British Collegiate American Football League

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The British Collegiate American Football League (BCAFL) was an American football league consisting of players from various colleges and universities in the United Kingdom.

Contents

In 2007 it was succeeded by the British Universities American Football League.

The league officially began in the 1985–1986 season with 4 teams, with founder members Newcastle Skolars, led by Mike Rea, and Hull University, and celebrated its 20th anniversary with 37 teams competing the 2005–2006 campaign. The final season was contested by 39 teams, with some teams consisting of players from more than one institution.

Throughout its existence, BCAFL was plagued by the fact that some of its teams played at a vastly higher skill level than others. During its final years the British Student American Football Association (BSAFA), who was responsible for the operations of BCAFL, made great strides towards competitive balance; increasing the skill level on the field and expanding the game throughout the UK. However, after extended public disagreements with the policies of the governing body of the British American Football Association (BAFA), the BAFA dissolved the BSAFA with all the teams being forced to transfer to the new British university American Football League (BUAFL).

Rules

BCAFL largely followed the rules of American college football (though there were restrictions on the number of North American players allowed on the field at any one time). As opposed to the conference and "bowl game" set-up used in American college football BCAFL divided itself into two conferences and used a season-ending playoff system, similar to the NFL (however, below the Bowl Subdivision of Division I, the NCAA uses a season-ending playoff system to crown national champions). At the end of an 8-game regular season, 16 teams would advance to the playoffs (the playoffs expanded from 12 to 16 teams in the 2004–2005 season), with the 4 division champions and 4 "wild card" teams from each conference participating. The playoffs culminated with a championship game, called the "College Bowl" which features the champions of the Northern and Southern Conferences.

Teams

Full Member records

Teams are listed within their divisions, with their all-time regular season record listed (records include ONLY official BCAFL regular season games through the 2006–07 season, as recorded in the BCAFL official all-time records).

TeamConferenceDivisionWLTWinning Pct.Division Champ.Conference Champ.BCAFL Champ.
Caledonian RoughridersNorthernScottish10211.328000
Edinburgh TimberwolvesNorthernScottish10140.417000
Glasgow TigersNorthernScottish925513.616931
Paisley PyrosNorthernScottish20606.267000
Stirling ClansmenNorthernScottish677015.484511
Leeds CelticsNorthernEastern972610.767731
Newcastle RaidersNorthernEastern65808.451110
Sunderland KingsNorthernEastern19725.224000
UT CougarsNorthernEastern747613.494632
UCH SharksNorthernWestern787213.518534
Lancaster BombersNorthernWestern62597.512200
Lincoln ColonialsNorthernWestern071.063000
Sheffield SabresNorthernWestern466210.432100
Sheffield Hallam WarriorsNorthernWestern13163.453100
Derby BravesNorthernCentral31523.378000
UEA PiratesNorthernCentral77755.506210
Leicester LonghornsNorthernCentral67879.439120
Loughborough AcesNorthernCentral121272.8131263
Nottingham OutlawsNorthernCentral44431.506100
Tarannau AberystwythSouthernCentral52644.450310
Birmingham LionsSouthernCentral934110.681721
Oxford CavaliersSouthernCentral65585.527421
Staffordshire StallionsSouthernCentral634710.567310
Warwick WolvesSouthernCentral52819.398100
ARU PhantomsSouthernEastern2300.063000
Essex BladesSouthernEastern19253.436100
Greenwich MarinersSouthernEastern13100.565100
Hertfordshire HurricanesSouthernEastern72266.721754
Kent FalconsSouthernEastern29600.326000
Royal Holloway VikingsSouthernEastern4120.250000
Bath Killer BeesSouthernWestern614811.554300
Bristol BulletsSouthernWestern466113.438211
Cardiff CobrasSouthernWestern1034114.6961121
Plymouth BlitzSouthernWestern14322.313000
Brighton TsunamiSouthernSouthern14162.469000
Portsmouth DestroyersSouthernSouthern161.188000
Reading KnightsSouthernSouthern271218.199000
Southampton StagsSouthernSouthern894411.656533
Surrey StingersSouthernSouthern50495.505200

