The Purple Raiders have claimed 13 NCAA Division III Football Championship and 35 OAC titles and have 12 undefeated seasons.

[2] Mount Union's first game was an 18–0 loss at home to Kenyon College, from Gambier, Ohio, on November 7, 1893.

[2] The Purple Raiders played in the OAC for 71 years before winning their first conference title, which came in 1985 under coach Ken Wable.

John Carroll University ended the streak by winning the OAC title in 2016 where they defeated Mount Union 31–28 on November 12, 2016.

[3][4] The first football game played by Mount Union was on the school's baseball field on November 7, 1893 against Kenyon College.

In addition to Dawson's eight-year tenure and a transition to the OAC, Mount Union Stadium was built which gave the program a permanent home and even more stability.

From 1920 to 1921, Mount Union was coached by Eddie Casey, who went on to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1968.

He was followed by Harry Geltz (1932–1941), who was unable to match his long-term success and left the program in 1941, when he went 1–15–1 (0–11, OAC) in his final two years.

Pete Pederson was hired in 1942, but after one season the program was suspended due to World War II.

In 1985, he led the Purple Raiders to their first conference title and first berth in the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs.

Vince Kehres, who had previously served as defensive coordinator, was hired as the next head coach of Mount Union on May 8, 2013, replacing his father.

The Clyde A. Lamb Award is presented annually to the top male and female senior scholar-athlete at each Ohio Athletic Conference institution.