Olivet football, 1884–1899

The Olivet football teams (later known as the Olvet Comets) represented Olivet College in American football during the program's first two decades from 1884 to 1899. Highlights include the following:

• In 1884, Olivet began its intercollegiate football program, losing two games to Albion College.
• In 1891, Olivet won its first football games, defeating Albion by a 30–21 and Michigan Agricultural by scores of 78–0 and 70–0.
• In 1894, Olivet compiled a perfect season with a 4–0 record and a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) championship.

1884

1884 Olivet football
Conference	Independent
Record	0–2
Head coach	None
Seasons 1890  →

1884 college football records

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Princeton			–					9	–	0	–	1
Yale			–					8	–	0	–	1
Michigan			–					2	–	0	–	0
Williams			–					2	–	0	–	0
Navy			–					1	–	0	–	0
Wabash			–					1	–	0	–	0
Penn			–					5	–	1	–	1
Fordham			–					5	–	1	–	0
Harvard			–					7	–	4	–	0
Wesleyan			–					3	–	2	–	0
Butler			–					1	–	1	–	0
Columbia			–					1	–	1	–	0
Rutgers			–					3	–	4	–	0
Stevens			–					4	–	5	–	0
Dartmouth			–					1	–	2	–	1
Tufts			–					2	–	4	–	1
Massachusetts			–					1	–	2	–	0
Lafayette			–					2	–	5	–	0
Johns Hopkins			–					1	–	3	–	0
Albion			–					0	–	1	–	0
CCNY			–					0	–	1	–	0
Denver			–					0	–	1	–	0
DePauw			–					0	–	1	–	0
Olivet			–					0	–	2	–	0
Amherst			–					0	–	3	–	0
Lehigh			–					0	–	4	–	0

The 1884 Olivet football team represented Olivet College during the 1884 college football season. In Olivet's first year fielding a varsity football team, the Comets compiled a 0–2 record, both games against Albion, and were outscored by a total of 20 to 7.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result
	Albion		L 2–10
May 10	Albion		L 5–10

^[1]

1890

1890 Olivet football
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	0–1 (0–1 MIAA)
Seasons ←  1884 1891  →

The 1890 Olivet football team represented Olivet College during the 1890 college football season. In Olivet's second year fielding a varsity football team, the team compiled a 0–1 record, losing to Albion by a 32–12 score.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
November 15	Albion	Olivet, MI	L 12–32	[2]

^[1]

1891

1891 Olivet football
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	3–2 (1–1 MIAA)
Seasons ←  1890 1892  →

The 1891 Olivet football team represented Olivet College during the 1891 college football season. The team compiled a 3–2 record.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
	Albion		W 30–21
	Michigan Agricultural		W 78–0
	Michigan Agricultural		W 70–0
October 19	Michigan	Ann Arbor Fairgrounds Ann Arbor, MI	L 6–18		[3]
October 31	vs. Albion	Trotting Association grounds Battle Creek, MI	L 6–24	3,000–5,000	[4]

^[1]

1892

1892 Olivet football
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	2–1 (0–1 MIAA)
Seasons ←  1891 1893  →

The 1892 Olivet football team team that represented Olivet College during the 1892 college football season. The team compiled an overall record of 2–1.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 24	Kalamazoo *	Olivet, MI	W 20–4	[5] [6]
November 3	at Kalamazoo*	Fair grounds Kalamazoo, MI	W 12–4	[7]
November 7	Hillsdale	Charlotte, MI	L 12–14	[8]
*Non-conference game

^[1]

1893

1893 Olivet football
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	1–1 (0–1 MIAA)
Seasons ←  1892 1894  →

The 1893 Olivet football team represented Olivet College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1893 college football season. The team compiled an overall record of 1–1.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 2	at Kalamazoo *	Kalamazoo, MI	W 26–6	[9]
November 4	Albion	Olivet, MI	L 16–42	[10]
*Non-conference game

^[1]

1894

1894 Olivet football
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	1–3 (1–2 MIAA)
Seasons ←  1893 1895  →

1894 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Albion $	3	–	0	–	0			5	–	1	–	1
Hillsdale	1	–	2	–	0			3	–	3	–	0
Olivet	1	–	2	–	0			1	–	3	–	0
Michigan State Normal	0	–	1	–	0			5	–	2	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The 1894 Olivet football team represented Olivet College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1894 college football season. The team compiled a 1–3 record (1–2 in conference games).

