After more than 70 years Mercer University is bringing back a popular sport. The school has approved plans for a football team.

Mercer University President Bill Underwood says the decision comes after years of planning. Play will begin in 2013.

In 1892 Mercer celebrated its first season of football. In 1941 they threw the ball for the last time because of the war. Underwood says Mercer is where college football in Georgia was born. The team played the University of Georgia in the state’s very first college football game in Athens.

“That same year later we played in the first game that Georgia Tech ever played in. We beat them 12 to 6. We played the University of Florida five times early on and shut them out the first five times we played them.”

Mercer plans to compete in the Division One non-scholarship Pioneer league. In the meantime they will raise money, hire a coach, and build a stadium.

Tags: Mercer University, Macon, Pioneer League, Division 1 Football, Georgia football