Associate members

Defunct Teams

BCAFL/College Bowl History

2006–07 season

Regular season

NC-Scottish
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Glasgow Tigers530.625174122
Caledonian Roughriders431.5636788
Edinburgh Timberwolves350.3759964
Stirling Clansmen152.250173
Paisley Pyros071.06326173
NC-Eastern
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-UT Cougars611.81327791
x-Newcastle Raiders620.750189119
x-Leeds Celtics620.75029996
Sunderland Kings350.37553179
NC-Western
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Sheffield Sabres611.81313718
x-Sheffield Hallam Warriors422.6257543
x-Lancaster Bombers431.56384135
UCH Sharks152.25036127
Lincoln Colonials071.0636172
NC-Central
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Loughborough Aces701.93815592
Derby Braves332.50074113
UEA Pirates251.3138299
Nottingham Outlaws161.18887161
Leicester Longhorns161.18835157
SC-Central
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Birmingham Lions521.688124103
Staffordshire Stallions431.5639989
Tarannau Aberystwyth440.500112102
Warwick Wolves341.43812675
Oxford Cavaliers341.43852121
SC-Eastern
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Essex Blades8001.00024533
x-Hertfordshire Hurricanes530.62527590
Greenwich Mariners440.500166130
Kent Falcons440.500106134
Royal Holloway Vikings260.250105272
ARU Phantoms170.12562257
SC-Western
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Bath Killer Bees512.75015590
x-Cardiff Cobras521.68811380
x-Bristol Bullets422.62519289
Plymouth Blitz242.37548128
SC-Southern
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Southampton Stags701.93827946
x-Brighton Tsunami431.56312695
Surrey Stingers350.375105174
Reading Knights350.37582120
Portsmouth Destroyers161.18834214
  • y – Clinched Division Title
  • x – Clinched Playoff Berth

Playoffs

Wild Card Round Divisional Round Conference Championships College Bowl XXI
            
1 Loughborough Aces45
8 Lancaster Bombers 0
1 Loughborough Aces16
6 Leeds Celtics 0
3 Sheffield Sabres 0
6 Leeds Celtics13
1 Loughborough Aces23
Northern Conference
2 UT Cougars 18
2 UT Cougars26
7 Sheffield Hallam Warriors 12
2 UT Cougars26
5 Newcastle Raiders 20
4 Glasgow Tigers 12
5 Newcastle Raiders28
N1 Loughborough Aces 14
S6 Bristol Bullets31
1 Essex Blades21
8 Brighton Tsunami 6
1 Essex Blades 6
6 Bristol Bullets43
3 Bath Killer Bees 10
6 Bristol Bullets30
6 Bristol Bullets21
Southern Conference
4 Birmingham Lions 14
2 Southampton Stags25
7 Hertfordshire Hurricanes 22
2 Southampton Stags 6
4 Birmingham Lions13
4 Birmingham Lions20
5 Cardiff Cobras 7

All-star game

Each season BCAFL held an All-Star game between the Northern Conference Cougars and the Southern Conference Wildcats. Trials for these All-Star teams are open to all players in the league. Along with the accolades of competing for their conference, All-Star players are also eligible to try out for the Great Britain Bulldogs, a national college team that competes with North American and other European American football national teams.

Related Research Articles

The 1986–87 BCAFL was the 2nd full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1987–88 BCAFL was the third full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1988–89 BCAFL was the fourth full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1989–90 BCAFL was the fifth full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1990–91 BCAFL was the sixth full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1991–92 BCAFL was the seventh full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1992–93 BCAFL was the eighth full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1993–94 British Collegiate American Football League season was the ninth full season of the BCAFL, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1994–95 BCAFL was the 10th full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1995–96 British Collegiate American Football League season was the 11th full season of the BCAFL, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1996–97 BCAFL was the 12th full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1997–98 British Collegiate American Football League season was the 13th full season of the BCAFL, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1998–99 British Collegiate American Football League season was the 14th full season of the BCAFL, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 1999–2000 BCAFL was the 15th full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 2000–01 British Collegiate American Football League season was the 16th full season of the BCAFL, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 2001–02 BCAFL was the 17th full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 2002–03 British Collegiate American Football League season was the 18th full season of the BCAFL, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 2003–04 BCAFL was the 19th full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 2004–05 BCAFL was the 20th full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

The 2005–06 British Collegiate American Football League season was the 21st full season of the BCAFL, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

References