 The football team rose to prominence after the arrival of Chic Harley in 1916, who led the team to their first conference championships in 1916 and 1917.The team's success and the popularity of Harley led to a significant increase in the demand for tickets.In 1919, 20,000 fans attended the game against Illinois, with an estimated 40,000 watching from the stadium's perimeter, including from the roofs of neighboring homes.