History of College Football - ON THIS DATE IN DECEMBER

2: On this date in 1950, Navy 14 Army 2. Army entered the game 8-0, Navy was 2-6. Army was a 3 TD favorite. 

2: On this date in 1972, USC 45 ND 23. USC RB Anthony Davis scores 6 TDs against the Irish, 2 on kickoff returns of 97 and 96 yds.

4: On this date in 1988, Ok St 45 TT 42. RB Barry Sanders rushed for 332 yds, completing a 5 game stretch where Sanders rushed for 1,471 yds. In those 5 games, his rushing totals were 320, 215, 312, 292 and 332 yds.

5: On this date in 1992, Alabama defeated Florida 28-21 to win the SEC Championship. This game was the first conference championship game and forever changed the landscape of college football. 

6: On this date in 1930, ND 27 USC 0. This was the last game Coach Knute Rockne coached. The following March, Coach Rockne was killed in a plane crash. Knute Rockne was 43.

6: On this date in 1969, No. 1 Texas defeated Arkansas 15-14. In the 1960’s, these teams had a rivalry for the ages. In consecutive years, each team won a national championship. 

7: On this date in 1963, Navy QB Roger Staubach led No. 2 Navy over Army, 21-15. This game was originally scheduled in late November, but was rescheduled following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy as the nation was in mourning. 

9: On this date in 1950, Texas A&M 40 Georgia 20, marking the only occurrence of the now defunct Presidential Cup Bowl in College Park, Maryland. 

13: On this date in 1973, John Cappelletti gave his moving acceptance speech as he accepted the Heisman Trophy.  His heartfelt words, dedicating the trophy to his brother Joseph who had leukemia, moved a nation. 

14: On this date in 1920, George Gipp passed away from pneumonia at the age of 25. In his hospital bed, to coach Knute Rockne, Gipp said sometime in the future, ND will find themselves in a challenging spot. Ask them to win just one for the Gipper.

17: On this date in 1961, Syracuse 15 Miami (Fl) 14, the Liberty Bowl. In icy cold weather, Ernie Davis led Syracuse to a win.  Davis would become the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy.

19: On this date in 1980, BYU 46, SMU 45. On the game's last play, BYU QB Jim McMahon 41-yd TD pass to Clay Brown completed a 27-pt 4th quarter.

21.  On this date in 1984, BYU 24 Michigan 17. BYU went 13-0 and was named National Champions.

23: On this date in 1935, Paul Hornung was born. In 1956 he led ND in passing, rushing, scoring, kickoff and punt returns, & punting. Notre Dame's record was 2-8 record, still Hornung won the Heisman Trophy.

25: On this date in 1924, USC 20 Missouri 7, marking the only occurrence of the now defunct Los Angeles Christmas Festival Bowl in Los Angeles, California. 

27: On this date in 1892, played in the snow, Biddle 5 Livingstone College 0. This was the first black college football game.

29: On this date in 1978, Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes throws a punch at Clemson’s Charlie Bauman, who had just intercepted a pass to seal a 17-15 victory for Clemson in the Gator Bowl. Coach Hayes was fired the next day.

30: On this date in 1948, Hardin-Simmons 49 Wichita State 12, marking the only occurrence of the now defunct Camellia Bowl in Lafayette, Louisiana.

30.  On this date in 1988, Barry Sanders, RB Ok St, rushed for 222 yds, and a Holiday Bowl record of 5 TDs, as OK St beat Wyoming 62-14. Sanders never played in the 4th quarter.

31: On this date in 1973, Notre Dame 24, Alabama 23, the Sugar Bowl. Ara Parseghian ‘s No. 3 ND, 10-0, defeated Paul Bear Bryant’s No.1 Alabama, 11-0, as Bob Thomas kicked a 19-yd FG with 4:12 left.