What Is 1918 New Hampshire football team

Content on WhatAnswers is provided "as is" for informational purposes. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees. Content is AI-assisted and should not be used as professional advice.

Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1918 New Hampshire football team represented the University of New Hampshire during the 1918 college football season. Due to World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic, the team played only a limited schedule, finishing with a 2–3 record under head coach William

Key Facts

The 1918 New Hampshire football team had a 2–3 overall record
Head coach William
The team played during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and World War I
New Hampshire played only four games, all against regional opponents
The season was shortened and lacked official conference affiliation

Overview

The 1918 New Hampshire football team represented the University of New Hampshire during the 1918 college football season, a year marked by global upheaval due to World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic. These events severely disrupted collegiate athletics across the United States, leading to shortened seasons, canceled games, and limited travel.

Despite these challenges, New Hampshire managed to field a team and compete in a truncated schedule. The season reflected the broader national struggle to maintain normalcy amid public health and wartime crises, with many colleges suspending or modifying athletic programs.

Record: The 1918 New Hampshire football team finished with a 2–3 overall record, playing just five games during the season.
Coach: William 'Bill' Herman served as head coach, leading the team during a period of significant logistical and health-related constraints.
Schedule disruptions: Several planned games were canceled due to travel restrictions and campus quarantines related to the 1918 flu pandemic.
Opponents: The team played regional schools including Maine, Massachusetts Agricultural College, and local military training camps.
Home games: All known games were held in Durham, New Hampshire, minimizing travel and exposure risks during the pandemic.

How It Works

College football in 1918 operated under extraordinary conditions due to global events. Teams adapted by shortening schedules, avoiding travel, and prioritizing local or military opponents. The structure of competition was informal, with no official national rankings or postseason.

Season Length: Most teams played between two and six games; New Hampshire’s five-game schedule was typical for the year, reflecting wartime and health limitations.
Player Availability: Many college-aged men were enlisted in the military, reducing roster sizes and forcing teams to rely on younger or less experienced players.
Public Health Measures: The Spanish flu led to campus closures and quarantine rules, which directly impacted game scheduling and attendance policies.
Military Teams: Several colleges played against U.S. Army training camp teams, as military units fielded football squads to boost morale.
Game Rules: The forward pass had been legalized in 1906, but strategies were still evolving; the 1918 season saw continued use of running plays and short passes.
Scoring: In 1918, a touchdown was worth five points, and the extra point was worth one, following standard NCAA rules of the era.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 1918 New Hampshire football team with other regional teams and national leaders during the same season.

Team	Record	Head Coach	Key Context
New Hampshire	2–3	William Herman	Shortened season due to flu and war; local opponents only
Maine	3–2	Harold Westervelt	Played similar regional schedule; avoided long-distance travel
Harvard	3–1	Bob Fisher	Played military teams; season cut short by flu outbreak
Pittsburgh	4–1	Pop Warner	Claimed national title; lost only to undefeated Cleveland Naval Reserves
Michigan	5–0	Fielding H. Yost	Undefeated; did not allow a single point all season

While New Hampshire’s record was modest, it mirrored the struggles faced by many small colleges during 1918. The inability to field consistent rosters and the cancellation of games made traditional standings unreliable. Regional play dominated, and national championships were loosely defined.

Why It Matters

The 1918 season is historically significant as a reflection of how global crises can reshape sports and institutional life. It highlights resilience, adaptation, and the role of athletics during national emergencies.

Historical precedent: The 1918 season offers parallels to modern pandemic-related sports disruptions, such as those seen in 2020.
University legacy: New Hampshire’s decision to field a team reinforced institutional continuity during uncertain times.
Military integration: Games against training camps helped strengthen civilian-military ties during World War I.
Public health impact: The flu pandemic led to early forms of sports-related public health policy, including crowd limits and quarantines.
Evolution of college football: The 1918 season contributed to discussions about standardizing schedules and safety protocols in future years.
Archival value: Records from 1918 are sparse, making surviving documents important for understanding early 20th-century college sports.

The 1918 New Hampshire football team may not have achieved national prominence, but its season stands as a testament to perseverance in the face of unprecedented challenges. Its story is a small but meaningful chapter in the history of American college athletics.