The Alberta Golden Bears football team has been in competition since 1910 and completed their 90th year of active competition in 2012. The Golden Bears have won three Vanier Cup national championships, in 1967, 1972 and most recently in 1980. The program has also won 18 Hardy Cup conference titles, second only to the Saskatchewan Huskies who have won 19 of them. The Golden Bears have also had two players win the Hec Crighton Trophy, with Mel Smith winning in 1971 and Bryan Fryer winning the award in 1975.