1993 American Football Season

The 1993 American football season was marked by historic repetitions, breakthrough collegiate performances, and legendary coaching milestones. In both the professional and college ranks, the year delivered unforgettable stories of dominance, heartbreak, and resilience.

The NFL: Cowboys Go Back-to-Back and Shula Makes History

In the National Football League, the 1993 season concluded with a profound feeling of déjà vu. The Dallas Cowboys, under head coach Jimmy Johnson, overcame an unprecedented 0–2 start to finish 12–4 and ultimately repeat as Super Bowl champions.

• Super Bowl XXVIII: The Cowboys faced the Buffalo Bills for the second consecutive year. Dallas secured a 30–13 victory in Atlanta, cementing their status as the team of the 90s.
• The Bills’ Heartbreak: Buffalo achieved an incredible feat by reaching their fourth consecutive Super Bowl, but the loss cemented a tragic legacy, as they fell to 0–4 in the title game during that span.
• Emmitt Smith‘s Dominance: Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith had a truly historic year. Despite missing the first two games due to a contract dispute, he won the NFL rushing title, the regular-season MVP award, and the Super Bowl MVP honors.

College Football: The Seminoles’ Breakthrough

The 1993 collegiate season featured one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the era, the coronation of a legendary coach, and a dominant individual performance.

• Florida State’s First Title: Head coach Bobby Bowden finally secured his first National Championship. The Florida State Seminoles finished 12–1, claiming the title after holding off the undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers 18–16 in the Orange Bowl.
• Heisman Landslide: FSU quarterback Charlie Ward won the Heisman Trophy by a massive margin. A remarkable two-sport athlete, Ward later went on to be drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft and enjoyed a long professional basketball career, having gone undrafted in the NFL.
• The “Game of the Century” and the Upset: On November 13, 1993, the #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated the #1 Seminoles 31–24 in South Bend. However, Notre Dame’s championship hopes were dashed the very next week when they were upset by Boston College 41–39 on a last-second field goal, clearing the path for FSU to reclaim the top spot.

1992 Gridiron Milestones

Beyond championships, 1993 brought massive shifts and defining moments that are still celebrated today:

• Don Shula‘s Milestone: On November 14, 1993, Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula secured his 325th career victory with a 19–14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. This win allowed him to surpass the legendary George Halas to become the winningest coach in NFL history.
• Joe Montana‘s Second Act: After essentially being replaced by Steve Young in San Francisco, legendary quarterback Joe Montana joined the Kansas City Chiefs. He proved he still had magic left, leading the Chiefs to an 11–5 record and a trip to the AFC Championship Game before falling to the Bills.
• The Auburn Anomaly: In college football, the Auburn Tigers, led by first-year head coach Terry Bowden (Bobby Bowden’s son), ran the table with a perfect 11–0 record. However, due to NCAA probation, they were banned from postseason play and television appearances, rendering them ineligible for the official National Championship.

A Deep Dive into 1993 Football History and Highlights

• January 1, 1993 – The 79th edition of the Rose Bowl Game saw the Michigan Wolverines return to avenge their 1992 Rose Bowl loss to Washington, as the Maize and Blue knocked off UW 38-31. The Player of the Game was Michigan RB Tyrone Wheatley.
• January 3, 1993 – Was this the greatest comeback in football history? The Houston Oilers dominated their wild-card weekend game against the Buffalo Bills. It was an utter drubbing, and unless you were an avid Oilers fan, it was an extremely uninteresting watch, the blood bath. The score was 28-3 at the half, and it felt even worse than that. The Oiler scored on a pick-six coming out of the break to make the score 35-3. The complexion of the game changed at that point in the third quarter, as the Bills, led by backup QB Frank Reich, scored four TDs to get back into the game. Reich led the Buffalo Bills all the way back from a 32-point deficit to defeat the Houston Oilers 41-38 in overtime in a wild-card playoff game, the greatest comeback ever in NFL history. (source)
• January 17, 1993 – Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami was the site of the AFC Championship as the Buffalo Bills surpassed the Miami Dolphins, 29-10.
• January 17, 1993 – At Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the Dallas Cowboys topped the San Francisco 49ers 30-20 in the NFC Championship game.
• January 23, 1994 – Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York – The 1993 season’s AFC Championship game saw the passing offenses almost nullified by the defenses. Bills running back Thurman Thomas thrived with 186 yards on the ground and 3 touchdowns as the Buffalo Bills beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 30-13, to advance to Super Bowl XXVIII. (SOURCE)
• January 31, 1993 – Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California – Super Bowl XXVII featured some special historic moments: the Buffalo Bills became the second team since the early 1970’s to play in three straight Super Bowls. Interestingly, this would be the third different NFC East team the Bills would face in this run of Super Bowls. The Cowboys were just 4 seasons removed from having a league-worst 1-15 record. Super Bowl XXVII was set up to be interesting indeed, but one team came in a bit more prepared than the other. According to the American Football Fandom site, Dallas forced a Super Bowl record nine turnovers —four interceptions and five lost fumbles and scored 35 points off of those Bills miscues. The Dallas Cowboys won in a landslide, 52-17, over the Bills. Troy Aikman, the quarterback of the Cowboys, won the Most Valuable Player honors as he tossed four touchdown passes and racked up 273 yards through the air. Another interesting note was that a 30-second commercial spot cost $850,000.
• November 13, 1993 – No. 2 Notre Dame 31, No. 1 Florida State 24. Check out our recap summary post on one of College Football’s greatest games ever.
• November 14, 1993 – Miami Dolphins longtime Head Coach Don Shula becomes the winningest Coach in NFL history. When the Dolphins defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 19-14, it gave Shula his 325th victory in pro football, moving him past the long-standing record of Papa Bear George Halas.
• November 20, 1993 – Auburn, Alabama – The 58th contest of the Iron Bowl took place. In this game, the home team came away victorious as the Auburn Tigers outlasted the Alabama Crimson Tide 22-14. (source)
• November 20, 1993 – A Notre Dame 21-point deficit is erased in a valiant comeback against Boston College. Here is the full story.
• November 28, 1993 – CFL Grey Cup, McMahon Stadium, Calgary: Edmonton Eskimos defeat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 33-23; Sean Fleming lands record-equalling 6 field goals.
• November 30, 1993 – Rosemont, Illinois – The Jacksonville Jaguars franchise is officially launched. Jaguars.com shares the story of how NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue surprised viewers when he announced that the League’s 30th franchise would be based in Jacksonville, even though the front-running cities seemed to be St. Louis, Baltimore, or Memphis.
• December 4, 1993 – At the 2nd SEC Championship Game, No. 9 Florida defeated No. 16 Alabama, 28-13.
• December 11, 1993 – Florida State’s stellar quarterback, Charlie Ward, won the 59th Heisman Trophy Award. The Senior threw for 3032 yards and 27 touchdowns, per his bio on the Heisman.com website. 
• December 25, 1993 – The final weekend of the season saw the Houston Oilers matched up against the San Francisco 49ers. These two offenses were the top-scoring units in the League on the season, but it was the defenses that stood tall that day as the Oilers escaped with a 10-7 victory! (source)