The Bucknell football team was established in 1883 after a group of students from
Lafayette College journeyed west to play a group of students from the University at Lewisburg, as Bucknell University was then called. The Lewisburg students lost the game, 59–0, and did not play another game until 1887. In 1918, Bucknell had its first of its three undefeated seasons. On October 10, 1925, Bucknell played
George Washington at home on the day that
Christy Mathewson was buried in
Lewisburg. In his honor, there was no cheering in the first quarter. In 1931
Clarke Hinkle led Bucknell to a 6–0–3 record.[2] In 1960, the team won its first
Lambert Cup. In 1989, the newly renovated
Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium was renamed in Mathewson's honor. In 1996, Bucknell won its first conference championship. Bucknell football celebrated its seventh-straight winning season in 2001.