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University of Alberta Golden Bears banner.1910-2000
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The University of Alberta resides out of Edmonton in which they started their football program in 1910 playing exhibition games as a rugby club. Alberta's football program had to be shut down because of World War I, and once the war was over in 1919, the football program was reinstated.In 1920, Alberta became one of the charter members of the Western Canada Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WCIAA). In 1922, Alberta won their first ever Hardy Cup championship for being the best Western Canadian team in Canadian collegiate football that season. Between the years 1923-1925, Alberta compiled a 2-4 record. The University of Alberta won another Hardy Cup during the 1926 season, when they finished with a 2-2 record and had a chance to play in the Grey Cup if they can beat the Regina Roughriders. Unfortunately for the university, they could not and the Roughriders went on to play for the Grey Cup that season. In 1928, Alberta once again won the Hardy Cup which will be the last one they would win for a very long time.
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In the 1930s, Alberta went through five different head coaches. During the tenure of the coaches, Alberta went 20-41-2. Even though their record in the 1930s did not show progress, they did play some important games against the Edmonton Eskimos who were on the verge of becoming a professional football club here in Canada.In the 1940s, Alberta would achieve a 34-13 record and went on to win four Hardy Cups with their first one being in 1944 (their other three championships was during the 1946-1948 seasons). In 1947, with interest dwindling from the fans, the University of Toronto (U of T) decided to send their team to Western Canada to play some exhibition games against the University of Saskatchewan and Alberta respectively. In their game, Alberta lost the game by a score of 19-5. This meeting between the two universities was the first time a Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union (CIRFU) team decided to go to Western Canada to play a football game.
From 1949 to 1958, Alberta's football program did not play because of lack of competition from Western Canada, but before the 1959 season started, Alberta and other Western Canadian universities decided to return to football. In the 1959 season itself, Alberta finished with a 4-2 record, and decided that they should be a part of the Western Intercollegiate Football League (WIFL).
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In 1960, Alberta finished the WIFL with a 4-0 record and with that record; Alberta won their eighth Hardy Cup in school history. With that Hardy Cup victory, Alberta went to their first Churchill Bowl against the McGill Redmen. With McGill having home field advantage, because the game was played in Montreal, Alberta did not stand a chance as they lost 46-7.Alberta's next Hardy Cup was in 1962 when they were co-champions with the UBC Thunderbirds, because they finished with the same record. And since there was no Churchill Bowl that season, both were co-champions of Western Canada. From the seasons 1963 to 1965, Alberta won the Hardy Cup three seasons in a row. During the 1965 season, Alberta was chosen to play in the first ever Canadian College Bowl (it was changed to the Vanier Cup in 1982) to determine the best team in all of Canada. In the championship game, Alberta played U of T, in which they lost a close game 14-7.
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Roster for the 1965 Canadian College Bowl.20 November 1965
Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Game action from the 1965 Canadian College Bowl.20 November 1965
Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Alberta's last Hardy Cup victory in the 1960s was in the 1967 season, and with winning the Hardy Cup, Alberta went on to their second Canadian College Bowl in which they played the McMaster Marauders. In a close contest Alberta, won their first National Championship 10-9. The Golden Bears ended the 1960s with a 42-12-2 in the WIFL.8
The 1967 University of Alberta team.Circa 1967
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Credits:University of Alberta archives
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The next significant season for Alberta was during the 1971 season, when they made a run to the Vanier Cup. During this season Alberta finished the season with a 6-2 record and won another Hardy Cup which was their 15th in school history. With their Hardy Cup victory, Alberta returned to the Churchill Bowl and went on to win their first Churchill Bowl defeating Bishop's University 53-2. Alberta returned to the Canadian College Bowl, and played against the Western Mustangs in which Western narrowly won 15-14. The following season in 1972, Alberta returned to the national championship game and played the University of Waterloo. In this game, Alberta won their second Canadian College Bowl by defeating Waterloo 20-7.10
The 1972 University of Alberta.Circa 1972
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Credits:University of Alberta archives
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The next time in which Alberta won any sort of championship was during the 1979 season in which they won another Hardy Cup, but ultimately lost to the Acadia Axemen in the only appearance in the Atlantic Bowl.12
To start the 1980s, Alberta started off the decade with two more Hardy Cup's. In 1980, with their Hardy Cup victory, Alberta went on to challenge for the Churchill Bowl against the Western Mustangs. In the Churchill Bowl game, Alberta went on to defeat Western 14-4, and returned to the Vanier Cup which they played the Ottawa Gee Gee's which Alberta won 40-21 to capture their third Vanier Cup in school history.13
The 1980 Canadian College Bowl champions.Circa 1980
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Credits:University of Alberta archives
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Alberta players celebrating with the Vanier Cup.29 November 1980
Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Toronto Sun
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