By Darin The 1928 American football season was a year of intense parity, strategic evolution, and unforgettable drama. From one of the most famous locker-room speeches in sports history to a fiercely contested NFL title, the gridiron in 1928 captivated the American public.
1928 College Football: Inspiration and Parity
Unlike previous years dominated by a single powerhouse, 1928 featured a crowded field of contenders and a legendary moment of sports folklore.
- “Win One for the Gipper”: On November 10, 1928, an underdog Notre Dame faced a powerful Army team at Yankee Stadium. During halftime, coach Knute Rockne delivered his immortal speech, imploring his team to “win just one for the Gipper” (referencing dying former player George Gipp). The Fighting Irish rallied to upset Army 12–6.
- The National Championship Race: With no single dominant team, several schools claimed a stake to the national title. Georgia Tech (10–0) earned consensus national championship honors after a perfect season capped by an 8–7 victory over California in the Rose Bowl. Southern California (USC) and Boston College also finished undefeated.
- The Rose Bowl “Wrong Way” Play: Though it technically occurred on January 1, 1929, the 1928 season’s Rose Bowl featured one of football’s most infamous plays when California’s Roy Riegels scooped up a fumble and ran 65 yards toward his own end zone, setting up Georgia Tech’s safety and ultimate victory.
1928 Professional Football: The Steam Roller Flattens the NFL
The National Football League was still a loose collection of 10 teams operating without a formal playoff system, but the 1928 race provided plenty of excitement.
- The Providence Steam Roller: Based in Rhode Island, the Steam Roller dominated the league to win their first and only NFL Championship. Led by star tailback Jimmy Conzelman (who also served as head coach), Providence finished with an 8–1–2 record.
- The Powerhouses Fall: Traditional giants like the Frankford Yellow Jackets (who finished second) and the Green Bay Packers remained highly competitive, keeping the championship race tight until the final weeks of December.
A Deep Dive into 1928 Football History and Highlights
- January 2, 1928 – At the Rose Bowl, the Pitt Panthers fell to their former Coach, Pop Warner, and his Stanford Indians on a blocked extra point, 7-6.
- November 10, 1928 – While down at halftime, an underdog Notre Dame faced a powerful Army team at Yankee Stadium. During halftime, coach Knute Rockne delivered his immortal speech, imploring his team to “win just one for the Gipper” (referencing dying former player George Gipp). The Fighting Irish rallied to upset Army 12–6.
- November 17, 1928 – Cartier Field, South Bend, Indiana – Notre Dame loses at home for the first time in decades! It took 23 seasons, but finally a visiting team left South Bend with cheers of victory. Carnegie Tech was the team that performed the unthinkable, outfighting the Fighting Irish by the score of 27-7. Knute Rockne and company had quite the run of victories at the friendly confines of Cartier Field. According to Irishlegends.com, the last time Notre Dame lost a home game before this one, you had to flip back to the 1905 season, in an era before the legal forward pass, to find that Wabash defeated the Irish 5-0. It was the final game the Irish played at Cartier Field.
- November 24, 1928 – The undefeated Carnegie Tech (7–0–0) hosted NYU (7–1–0) in Pittsburgh, only for the Violets to shatter Tech’s perfect season with a 27–13 victory.
The day belonged to Ken Strong, whose legendary performance catapulted him into national stardom. Strong did it all—throwing two long touchdown passes, rushing for two more scores, and kicking three extra points. His dominance prompted legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice to marvel:
“This attack was led by a runaway buffalo, using the speed of a deer, and his name was Ken Strong. He ran all over a big, powerful team, smashed its line, ran its ends, kicked 50 and 55 yards, threw passes and tackled all over the lot. Today he was George Gipp, Red Grange and Chris Cagle rolled into one human form and there was nothing Carnegie Tech had that could stop his march.”
- December 16, 1928 – The Providence Steam Roller franchise won the National Football League Championship Title, posting an 8-1-2 record. That era of NFL football had the team with the best record at the end of the season being declared the champs. According to an NFL.com article, the Steam Roller had plenty of star players from that era on its roster. Men like Jimmy Conzelman, the Cronin brothers Bill and Jack, Heavyweight Champ Gus Sonnenberg at running back, and one of my personal favorites, tailback George “Wildcat” Willson. Providence had an awesome defense, too, allowing only 42 points all season, including 5 complete shutouts.
- December 23, 1928 – Per the On This Day.com website, NBC Radio established a permanent coast-to-coast broadcast network.