Transylvania won the first recorded football game in the state of Kentucky by defeating the Centre Praying Colonels of Centre College 13¾ – 0 on April 9, 1880.[2][3][4] The team's rivalry with Kentucky began the following year of 1881.[5] The two schools played three games, with Transylvania winning two of them. Its 1903 team claimed a southern championship.[6] Later Lexington mayor Hogan Yancey was a star fullback on that team.[7]Happy Chandler played both football and baseball at Transylvania in 1921.[8] If Transylvania won an away football game the campus community was notified by the blowing of the steam whistle at the Power Plant.[9] The program had a 26–37–2 record in its final eight seasons.[9]
