By Darin The 1925 American football season was a defining, chaotic, and highly dramatic year. It altered the trajectory of college football forever and birthed the single most infamous championship controversy in professional sports history.
Courtesy of the Lane Bros.
1925 College Football: The South Rises and The Big Green Dominates
Before 1925, college football dominance was strictly concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest. This season shattered that paradigm.
- Alabama’s Historic Rose Bowl: The Alabama Crimson Tide, coached by Wallace Wade, rolled through the regular season undefeated and unscored upon until their final game. They earned an invite to the 1926 Rose Bowl, where they pulled off a stunning 20–19 upset over a heavily favored Washington Huskies team. This game is widely credited with putting Southern football on the national map and earning Alabama its first national championship.
- Dartmouth’s Perfect Run: The other undisputed powerhouse of 1925 was Dartmouth. Led by All-American halfback Andy Oberlander, the Big Green went 8–0, outscoring opponents 340 to 29. They were awarded the contemporary Dickinson System national title.
- Red Grange Goes Pro: After finishing his legendary career at Illinois, Harold “Red” Grange immediately signed a professional contract with the Chicago Bears. His subsequent barnstorming tour drew massive crowds, single-handedly legitimizing pro football to a skeptical public.
1925 Professional Football: The Stolen Championship
The 1925 NFL season is defined by the Pottsville Maroons controversy—a dispute so bitter it is still talked about a century later.
- The On-Field Decider: In December, the powerhouse Pottsville Maroons (a small coal-mining town team from Pennsylvania) crushed the Chicago Cardinals 21–7 in what everyone considered the de facto NFL championship game.
- The Suspension: Eager to capitalize on their success, Pottsville scheduled a lucrative exhibition game against a team of “Notre Dame All-Stars” (including the “Four Horsemen”). However, they played the game in Philadelphia—violating the territorial rights of the Frankford Yellow Jackets.
- The Ruling: NFL Commissioner Joseph Carr suspended the Maroons and stripped them of their franchise rights. With Pottsville sidelined, the Chicago Cardinals hastily scheduled extra games against inferior teams, overtook Pottsville in the standings, and were awarded the 1925 NFL Championship.
- The Curse: Out of respect, Cardinals owner Chris O’Brien initially refused to accept the trophy, stating Pottsville won it fairly on the field. The NFL still officially recognizes the Cardinals as the 1925 champions, a ruling that Pottsville fans claim cursed the Cardinals franchise to this day.
A Deep Dive into 1925 Football History and Highlights
- January 1, 1925 – A battle of undefeated teams met in the 1925 Rose Bowl. Notre Dame’s Four Horsemen faced Stanford and Ernie Nevers. It was one for the ages with the Fighting Irish winning the contest 27–10. Read more on the full coverage of the 1925 Rose Bowl.
- November 7, 1925 – Previously unbeaten Michigan was upset by Northwestern, by the score of 3–2.
- November 21, 1925 – Illinois defeated Ohio State 14-9, marking the final collegiate game for Red Grange. Check out the full coverage in the book Red Grange and the Chicago Bears 1925-26 Barnstorming Tour.
- November 26, 1925 – Just days after his final game at Illinois, on Thanksgiving Day, Red Grange made his highly anticipated NFL debut as a halfback for the Chicago Bears against the Chicago Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Check out the full coverage in the book Red Grange and the Chicago Bears 1925-26 Barnstorming Tour.
- December 6, 1925 – The Pottsville Maroons took over first place in the NFL standings by defeating the Chicago Cardinals at Comiskey Park, 21-7. We have an entire book on this season of the Pottsville club in the book Marooned.
- December 12, 1925 – The Pottsville Maroons, the top NFL team, defeated a team mostly made up of the 1924 Collegiate Champions, Notre Dame All-Stars, 9-7 on a late field goal. This game, played at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, may have cost the Maroons the NFL title. We have an entire book on this season of the Pottsville club in the book Marooned.
- December 12, 1925 – NFL President Joe Carr, sent a telegram to the Pottsville Maroons halftime locker room, informing Doc Striegel that the Maroons were being dismissed from the NFL due to playing the ND game in the Frankford Yellow Jackets territory.