Who We Are
The Collegiate Robotic Football Conference (CRFC) exists to ignite imagination, serve students, and create collaboration through the dynamic platform of Robotic Football.
Inspired by the innovative spirit of Brian Hederman, we aim to transform bold ideas into real-world engineering challenges that push the boundaries of creativity, technology and collaboration. The CRFC serves as a national stage for students to apply classroom knowledge, grow as teammates and leaders, and prepare for success in an increasingly complex world.
Our Story
The Collegiate Robotic Football Conference (CRFC) was born from a deeply personal story: after Notre Dame engineering student Brian Hederman passed away in a 1995 car accident, his father discovered an old sketch Brian had drawn of a robot football player. Inspired by that sketch, he teamed up with Notre Dame alumni to turn the idea into a nationwide intercollegiate competition blending football with engineering, centered around the Brian Hederman Memorial Trophy.
The competition took shape at Notre Dame around 2007, where students and faculty began exploring whether robots could realistically replicate American football. The CRFC was formally established in 2012 as a collaborative academic organization, and has since expanded to multiple universities across the country. Beyond the technical challenge, it's designed to give students real-world experience in teamwork, design, budgeting, and public presentation, skills that mirror professional engineering practice. You can read the full history of the CRFC here.
Events
The Collegiate Robotic Football Conference (CRFC) brings together universities to design, build, and compete with robots on the football field. Each year, teams showcase their skills in two flagship events. The Fall Combine, held each fall, tests robots in speed, control, precision, and overall performance, awarding Combine and Positional Champion trophies while establishing seeding for the spring Playoffs. The spring Collegiate Robotic Football Playoffs bring all Full Teams into a structured, head-to-head bracket, where every team has a chance to compete for the National Championship and the Brian Hederman Memorial Trophy. Both events provide a competitive, inclusive environment for teams of all stages to measure progress, refine strategies, and push the limits of engineering and execution.