NEW HAVEN, Conn. - After an amazing four-year career with the Yale University football team, senior Sean Kissel explains what it means to him to done the Y and cap his career in inspiring fashion.

No. 94, Sean Kissel - Tampa, Fla.

What better encapsulates Yale Football than "legacy"? Our football is more than a program, it is a tradition that is one of the oldest in the world, beginning in 1872. Walter Camp, renowned as the "Father of American Football," captained and subsequently coached the Bulldogs, and spearheaded the fundamental transition of American football from rugby. In 1880, Camp succeeded in convincing the Intercollegiate Football Association to discontinue the "scrum" and implement the "line of scrimmage", an integral component to the modern game of football. He wrote the rulebook and established All-American recognition.

The men of Yale Football have won 27 total national championships (18 of which the NCAA recognizes – the most all-time), and produced 2 of the first 3 Heisman Trophy winners, more than 100 All-Americans, and the first professional football player. The legacy of Yale Football is built upon traditions originating with Team 1 and upheld by Yale's most recent team – Team 147.



As the Class of 2020 embarked upon its journey in 2016 to take over the Ivy League, it predicated that quest on the concept of honoring this "legacy" by leaving its own, starting with Team 144. The 2016 season did not live up to Yale Football's standard of success, but was an important building and learning season for the Class of 2020. With its 2-7 start, Team 144 possessed one last opportunity to contribute to the Yale Football legacy in a bout with the "team from the North," which was on the cusp of winning an Ivy League Championship. The Bulldogs joined the pantheon of historic Yale teams by ripping Harvard's dream of winning the Ivy League Trophy away from them in Yale's greatest upset of the Crimson, 21-14. In doing so, Yale broke a 10-year losing streak to Harvard -- its longest ever.

The Class of 2020 provided harbinger of its future success when the Eli's first-year class scored all three Yale touchdowns, prompting a comment from captain Darius Manora, "I am proud of these young guys… they've learned valuable lessons that will take this program forward." This comment exemplifies the meaning of "legacy."

The redeeming win against Harvard catapulted the Class of 2020 into their sophomore season as members of Team 145. Equipped with invaluable experience, and memories about the heartache of loss, as well as joy of historic success against arch-rival Harvard, the sophomore class was well-positioned to contribute in the upcoming 2017 season, and it did. With a 9-1 season and a second consecutive win over Harvard for the first time since 1999 - 2000, the Bulldogs earned their first Ivy league title since 2006, ending Yale's longest title drought and gaining Yale's first outright Ivy League title since 1980.



The Yale Football Class of 2020 entered its senior season hungry to rebound from a Junior-year campaign rendered sub-standard by a raft of injuries, and sought to reestablish Team 147 as Ivy League Champions. The Class of 2020's experienced senior leadership led Team 147 in regaining the Ivy League title. With mere minutes remaining in The Game, Team 147 overcame Yale's greatest deficit to the Crimson and defeated Harvard in an inspiring comeback win (50-43 2OT), one of the most riveting in Yale Football history. As a result, the Class of 2020 became Yale's first class to win multiple Ivy League Championship since the Class of 1982.

Team 147 earned another 9-1 record, making the Class of 2020 the first in modern Yale Football history (since the forward pass) to have two 9-win seasons, matching only the 1888 and 1900 classes. Lastly, the Class of 2020 matches the 1970 class for the second most wins in three years in modern Yale Football history with 23.

The Class of 2020 firmed planted itself within Yale's great Football history as the only class in modern Yale Football to earn two 9-win seasons that gained two Ivy League championships, as well as both achieving the greatest upset of Harvard, and the greatest comeback win against the Crimson.

Oh, and the Class of 2020 was part of Yale Football teams that the NCAA recognized every year with its Public Recognition Awards for team NCAA Academic Progress Rates (APR). Yale Football has been recognized all 15 years of the NCAA Public Recognition Award's existence.

Our Class of 2020 can take pride in dreams and aspirations accomplished, and leaves a legacy and example of success and achievement for all that follow.

Congratulations to the entire Yale College Class of 2020.