By Darin 
From the contentious birth of college football rules (Yale vs. Princeton) to Ernie Nevers’ NFL record of six touchdowns in a single game, November 28 is one of the most historically significant dates on the gridiron calendar. Explore the Heisman Trophy winners, championship thrillers like the Iron Bowl and Grey Cup, and the pioneering legends born on this pivotal day.
November 28 Football History Headlines: A Day of Gridiron History
November 28, 1884 – New York City – Yale versus Princeton Game. Great football historian Parke H. Davis, in his book “Football the Intercollegiate Game,” sheds some light on this contest. The Yale-Princeton game was scheduled for that afternoon in New York as a precursor and entertainment spectacle for the Intercollegiate Rules Convention, which would meet later that evening in the Big Apple. It sounded fair enough to have an official picked from each team and a referee to settle any disputes that may otherwise occur, but the reality makes it about as clear as mud. After many arguments between the officials, the game was ended early due to darkness, with Yale up 6-4, and it was a real mess for Referee Mr. Appleton. The rules stated that if the game ended prematurely, it would be recorded as a 0-0 “No Game.” This game controversy, of course, entered the discussions at the Rules meeting at the Fifth Avenue Hotel and dominated them until late into the night. The outcome was to sustain the Ref’s decision of No Game. (source)
November 28, 1929 – Comiskey Park, Chicago – According to a story on the website goldenrankings.com, Ernie Nevers of the Chicago Cardinals became the first professional football player to score six touchdowns in a single game. The story goes that it was a Thanksgiving Day game for the title of the “Chicago City Championship,” as the Cardinals played their cross-town rivals, the Bears. Snow was falling on the Windy City that day, yet 8,000 fans still went to cheer the teams on at the field. Due to slippery field conditions, the Cardinals abandoned their double-wing offense and instead ran Nevers right up the gut of the Bears’ defense. The strategy couldn’t have worked any better as Ernie Nevers scored all of the Cardinal points, including the extra points, in the 40-6 drubbing of the Monsters of the Midway. The defense of the Redbirds did a fantastic job of holding the Bears to only 6 points, even with the backfield of Joey Sternman, Paddy Driscoll, and Red Grange!
On November 28, 1938, the 4th Heisman Trophy was awarded to quarterback Davey O’Brien of Texas Christian University. Some highlights of O’Brien’s 1938 season come from Heisman.com. The shifty QB was the first Heisman winner from not only TCU but also from the Southwest Conference. His 1509 passing yards and 19 touchdowns were complemented by an additional 462 yards gained on the ground, along with 6 interceptions on the defensive side of the ball. What a 1938 season Mr. O’Brien had!
November 28, 1953 -Varsity Stadium, Toronto – The 41st Grey Cup for the CFL Championship was played. In this contest, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 12-6 in a thriller. The cfl.ca website story on the game tells us that in the closing moments of the contest, Jack Jacobs helped the Bombers drive down the field. The crowd was on their feet as the last play ended at the two-yard line, as Jacobs tossed an all-or-nothing pass to Tom Casey, who was in proximity to the goal line. Just as it looked to be a completion, Ti-Cat Lou Kusserow came out of nowhere to make a bone-crushing hit to dislodge Casey from the ball. Time expired on the play, and the Hamilton D preserved the victory!
November 28, 1953 – Legion Field, Birmingham – The 18th version of the old Iron Bowl was one you had to hang onto the edge of your seat for. Alabama beats Auburn 10-7 in Birmingham. A great story on 247sports.com will fill you in on the details, but in the abridged headline version, we can tell you that the game came down to the final drive. Crimson Tide quarterback Bart Starr tossed a crucial pass to Bill Oliver to help get Alabama into field goal range to win the game.
November 28, 1955 – Back in this era, the NFL did not offer prospects Combines, Pro Days, Bowl Games, or All-Star games to showcase their talents. Their merit was based solely on their performance on the gridiron. The NFL held its annual Draft just as the college season was ending because it faced stiff competition for talent from rival pro leagues in those days. The 1956 NFL Draft saw Gary Glick from the University of Colorado A&M taken as the first pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
November 28, 1959 – CNE Stadium, Toronto – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers knocked off the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21-7 for a second straight year to capture the CFL’s Grey Cup.
