never meet again in football.
1916
Georgetown's 1916 team (9-1) leads the nation in scoring with nearly 50 points per game. Running back Johnny Gilroy (D'1919) leads the nation in scoring and is second in rushing, earning All-America honors. Wide receiver Tommy Whelan (C'1917) leads the nation in pass receiving.
1921
Games are moved to 35,000 seat Griffith Stadium, home of the Washington Senators. Plans are announced to raise money for a 25,000 seat "Memorial Stadium" on campus on the site of the present-day business school.
Punter Jack Flavin (xC'1923) sets a collegiate record which stands to this day--a 99 yard punt (end zone to end zone) against Holy Cross.
1924
Former Pennsylvania All-American Luigi Piccolo (aka Lou Little) becomes Georgetown's head coach and first athletic director. Of Little's 41 wins at the Hilltop from 1924 to 1929, 31 are shutouts.
1925
The 9-1 Hoyas shut out seven opponents and surrender only one touchdown all season.
1926
Following upsets over Syracuse and Fordham, Georgetown guard Harry Connaughton (C'1927) is selected a consensus All-American. At 6-4, 270 pounds, Connaughton is the largest player selected that year.
1928
The football team, then known as the Hilltoppers, is first called the "Hoyas" prior to a game with Fordham.
1929
The Georgetown-NYU game at Yankee Stadium draws 50,000, a school record.
1930
With a six year record of 41-12-3, Coach Little is hired away by Columbia for $18,000 a year. Plans for Little's 30,000 seat "Memorial Stadium" and a 7,500 seat Palestra-style gymnasium are shelved.
1931
Assistant football coach Frank Leahy leaves Georgetown en route to a legendary career with Boston College and Notre Dame. Following the departure of Little and of basketball coach Elmer Ripley to Yale two years earlier, Georgetown loses three Hall of Fame coaches in less than three years.
In a unique event, the University of Alabama schedules post-season exhibitions with Georgetown and two local D.C. schools to raise funds for Depression-era relief services.
1932
After head coach Tommy Mills abruptly quits halfway during the 1932 season, New York Giants lineman Jack Hagerty (C'1926) retires from the NFL to become head football coach. Hagerty will coach the Hoyas through the 1948 season and serve as Georgetown's athletic director through 1969.
1938
The Hoyas complete their only unbeaten, untied season (8-0), with five shutouts.
1939
The Hoyas complete a second unbeaten season, with a 13-13 tie to Syracuse its only blemish. Despite a 15-0-1 record over two years, Georgetown receives no post-season bowl invitation.
1940
The greatest season in Georgetown football history. Winning their first eight games by an average margin of 32 points, Georgetown takes a 23 game unbeaten streak and a #11 national ranking into Boston to meet Frank Leahy's undefeated #5 ranked Boston College team. BC prevails in a thriller, 19-18, before 34,000 at Fenway Park.
Georgetown falls to Mississippi State 14-7 in the 1941 Orange Bowl. Ten members of this Georgetown team would go on to play in the NFL.
1943
Varsity play is suspended for three years due to World War II.
1945
Al Blozis, the greatest lineman in Georgetown football history, is killed in battle during the last months of World War II.
1949
Georgetown is invited to the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, falling to Texas Western (now Texas-El Paso) 33-20 on New Year's Day, 1950.
1951
With crushing losses to Penn State, Miami, and Maryland, home attendance slumps below 6,000 a game. Citing a $100,000 shortfall from ticket sales, Georgetown drops the sport and cuts 81 football scholarships. Class intramurals are the only gridiron play at the University for the next thirteen years.
1963
A student drive to reinstate football at a non-scholarship level is approved by a reluctant University administration, which sanctions a game on November 23, 1963 against Frostburg (Md.) State Teachers College. The game is cancelled in the wake of the death of President John Kennedy and the two teams never meet.
1964
Georgetown returns to intercollegiate football with a 28-6 win over NYU before an overflow crowd of over 8,000 at Kehoe Field, the school's track facility. The game begins the "club football" era at Georgetown.
1966
A student boycott of classes is averted as the University sanctions a game against cross town rival Catholic University, opening the way for an expansion of the schedule. (Georgetown wins the game, 50-13.)
1970
The football team rejoins the NCAA at the College Division (Division II) level. The Hoyas win 12 of its first 16 games under new head coach Scotty Glacken, a former all-ACC QB at Duke and a former member of the Denver Broncos. Glacken will coach the Hoyas 23 seasons, the longest tenure of any Georgetown football coach.
1972
The NCAA's College Division is subdivided, and Georgetown is reassigned into Division III the following year.
1978
Leading the nation in scoring offense, Georgetown finishes one point short of an undefeated season following a 33-32 loss to St. John's.
1979
Kehoe Field is rebuilt on the roof of the subterranean Yates Field House, and given an artificial turf surface.
1984
The Hoyas suffer its worst season to date, losing seven games. A winless record is averted in the record books after a 56-6 loss to Catholic University is ruled by Georgetown a forfeit after Catholic was found to be using an ineligible player.
1991
Wide Receiver Chris Murphy (B'1993) earns consensus All-America honors. Quarterback Aley Demarest breaks numerous Georgetown records after only two seasons, but transfers to play quarterback at Tulane.
1993
Georgetown upgrades its football program to Division I-AA, and joins the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) for football. GU hires Bob Benson as its new coach. Games against Division III opposition are phased out over the next three years.
1995
The Hoyas finish their third season in Division I-AA with the #1 ranked total defense in the subdivision.
1996
A 7-3 record gives the Hoyas its most wins in a season since 1978, and only the second seven win season since 1940. Georgetown retains its title as the #1 defense in Division I-AA.
1997
Georgetown wins the MAAC Football League title with an undefeated 7-0 record and an 8-2 season overall, the most wins by a Georgetown team since 1940. The Hoyas are invited to the 1997 ECAC Bowl, its first post-season game since 1950. The Hoyas fall to Robert Morris, the Northeast Conference champions, 35-13.
2000
Following consecutive 9-2 seasons, Georgetown is invited to join the Patriot League in football, effective in the 2001 season.
2003
In honor of the late Joe Eacobacci (C'1996), the school awards the #35 jersey to its top returning player.
Georgetown defeats Cornell 42-20, its first Ivy League opponent since 1937.
2005
Georgetown begins construction of a 4,500 seat "Multi-Sport Facility", a proposed double-decked home field in the center of campus. Fundraising is halted soon thereafter and with only 2,500 temporary seats in place, awaits additional development.
2006
Kevin Kelly, a former assistant at Tulane, Syracuse, Marshall, and Navy, is named head coach.
2008
A modern attendance record is set when a sold out crowd of 19,782 watches Old Dominion defeat Georgetown, 31-10, in Norfolk, VA.
Georgetown suffers its first winless season in school history, finishing 0-11.
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