The Delaware–William & Mary football rivalry between the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens and the William & Mary Tribe is a match-up between two public universities, the University of Delaware and the College of William and Mary, that are also members of the Colonial Athletic Association. Both schools have academic reputations that have labelled them as Public Ivies. Both schools are also Colonial Colleges having been founded before the United States became independent in 1776; the College of William and Mary was founded in 1693 and the University of Delaware's predecessor school was founded in 1743.