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 6	Michigan State Normal	Olivet, MI	W 48–0
October 17	at Michigan *	Regents Field Ann Arbor, MI	L 0–48	[11]
October 22	at Hillsdale	Hillsdale, MI	L 6–34	[12]
November 5	at Albion	Albion, MI	L 0–18	[13]
November 10	at Kalamazoo *	Lake View Park Kalamazoo, MI	Cancelled	[14] [15]
*Non-conference game

^[1]

1895

1895 Olivet football
MIAA champion
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	4–0 (1–0 MIAA)
Seasons ←  1894 1896  →

The 1895 Olivet football team represented Olivet College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1895 college football season. The team compiled a 4–0 record (1–0 in conference games), outscored opponents by a total of 117 to 2, and won the MIAA championship.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 3	Kalamazoo *	Olivet, MI	W 38–0	[16]
October 28	Lansing*		W 26–0	[17]
November 4	Adrian *		W 32–0
November 16	Albion	Olivet, MI	W 22–2	[18]
*Non-conference game

^[1]

1896

1896 Olivet football
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	1–1 (0–0 MIAA)
Seasons ←  1895 1897  →

The 1896 Olivet football team represented Olivet College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1896 college football season. The team compiled an overall record of 1–1.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
	Lansing Athletic Club*		W 22–6
October 24	at Detroit Athletic Club *	Detroit, MI	L 4–24	600	[19]
*Non-conference game

^[1]

1897

1897 Olivet football
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	1–5–1 (1–4 MIAA)
Seasons ←  1896 1898  →

The 1897 Olivet football team represented Olivet College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1897 college football season. The team compiled a 1–5–1 record (1–4 in conference games).

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 2	at Michigan Agricultural *	Lansing, MI	L 6–26		[20]
October 9	Albion	Olivet, MI	W 28–16		[21]
October 16	Michigan Agricultural*	Olivet, MI	T 18–18		[22]
October 25	at Kalamazoo	Recreation Park Kalamazoo, MI	L 0–60	450	[23]
	Albion		L 0–36
November 6	Kalamazoo	Olivet, MI	L 0–32		[24]
November 29	at Alma	Alma, MI	L 0–16		[25]
*Non-conference game

^[1]

1898

1898 Olivet football
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	0–5 (0–3 MIAA)
Seasons ←  1897 1899  →

1898 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Kalamazoo $	5	–	0	–	0			7	–	0	–	0
Hillsdale	2	–	0	–	0			4	–	1	–	0
Michigan Agricultural	4	–	1	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Michigan State Normal	0	–	3	–	0			1	–	5	–	2
Olivet	0	–	3	–	0			0	–	5	–	0
Albion	0	–	4	–	0			1	–	6	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The 1898 Olivet football team represented Olivet College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1898 college football season. The team compiled an overall record of 0–5 with a mark of 0–3 in conference play.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 15		at Detroit Athletic Club *	Detroit, MI	L 0–25	[26]
October 22	3:30 p.m.	Olivet alumni*	Olivet, MI	L 6–12	[27]
October 24		at Kalamazoo	Kalamazoo, MI	L 0–17	[28] [29]
October 29		Michigan Agricultural	Olivet, MI	L 0–45	[30]
November 19		Kalamazoo	Olivet, MI	L 5–24	[31] [32]
*Non-conference game

^[1]

1899

1899 Olivet football
Conference	Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	4–2 (4–2 MIAA)
Head coach	Carl E. Mapes (1st season)
Seasons ←  1898 1900 →

The 1899 Olivet football team represented Olivet College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 1899 college football season. In its first year under head coach Carl E. Mapes, the team compiled an overall record of 4–2 with all games played against conference opponents.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 14	Albion	Olivet, MI	W 23–11	[33]
October 28	Kalamazoo	Olivet, MI	L 11–12	[34]
	Hillsdale		W 6–0
November 11	at Albion	Albion, MI	L 0–10	[35]
November 18	Hillsdale	Olivet, MI	W 6–0	[36]
November 25	Michigan Agricultural	Olivet, MI	W 18–17	[37]

^[1]

