History of the Dolphins

The Jacksonville Dolphins have a long and storied history in NCAA sports. From their beginnings in the early 1950s to their current status as one of the top teams in college football, they’ve been an integral part of collegiate athletics for decades.

The team was founded by former Florida State University coach Jack McDowell and his wife, Mary Ann McDowell, in 1951. The first season saw them go 4-4-1 under head coach Bill Peterson. Still, it wasn’t until five years later that they made waves on the national scene with a 9-2 record and an appearance at the 1957 Sugar Bowl against Baylor University – which ended up being their only bowl game win during this era. Since then, Jacksonville has consistently competed within Division I (FBS) or Division II (FCS).

In recent years there have been some exciting changes for Dolphin fans to cheer about: In 2011, they moved from FCS to FBS competition; 2016 saw them join Conference USA; And last year brought about even more success when Coach Ian Shields led his team all way through conference play undefeated en route to winning CUSA championship title! This marked just the second time JU had won such an honor! Off-field things are looking good: Their new stadium opened in 2019 after months of renovations costing 8 million dollars - making sure the fan experience is top-notch for both home-away games!

All these successes make clear why so many people consider themselves diehard ‘Dolphins Fans.’ No matter what sports season may be upon us, you can count on seeing plenty of blue and gold around town showing off support favorite team!