The team competed from 1893 until the college closed in 1974 and was known for its high quality play for the size of the school as well as its early adoption of modern football methods.

The school was using the forward pass as a regular play three years before Knute Rockne and Notre Dame Football.

[8] The 1930 Thanksgiving Day game against Emporia State (called "Kansas Normal" at the time) resulted in tragedy when freshman George Day suffered a head injury during a punt return five minutes into the game.

[2] [10] The College of Emporia also in the 1954 Mineral Water Bowl, losing, 20–14, to Hastings, and then returned in 1959 to defeat Austin by a score of 21–20.

Football coaches - Horace Botsford, Henry Brock, Harold Grant, Homer Hargiss, Lem Harkey, Gwinn Henry, Steve Kazor, Wayne McConnell, Walt Newland, Vernon Louis Parrington, Bill Schnebel, Lester Selves, Tom Stromgren, Dick Banister A number of player from the College of Emporia went on to play in sports: