Seating capacity 31,500 Location Wichita, Kansas Bowl record 0–3 (.000) Home ground Cessna Stadium Consensus all americans 0 | Field surface Grass All-time record 375–402–47 (.484) Last season 1986 First season 1897 Conference titles 14 | |
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Past conferences Independent (1895–1923)
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (1924–1926)
Independent (1927, 1940–1945, 1986)
Central Intercollegiate (1928–1939)
Missouri Valley (1945–1986) | ||
The Wichita State Shockers football team was the NCAA Division I football program of Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. The Shockers fielded a team from 1897 to 1986. They played their home games at Cessna Stadium and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference when the program was discontinued.
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First game
The first official football game played by the school was in 1897 under the coaching of T. H. Morrison. The school defeated Wichita High School, now known as Wichita East, by a score of 12–4 in the only game played that year.
1905 night game
In the 1905 season, the Coleman Company set up temporary gas-powered lighting for a night game against Cooper College (now called the Sterling Warriors). It was the first night football game played west of the Mississippi River. Fairmount won the game 24–0.
1905 "experimental" game
On December 25, 1905, Wichita State (called "Fairmount College" at the time) played a game against the Washburn Ichabods using a set of experimental rules. The game was officiated by then Washburn head coach John H. Outland.
The experiment was considered a failure. Outland commented, "It seems to me that the distance required in three downs would almost eliminate touchdowns, except through fakes or flukes." The Los Angeles Times reported that there was much kicking and that the game was considered much safer than regular play, but that the new rule was not "conducive to the sport."
In his history of the sport of football, David M. Nelson concluded that "the first forward passes were thrown at the end of the 1905 season in a game between Fairmount and Washburn colleges in Kansas." According to Nelson, Washburn completed three passes, and Fairmount completed two.
Plane crash
On October 2, 1970, a plane crashed that was carrying about half of the football team on their way to play a game against Utah State University. 31 people were killed. The game was canceled, and the Utah State football team held a memorial service at the stadium where the game was to have been played.
Program discontinued
On December 2, 1986, Wichita State President Warren Armstrong announced that the university would no longer sponsor football due to the financial strain the program places on the university. On May 16, 2009 the Wichita State University alumni association held an all football players reunion at Cessna Stadium.
Potential program revivals
In 1992, a study was done on Cessna Stadium to comply with I-A football standards. It was shown that $24 million in improvements were needed.
In 1997, the cost was cited at $11 million to restart the football program and three other women's sports.
In 1998, an advisory committee at Wichita State recommended reinstating the football program at Wichita State after a 15-month study for $70,000.
In 2006, Wichita Mayor Carlos Mayans proposed to use public funds to restart the football program at Wichita State. He would subsequently drop the plan weeks later.
In 2012, an attempt was made to begin a club-level football team at Wichita State with hopes of eventually reviving the football program, though no official endorsement was given by the university.
Conference championships
Wichita State won fourteen conference titles.
Record versus Missouri Valley Conference
Only includes games while a member of the conference and does not include games against teams listed below considered nonconference games
Bowl games
The Shockers played in three bowl games and had an 0–3 record.