References

1. "FB Record Book; Year-by-year results". University of Olivet . Retrieved March 18, 2025.
2. "Albion vs. Olivet". The Detroit Free Press. November 16, 1890. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Michigan 18, Olivet 6: Our Eleven Improves in Team Work but Is Still Weak at Centre". The U. of M. Daily. October 20, 1891. p. 1 – via Bentley Historical Library.
4. "The Kickers: A Great Game of Foot Ball at Battle Creek". Kalamazoo Gazette. November 6, 1891. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Athletics.—Field Day At Olivet". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. October 25, 1892. p. 8. Retrieved March 21, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
6. "Downed at Foot Ball: Kalamazoo College Boys Badley Defeated by Olivet". Kalamazoo Gazette. October 26, 1892. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Crossed Legs: Referee Marsh Makes a Fatal Mistake for the Home Team". Kalamazoo Gazette. November 4, 1892. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Olivet College". The Inter Ocean. November 12, 1892. p. 12. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
9. "Olivet 26; Kalamazoo, 6". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. October 3, 1893. p. 8. Retrieved March 21, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
10. "Albion Surprised Olivet". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. November 5, 1893. p. 6. Retrieved March 21, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
11. "Michigan Game by Game against Opponents". October 23, 2011. Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
12. "Student Has His Nose Broken". Detroit Free Press. October 23, 1894. p. 2. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
13. "Olivet Failed to Score at Albion". Detroit Free Press. November 6, 1894. p. 2. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
14. "Jottings". Kalamazoo Gazette . Kalamazoo, Michigan. November 1, 1894. p. 5. Retrieved March 21, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
15. "Jottings". Kalamazoo Gazette . Kalamazoo, Michigan. November 10, 1894. p. 5. Retrieved March 21, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
16. "Downed by Olivet: The Kalamazoo College Football Team Defeated". Kalamazoo Gazette. October 4, 1895. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Lansing, of Course". The State Republican. October 29, 1895. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Albion Defeated by Olivet". The Detroit Free Press. November 17, 1895. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "Deltas Played Well: The Local Team Won an Interesting Contest; Defeating Olivet College by a Score of 24 to 4". The Detroit Free Press. October 25, 1896. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "M.A.C. Team Too Much For the Olivet Boys". The State Republican. October 4, 1897. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "Olivet, 28; Albion, 16". The Detroit Free Press. October 10, 1897. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "Olivet and M.A.C. Tied". Detroit Free Press. October 17, 1897. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
23. "Olivet Shut Out: Kalamazoo College Won at Football -- 60 to 0". Kalamazoo Gazette. October 26, 1897. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Kalamazoo Not Beaten: Olivet Goes Way of Others Who Strike Kazoos". The Detroit Free Press. November 7, 1897. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "Alma". The Saginaw Evening News. November 30, 1897. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
26. "Deltas' Colors on Top: Regular D.A.C. Eleven Had It Easy With Olivet College". The Detroit Free Press. October 16, 1898. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
27. "Olivet Downed by the Alumni". The Detroit Free Press. October 23, 1898. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
28. "The Old Time Pace: Kalamazoo and Olivet Have a Hard Contest; Kalamazoo is Somewhat Crippled but Still in the Business and won". The Kalamazoo Gazette. October 25, 1898. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
29. "Olivet Could Not Score at Kalamazoo". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. October 25, 1898. p. 6. Retrieved March 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
30. "Olivet Not in the Game". Detroit Free Press. October 30, 1898. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
31. "'Twas Kazoo Day—College Defeated Olivet Easily". Kalamazoo Gazette . Kalamazoo, Michigan. November 20, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved March 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
32. "Sizes Them Up—Coaches Charles C. Hall Gives His Views". Kalamazoo Gazette . Kalamazoo, Michigan. November 22, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved March 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
33. "Olivet Finally Won From Albion". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. October 15, 1899. p. 8. Retrieved March 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
34. "Missing a Goal Lost This One". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. October 29, 1899. p. 8. Retrieved March 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
35. "All Enthusiastic at Albion". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. November 12, 1899. p. 7. Retrieved March 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com .
36. "Hillsdale Lost the Game in First Half". The Detroit Free Press. November 19, 1899. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
37. "Olivet Beat Farmers by One Point". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. November 26, 1899. p. 8. Retrieved March 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com .