By Darin 
December 1 marks a convergence of football excellence, defined by historic college rivalries, multiple Heisman Trophy announcements, and groundbreaking NFL milestones. On this day, legends like Ty Detmer, Dick Kazmaier, and Billy Cannon claimed the coveted Heisman Memorial Trophy. Meanwhile, the Iron Bowl delivered crushing shutouts and nerve-wracking finishes, and the infamous “Fog Bowl”—one of the most unique Grey Cup games ever played—made history. Dive into the archives to relive Dan Marino setting an NFL passing record, witness pivotal college conference championship upsets, and celebrate the birth of Hall of Fame pioneer Red Badgro.
On This Day in Gridiron History: December 1 Football History Headlines
December 1, 1973, per onthisday.com, the 38th Iron Bowl might sound like a broken record, but the fact is that Alabama beat Auburn with another shutout victory, this time 35-0 in Birmingham.
December 1, 1979 – We had a great matchup in the 44th Iron Bowl. Alabama’s Crimson Tide outlasted the Tigers of Auburn 25-18 at old Legion Field in Birmingham.
On December 1, 1980, the website Heisman.com reported that the 46th Heisman Memorial Trophy was awarded to South Carolina’s George Rogers. The big running back had a remarkable season as he ran for a nation-best 1,781 yards while punching in 14 touchdowns. In the 1981 NFL Draft, he was the top overall pick by the New Orleans Saints. He also played with the Washington Redskins in the NFL and even won a Super Bowl with them.
December 1, 1984 – Boston College Quarterback Doug Flutie was announced as the Heisman Memorial Trophy winner for the 1984 season per Heisman.com. Some say he was undersized to succeed, but he proved them all wrong, winning the coveted award and becoming the first career college passer to eclipse the 10,000-yard mark! As a matter of fact, the season prior, in 1983, Flutie was third in the voting for the Heisman. His senior season, though, he would not be denied the award, as he passed for 3,454 yards and 27 touchdowns. Doug Flutie went on to have a great professional career in both the CFL and the NFL for multiple teams.
December 1, 1984 – Legion Field, Birmingham – The 49th Iron Bowl will unfortunately always be remembered for a snafu from one of the game’s star players as much as it was for the great sports spectacle that it was. In the 1982 Iron Bowl, Bo Jackson was the hero as he went over the top for the winning score. Bo in 1984 was not so much the game’s hero. According to AL.com, with 3:27 to play and Auburn trailing 17-15, the ball went to running back Brent Fullwood on that fourth-and-goal play from the 1. Jackson, who misheard the call, ran left while the play went right, without a lead blocker. Fullwood was run out of bounds by an Alabama defender short of the goal line. The Tide held on as the final score was Alabama 17, Auburn 15, and the game has been remembered as “Wrong Way Bo.”
December 1, 1990, the 56th winner of the Heisman Trophy Award was Ty Detmer, the great quarterback from Brigham Young University. His 15,031 career passing yards and 121 touchdowns show he was one of the best college QBs ever. As a matter of fact, he is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in college football history. The website bio on footbalfoundation.org states that he won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and two Davey O’Brien Awards, and that he once held 59 NCAA records! The National Football Foundation selected Ty Detmer to enter the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. Ty was a late selection in the 1992 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, and he played for a total of 14 seasons with the Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and Atlanta Falcons.
December 1, 1990 – Legion Field, Birmingham – The 55th Iron Bowl was one of the more memorable ones. The Tigers had entered this game having won the four previous gridiron contests against Alabama. Top moments in this game, according to si.com, were Tide kicker Phillip Doyle booting three field goals and the Alabama offense rolling the dice and going for a fourth and one from midfield. It was a tight game, so those plays mattered when both defenses were playing so well. Alabama outlasted Auburn 16-7 to end the Tigers’ winning streak against them.
December 1, 1991 – Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida – Dolphins legendary Quarterback Dan Marino set an NFL record when he reached 3,000 yards passing in a season for the 8th time in his career during the Dolphins’ 33-14 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per MiamiDolphins.com.
December 1, 2000 – The National Football League selected veteran official Mike Pereira as the Director of Officiating of the League. Mike stepped down from his duties at NFL Headquarters in 2010, and since then, he has been the NFL on Fox expert on all things officiating. (source)
December 1, 2001 – A big matchup and upset took place in the Big 12 Championship as Colorado upended Texas, changing the National Championship picture.
December 1, 2007, 16th SEC Championship Game #5 LSU versus #14 Tennessee. This was a great matchup of ranked teams in the country playing for the SEC title, who could have asked for more? ESPN.com has a great story on the game and describes the turning point for LSU as Jonathan Zenon picking off a pass and taking it 18 yards for a touchdown with 9:54 left to rally LSU from a 14-13 deficit. That play was the difference as the Tigers knocked off the Vols 21-14.
December 1, 2007, the 3rd ACC Championship Game was another great game on the bill as #6 Virginia Tech faced #12 Boston College. The American Football Database provides insight that at the half, the two teams battled to a 16–16 tie. The halftime adjustments were just what the Hokies needed as they came out of the locker room and not only shut down the Eagles’ offense but put two additional scores of their own on the board. The final score was 30-16 in favor of Virginia Tech.
December 1, 2007 – The 12th Big 12 Championship Game was the top-billed game of the day of conference championships as #9 Oklahoma took on #1 in the nation, Missouri. Rockmnation.com has the details on the game in which the Sooners upset Mizzou 38-17.
December 1, 2012 – #2 Alabama faced off against #3 Georgia in the 2012 SEC Championship Game, the 21st conference championship game. According to SBNation.com, the game came down to the last seconds as the Bulldogs caught a tipped pass in bounds at about the five-yard line, but couldn’t stop the clock. Had the receiver not caught the pass, they could have had one more play. Hindsight is always 20-20, and heck, when a wideout sees a catchable ball, he tries to catch it. The Tide rolled 32-28 for a chance at the National Championship. And that they did, as Alabama blanked their longtime rivals, LSU, 21-0, to win it all a few weeks after getting past the late Georgia scare.
December 1, 2018 – The SEC Championship featured yet another excellent Georgia vs Alabama matchup with a few names you might recognize.
December 1 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
- Red Badgro
- Steve Eisenhauer
Conclusion
From the unparalleled dominance of four different Heisman winners being announced on this date to the thrilling, high-stakes outcomes of the SEC, ACC, and Big 12 Championship Games in 2007 and December 1, 2012, consistently delivers football drama. It is a day that spotlights excellence, longevity, and the sheer unpredictability of the game, cementing its place as a cornerstone in the sport’s verified history, marked by championship victories, pioneering moves, and unforgettable individual achievements.
Big thank you to the sources above linked and especially Pro-Football-Reference.com, and Newspapers.com.