The history of college football can’t be written without mention of the Holy Cross Crusaders. More recently, the Crusaders have been a low-profile FCS program, which has made it easy to find cheap Holy Cross football tickets. But the Crusaders also have a long and storied history that includes a lot of great accomplishments. As far as college football in New England is concerned, they are still a big deal, which is why last-minute Holy Cross football tickets remain in high demand for true college football fans.

The Early Days

Holy Cross has been playing intercollegiate football since 1891, making it one of the oldest programs in the country. A few years after that, the Crusaders began what is now a storied rivalry with Boston College, which is located less than 50 miles away. The rivalry is still renewed occasionally, albeit with Holy Cross typically on the losing side of things. A little more than 50 years after their first season, the Crusaders reached the promised land, earning an invitation to the 1946 Orange Bowl, only to suffer a crushing 13-6 loss at the hands of Miami.

The Comeback Begins

By the 1980s, Holy Cross football had fallen well behind the other powerhouse programs in the Northeast. However, the Crusaders began to work their way back under Rick Carter, who led Holy Cross to the 1-AA quarterfinals in 1983. Carter was ultimately succeeded by Mark Duffner, who posted a 60-5-1 record during his six seasons at Holy Cross, guiding the Crusaders to five Patriot League championships in what is easily the best era in program history.

The Battle Continues

While the Crusaders continue to strive for consistency, they occasionally find a way to make some noise at the FCS level. Holy Cross won the Patriot League title and went to the FCS Playoffs in 2009 and repeated that feat a decade later in 2019. Those little moments of glory have created hope that Holy Cross can once again become a football program that’s known nationwide.