By Darin The 1924 American football season was a landmark year that solidified the sport’s place in American culture, defined by one of the most legendary college football teams ever assembled and a highly unusual championship race in the young professional league.
1924 College Football: The Year of the Horsemen
College football completely dominated the national sports landscape in 1924, driven by iconic teams and legendary sports journalism.
- Notre Dame’s “Four Horsemen”: Coached by Knute Rockne, the Fighting Irish went 10–0 and claimed the consensus national championship. The backfield—Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden—was immortalized by sportswriter Grantland Rice after they upset a powerhouse Army team, cementing them as icons of American sports folklore.
- The 1925 Rose Bowl: Notre Dame capped off their perfect season on New Year’s Day by traveling west to defeat Pop Warner’s undefeated Stanford squad 27–10, featuring a legendary matchup between Elmer Layden and Stanford star Ernie Nevers.
- Red Grange’s Masterpiece: On October 18, 1924, University of Illinois star Harold “Red” Grange (The “Galloping Ghost”) put on arguably the greatest single-game performance in college football history against Michigan. He scored four touchdowns in the first 12 minutes of the game and finished with six total.
1924 Professional Football: The NFL’s Corporate Move
The National Football League (NFL), still in its infancy and operating under a simple win-percentage system without a formal postseason, faced a year of unique administrative maneuvering.
- The Cleveland Bulldogs: The powerhouse Canton Bulldogs, who had won the 1922 and 1923 titles, were facing financial ruin. The owner of the Cleveland Indians franchise bought the Canton team, “mothballed” it, and moved the star roster to Cleveland, renaming them the Cleveland Bulldogs.
- A Controversial Champion: The Cleveland Bulldogs won the official 1924 NFL title with a 7–1–1 record. However, the Chicago Bears challenged them to a post-season exhibition match after the official end date and won. The Bears claimed the title, but league officials stood by the regular-season standings, officially awarding Cleveland the championship.
A Deep Dive into 1924 Football History and Highlights
- January 1, 1924 – In Pasadena, Washington tied Navy 14–14 at the 1924 Rose Bowl.
- January 27, 1924 – The Kansas City Blues, later known as the Kansas City Cowboys, were formed.
- October 18, 1924 – Notre Dame beat Army 13–7 at the Polo Grounds in New York City. It was the only loss of the season for the Cadets. Writer Grantland Rice wrote his article deeming the ND backfield as the Four Horsemen.
- October 18, 1924 – Urbana, Illinois – Harold “Red” Grange, also known as the “Galloping Ghost,” may have played his best collegiate football game on this day. Read more here.
- November 16, 1924 – Dunn Field, Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland/Canton Bulldogs’ winning streak ends. The Canton Bulldogs were a dynasty in the early days of the NFL. According to americanfootballdatabase.fandom.com, the Bulldogs were unbeaten in 25 games from 1921 through 1923, suffering only three ties in that span.
- November 29, 1924 – Varsity Stadium, Toronto – Queen’s University wins 3rd straight Grey Cup Championship, defeating the Toronto Balmy Beach squad in just their first season by the tune of 11-3, per cflapedia.com.
- November 30, 1924 – This day marked the end of the NFL season, and with it, the Cleveland Bulldogs had a slightly better record than the Chicago Bears, so in an era without a postseason, the Dogs were the champs. According to the American Football Database, the Bears were unsettled by this and challenged Cleveland to a postseason rematch. The Bears won the postseason contest just as they had in 1921, when they challenged Buffalo All-Americans, who had the best record.