the first college football game played in kansas was the 1890 kansas vs. baker football game in baldwin city. baker won 22–9. the first night football game west of the mississippi river was played in wichita, kansas. the game was the 1905 between cooper college (now called sterling college) and fairmount college (now wichita state university). also in 1905, fairmount also played an experimental game against the washburn ichabods. this game was used to test new rules designed to make football safer.