Complex sentence: UC is known for its rich tradition in basketball, but have enjoyed recent a successful decade in football which is the fifth oldest program in college football, having started collegiate play in 1885 in the first collegiate football game in the State of Ohio.
Split into simpler sentences: UC is known for its rich tradition in basketball, but have enjoyed recent sustained success in football. It is the fifth oldest program in college football, having started collegiate play in 1885 and participated in the first collegiate football game in the State of Ohio.