The game was played at a racehorse pace with one scrimmage down following another as fast as the offensive team could line up. A first down required a gain of only five yards, and that added to the excitement of the game. David Nelson tells of the 1902 University of Chicago v Wisconsin game in which there were 112 plays in the first half alone, and the University of Chicago v Michigan game that contained 100 plays in each forty-five minute half. By contrast, today's games average 143 plays per game. A game must have resembled a riot at a track meet. The strategy was to run so many plays that your opponent would become tired and you would win because your athletes were better conditioned..

The rule changes for 1902 were:

1. The teams shall change goals after every try at goal after a touchdown, after every goal from the field, and also at the beginning of the second half.

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