A scandal over paying players was faked but nevertheless ended up creating of the Big Ten Conference.
The 1895 season was one of the the first good seasons for football at the University of Minnesota, and one that would have a dramatic impact on the growth of college football. The Gophers beat Chicago and Wisconsin, (even winning against something called "Boat Club"!) in route to a 7-3 record. Even better, coming off of some tough financial years, the 1895 season ended with a surplus of money for the program. However the game then was drastically different than it is today.