The Princeton Tigers football program represents Princeton University and competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as a member of the Ivy League. Princeton's football program—along with the football program at nearby Rutgers University—began in 1869 with a contest that is often regarded as the beginnings of American football.
The 1869 Princeton Tigers football team represented the College of New Jersey, more commonly known as Princeton College, in the 1869 college football season. The team finished with a 1–1 record and was retroactively named national champions by the Billingsley Report and National Championship Foundation, and as the co-national champions by Parke H. Davis. Princeton's first captain was William S. Gummere, who was 17 during the season.
The 1872 Princeton Tigers football team represented the College of New Jersey, then more commonly known as Princeton College, in the 1872 college football season. The team finished with a 1–0 record and was retroactively named the national champion by the Billingsley Report and National Championship Foundation and as the national co-champion by Parke H. Davis. Princeton played Rutgers once, winning 4 goals to 1. David T. Marvel was the team captain.
The 1870 Princeton Tigers football team represented the College of New Jersey, then more commonly known as Princeton College, in the 1870 college football season. The team finished with a 1–0 record and was retroactively named the national champion by the Billingsley Report, National Championship Foundation, and Parke H. Davis. The Tigers played Rutgers one time and won 6–2. Alexander Van Rensselaer was the team's captain.
The 1873 Princeton Tigers football team represented the College of New Jersey, then more commonly known as Princeton College, in the 1873 college football season. The team played Yale for the first time and won 3–0, finished with a 1–0 record, and was retroactively named national champion by the Billingsley Report, National Championship Foundation, and Parke H. Davis. The team captain was Cyrus O. Dershimer.
The 1874 Princeton Tigers football team represented the College of New Jersey, then more commonly known as Princeton College, in the 1874 college football season. The team beat Columbia and Rutgers by identical 6–0 scores, finished with a 2–0 record, and was retroactively named national champion by the Billingsley Report and as co-national champion by Parke H. Davis. Isaac H. Lionberger was the team's captain.
The 1884 Princeton Tigers football team represented the College of New Jersey, then more commonly known as Princeton College, in the 1884 college football season. The Tigers finished with a 9–0–1 record and were retroactively named national champions by the Billingsley Report and co-champions by Parke H. Davis. This season marked Princeton's 12th football national championship. Clinton N. Bird was the team captain.
The 1885 Princeton Tigers football team represented the College of New Jersey, then more commonly known as Princeton College, in the 1885 college football season. The team finished with a 9–0 record and was retroactively named as national champions by the Billingsley Report, Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System, National Championship Foundation, and Parke H. Davis. This season marked Princeton's 13th football national championship.
The 1927 Princeton Tigers football team represented Princeton University in the 1927 college football season. The team finished with a 6–1 record under 14th-year head coach Bill Roper. The Tigers outscored opponents by a combined total of 151 to 31, and their sole loss was in the final game of the season by a 14–6 score against Yale. No Princeton were selected as first-team honorees on the 1927 College Football All-America Team.
The 1926 Princeton Tigers football team represented Princeton University in the 1926 college football season. The team finished with a 5–1–1 record under 13th-year head coach Bill Roper. The Tigers' sole loss of the season was to Navy by a 27–13 score. No Princeton players were selected as first-team honorees on the 1926 College Football All-America Team.
The 1923 Princeton Tigers football team represented Princeton University in the 1923 college football season. The team finished with a 3–3–1 record under 10th-year head coach Bill Roper. No Princeton players were first-team honorees on the 1923 College Football All-America Team.
The 1914 Princeton Tigers football team represented Princeton University in the 1914 college football season. The team finished with a 5–2–1 record under first-year head coach Wilder Penfield. Princeton tackle Harold Ballin was selected as a consensus first-team honoree on the 1914 College Football All-America Team. This would be Penfield's only season as head coach of the Tigers; he became a neurosurgeon later in life.
The 1913 Princeton Tigers football team represented Princeton University in the 1913 college football season. The team finished with a 5–2–1 record under first-year head coach Walter G. Andrews. Princeton tackle Harold Ballin was selected as a consensus first-team honoree on the 1913 College Football All-America Team.
The 1912 Princeton Tigers football team represented Princeton University in the 1912 college football season. The team finished with a 7–1–1 record under first-year head coach Walter G. Andrews, outscoring opponents by a total of 322 to 35 with the sole loss being to Harvard by 16–6 score. Princeton W. John Logan was selected as a consensus first-team honoree on the 1912 College Football All-America Team, and five other players were selected as first-team honorees by at least one selector.
The 1909 Princeton Tigers football team represented Princeton University in the 1909 college football season. The team finished with a 6–2–1 record under first-year head coach Jim McCormick. No Princeton players were selected as first-team honorees on the 1909 College Football All-America Team.
The 1897 Princeton Tigers football team represented Princeton University in the 1897 college football season. The team finished with a 10–1 record. The Tigers won their first ten games by a combined score of 339 to 0, but then lost the last game of the season by a 6–0 score against Yale. Two Princeton players, halfback Addison Kelly and end Garrett Cochran, were consensus first-team honorees on the 1897 College Football All-America Team.
The Princeton–Rutgers rivalry is a college rivalry in athletics between the Tigers of Princeton University and Scarlet Knights of Rutgers University – New Brunswick, both of which are located in New Jersey. The rivalry dates back to the first college football game in history in 1869. Although the football series ended in 1980 due to the two schools going in different directions with their football programs, the rivalry has continued in other sports, primarily in men's basketball.
The 1943 Princeton Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Princeton University as an independent during the 1943 college football season. In their first season under head coach Harry Mahnken, the Tigers compiled a 1–6 record and were outscored by a total of 226 to 96. Wayne Harding was Princeton's team captain.
The 1956 Princeton Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Princeton University as a member of the Ivy League during the 1956 NCAA University Division football season.
The 2021 Princeton Tigers football team represented Princeton University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Ivy League. The team was led by 11th-year head coach Bob Surace and played its home games at Powers Field at Princeton Stadium. Princeton averaged 7,018 fans per game.