November 28, 1959 – Legion Field, Birmingham – At the 24th Iron Bowl, it was Alabama blanking Auburn 10-0, breaking a streak of five consecutive wins by the Tigers in the head-to-head matchups.
November 28, 1964, CFL Grey Cup, CNE Stadium, Toronto: BC Lions defeat Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 34-24; BC’s Bill Munsey scores 2 touchdowns in the 3rd quarter, one on offence and another on defence
November 28, 1964, 1965 NFL Draft: Tucker Frederickson from Auburn University was the first pick by the New York Giants
November 28, 1964: Notre Dame loses to USC 20-17 on a last-second pass play. The loss crushed ND’s hopes for a National Championship season, per Irish Legends.com.
On November 28, 1967, the 33rd Heisman Trophy Award went to UCLA Quarterback Gary Beban. Heisman.com reports that, though Beban lost a heart-wrenching game to USC by the score of 21-20, the Bruins signal caller got the Heisman nod over USC rusher O.J. Simpson due to his dual-threat ability. Gary Beban threw for 8 touchdowns on 1359 yards passing, but he also ran an additional 227 yards with 11 more scores.
November 27, 1970 – Los Angeles, Coliseum – Fighting Irish Quarterback, Joe Theisman throws for a whopping 526 yards against USC in a driving rain storm. The Trojans were too much, though, as the final score was Southern Cal 38, Notre Dame 28. (source)
November 28, 1970, CFL Grey Cup, CNE Stadium, Toronto: Montreal Alouettes defeat Calgary Stampeders, 23-10; game marred by woeful field conditions
November 28, 1970, Legion Field, Birmingham – The Tide jumped out to an early 17-0 lead, but Tigers quarterback Pat Sullivan, wide receiver Terry Beasley, and company were not done yet. 247sports.com tells the tale of how the Auburn Tigers came from behind to get past Alabama’s Crimson Tide 33-28 in a thrilling second half.
November 28, 1971, CFL Grey Cup, Empire Stadium, Vancouver: Calgary Stampeders beat Toronto Argonauts, 14-11 on a slick, rain-covered field
November 28, 1976, CFL Grey Cup, CNE Stadium, Toronto: Ottawa Rough Riders defeat Saskatchewan Roughriders, 23-20 in a thriller; 53,467 Grey Cup record attendance
November 28, 1978 – Billy Sims, Oklahoma’s talented running back, won the 44th Heisman Trophy Award. The Heisman’s official website informs us that Sims led the nation in rushing in just his junior season with a BIG 8 Conference record of 1762 yards on the ground. Billy went over 200 yards in four of that season’s contests, and his 20 TDs and 7.0 yards per carry were numbers awe-inspiring to the Heisman voters.
November 28, 1981 – Legion Field, Birmingham – The Crimson Tide defeated Auburn 28-17 in the 46th Iron Bowl. The victory gave Alabama’s Bear Bryant his 315th win, surpassing Amos Alonzo Stagg to become college football’s coach with the most victories.
November 28, 1982, CFL Grey Cup, CNE Stadium, Toronto: Edmonton Eskimos’ record 5th straight Championship; defeat Toronto Argonauts, 32-16.
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 28, 1999, CFL Grey Cup, BC Place, Vancouver: Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeat Calgary Stampeders, 32-21; reverse previous year’s result.
November 28, 2010, CFL Grey Cup, Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton: Montreal Alouettes retain Championship with 21-18 win over Saskatchewan Roughriders; Alouettes’ quarterback Anthony Calvillo’s 3rd title.
November 28 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
- William Lewis
- Paul Warfield
- Vern Den Herder
Conclusion
The history of football is paved with remarkable milestones, and the events of November 28 prove its enduring power, from college rivalries like the Iron Bowl and the controversial Yale-Princeton rule debate to the awarding of three different Heisman Trophies. This single date is a powerful reminder of how records are set, champions are crowned, and gridiron legends—like pioneer William Lewis and Hall of Famer Paul Warfield—are born.