What Is 1917 Holy Cross football team

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1917 Holy Cross football team represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 1917 college football season, finishing with a 4–3 record under head coach Cleo A. O'Donnell. The team played as an independent and faced regional opponents across New England.

Key Facts

The 1917 Holy Cross football team had a 4–3 overall record.
Head coach Cleo A. O'Donnell led the team during the 1917 season.
Holy Cross played as an independent with no conference affiliation.
The team played its home games at Fitton Field in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Notable opponents in 1917 included Boston University and Tufts University.

Overview

The 1917 Holy Cross football team represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 1917 college football season. Competing as an independent, the team was led by head coach Cleo A. O'Donnell, who was in his second year at the helm. The season took place during World War I, which influenced college athletics across the country due to travel restrictions and student enlistments.

Holy Cross finished the season with a 4–3 record, showing moderate success against a mix of regional teams. The Crusaders played their home games at Fitton Field in Worcester, Massachusetts, a venue that has hosted Holy Cross football since 1908. Despite the challenges of the era, the team maintained a consistent schedule and competitive presence.

Record: The 1917 Holy Cross team finished with a 4–3 win-loss record, winning just over half of its games.
Coach:Cleo A. O'Donnell served as head coach for the second consecutive year, bringing continuity to the program.
Home Venue: All home games were played at Fitton Field, a historic on-campus stadium established in 1908.
Opponents: The schedule included regional rivals such as Boston University, Tufts, and New Hampshire.
Season Context: The 1917 season occurred during World War I, which impacted college sports due to military enlistments and travel limits.

Season Performance and Key Games

The 1917 campaign featured a balanced mix of victories and defeats, with Holy Cross demonstrating resilience against stronger opponents. The team opened the season with a win and showed improvement over the previous year’s 3–3–1 record. Several games were played in late October and early November, typical for the college football calendar of the era.

September 29: Holy Cross defeated Bridgewater State 26–0 in the season opener, setting a strong tone.
October 13: A 14–0 win over New Hampshire highlighted the team’s defensive strength early in the season.
October 27: The Crusaders lost to Boston University 7–6, a narrow defeat in a tightly contested game.
November 10: A decisive 20–0 victory over Tufts showcased offensive efficiency and solid special teams play.
November 24: The season concluded with a 14–7 loss to Massachusetts Agricultural College, ending on a mixed note.

Comparison at a Glance

The following table compares the 1917 Holy Cross team to other seasons and regional peers in terms of record, coaching, and performance trends.

Season	Record	Head Coach	Key Opponent	Home Field
1917	4–3	Cleo A. O'Donnell	Boston University	Fitton Field
1916	3–3–1	Cleo A. O'Donnell	American International	Fitton Field
1915	5–2–1	Thomas F. Mulledy	Amherst	Fitton Field
Boston College 1917	3–3	Frank Morrissey	Holy Cross	Alumni Field
Tufts 1917	4–2–1	Harold E. Davis	Williams	Ellison Field

This comparison illustrates that Holy Cross performed similarly to regional counterparts in 1917. While not dominant, the team’s 4–3 record placed it slightly above Boston College but behind Tufts in overall performance. Coaching stability under O'Donnell contributed to consistent year-to-year results, and Fitton Field remained a constant home advantage.

Why It Matters

Though not a national powerhouse, the 1917 Holy Cross football team reflects the evolution of college sports during a turbulent historical period. Its season provides insight into how smaller programs adapted to wartime challenges and maintained athletic traditions.

Historical Context: The team played during World War I, a time when many student-athletes enlisted or faced disrupted schedules.
Program Development: The 1917 season helped lay the foundation for Holy Cross’s later football successes in the 1930s and 1940s.
Regional Rivalries: Games against Boston University and Tufts strengthened longstanding New England rivalries.
Coaching Legacy: Cleo A. O'Donnell’s tenure contributed to early program stability before more prominent coaches took over.
Facility Continuity: Playing at Fitton Field since 1908 gave Holy Cross one of the oldest continuous home venues in college football.
Statistical Record: The team’s performance is preserved in official NCAA records, contributing to the sport’s historical database.

The 1917 season remains a footnote in college football history, yet it underscores the resilience and continuity of athletic programs during global upheaval. For Holy Cross, it was another step in building a football identity that would grow in prominence over the decades.