The 2013 American football season was a year of vivid contrasts and historic transitions. In the professional ranks, it featured the ultimate clash between a record-shattering offense and a generational defense. Meanwhile, the collegiate landscape delivered some of the most dramatic finishes in the sport’s history while bidding farewell to its long-standing championship format.
The NFL: An Offensive Juggernaut and the “Legion of Boom”
The 2013 NFL season was defined by two vastly different teams that were on a collision course from week one: the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks.
- Peyton Manning’s Historic Campaign: Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning orchestrated the greatest statistical season for a quarterback in NFL history. He set single-season records with 5,477 passing yards and 55 passing touchdowns, earning his fifth MVP award and leading the Broncos to a 13-3 record.
- The “Legion of Boom”: On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Seattle Seahawks, led by head coach Pete Carroll, boasted the league’s most fearsome defense. Featuring defensive stars like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor, Seattle led the NFL in fewest points allowed, fewest yards allowed, and most takeaways.
- Super Bowl XLVIII: The highly anticipated matchup between the league’s best offense and best defense took place on February 2, 2014, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey—the first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl. The Seahawks’ defense completely dismantled the Broncos, resulting in a dominant 43-8 victory to secure Seattle’s first Lombardi Trophy.
College Football: Unprecedented Drama and the End of the BCS
The 2013 NCAA college football season marked the final year of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) before the sport transitioned to the College Football Playoff (CFP) system in 2014.
- The “Kick Six”: The November 30 Iron Bowl between the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers provided one of the most famous plays in football history. With one second left in a tied game, Alabama attempted a 57-yard field goal. It fell short, and Auburn’s Chris Davis returned the missed kick 109 yards for a game-winning touchdown, ending Alabama’s national title hopes.
- Jameis Winston’s Heisman Run: Florida State University (FSU) redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston took the college football world by storm, passing for 4,057 yards and 40 touchdowns. He became the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy at the time.
- The Final BCS National Championship: The undefeated FSU Seminoles met the Auburn Tigers in Pasadena, California. In a thrilling, high-scoring affair, FSU scored a touchdown with just 13 seconds remaining to win 34-31, claiming the final BCS national title.
More 2013 Gridiron Milestone Moments
Beyond the championships, the 2013 season was filled with notable milestones and foundational changes for the sport:
- Calvin Johnson’s Monster Game: Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin “Megatron” Johnson recorded 329 receiving yards in a single game against the Dallas Cowboys, the second-most in NFL history.
- Off-Field Shifts: The NFL reached a historic $765 million settlement with thousands of former players over concussion-related brain injuries, marking a major turning point in how the league handled player safety and head trauma protocols.
- Tucker’s Golden Leg: Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker booted a 61-yard field goal on Monday Night Football to beat the Detroit Lions 18-16, accounting for all of his team’s points and solidifying his reputation as one of the most clutch kickers in league history.
A Deep Dive into 2013 Football History and Highlights
- January 1, 2013 – At the Rose Bowl, the Stanford Cardinal downed the Wisconsin Badgers 20-14. Cardinal players took home the MVP brass as offensively RB Stepfan Taylor and defensively CB Usua Amanam received the honors.
- January 7, 2013 – Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens – The 15th BCS National Championship saw #2 Alabama overpower #1 Notre Dame 42-14. Sports-Reference.com notes that Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon and Eddie Lacy each rushed for over 100 yards.
- January 12, 2013 – Denver, Colorado – Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco launched a 70-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jacoby Jones to tie the game in what has become known as the “Mile High Miracle” during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game. According to ESPN.com, the Denver Broncos were leading the Baltimore Ravens 35-28 with 1:09 remaining. The most unexpected catch and score took the game to overtime, where the Ravens won in overtime on a Justin Tucker 47-yard field goal to advance.
- January 20, 2013 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough – In the 2012 season’s AFC Championship tilt, it was the Baltimore Ravens who more than doubled up the New England Patriots by the score of 28-13. Tom Brady threw for a solid 320 yards against a tough Ravens defense, but with just one touchdown and having two passes intercepted, he was upstaged by the three scoring passes by Joe Flacco, who kept the ball out of defenders’ hands per the Pro-Football-Reference.com to advance to Super Bowl XLVII.
- January 20, 2013 – Georgia Dome, Atlanta – What a game the NFC Championship was! The Pro-football-Reference website shows that after Atlanta held a 24-14 advantage at the half, the Niners played stingy defense in the second half and Frank Gore pounded the ball across the goal line twice to lift San Francisco to a 28-14 victory over Atlanta to advance to Super Bowl XLVII against the Ravens in the Harbaugh Bowl! We will discuss that game on February 3!
- January 27, 2013 – Aloha Stadium, Honolulu – The results of the 2012 season’s NFL Pro Bowl were that the NFC smoked the AFC, 62-35, with Tight end Kyle Rudolph of the Minnesota Vikings earning the MVP honors per the OnthisDay.com website.
- February 3, 2013, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans. Super Bowl XLVII was the ‘Harbowl,’ featuring coaching brothers John and Jim Harbaugh. A partial power outage famously delayed the game, creating a moment of great uncertainty that tested the endurance of both teams. In the darkened stadium, both sidelines adapted strategies, with the Ravens using the break to refocus and mentally regroup. At the same time, the 49ers seized the opportunity to readjust their offense and mount a challenging comeback. That sudden pause became a narrative pivot, representing the theme of innovation under pressure that defines February 3rd’s football legacy. Ultimately, the Baltimore Ravens held off a late San Francisco 49ers rally to win 34-31. Quarterback Joe Flacco was named MVP after throwing for 287 yards and 3 touchdowns.
- February 12, 2013 – At a ceremony in Philadelphia, the NFL pays tribute to the life of the late Steve Sabol and his many contributions to the league. An NFL.com article states that Steve Sabol won over 40 Emmy Awards and oversaw 107 Emmys for NFL Films. He was the Sporting News’ 2002 “Sports Executive of the Year.” He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.
- March 8, 2013 – Marked a major shift in the college football landscape. The “Catholic Seven” schools (including Georgetown and Villanova) officially reached a deal to separate from the “football schools” of the Big East. This led to the creation of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and the rebranding of the Big East as a basketball-centric conference, permanently altering college football’s conference power structure.
- April 25, 2013 – The 2013 NFL Draft: Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher was the first pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. Some, including the NFLSpinZone.com, argue that this draft class may be the worst in NFL modern history. Check out our full coverage of the 2013 NFL Draft here.
- May 4, 2013 – International Promotion: A professional American football game was scheduled in Beijing, China, as part of the NFL Players Association‘s international promotional efforts (announced March 7, 2013). Ultimately, the game was not held as planned.
- October 26, 2013 – In an unbelievable comeback, the University of South Carolina upset the 5th-ranked University of Missouri 27-24. The Gamecocks found themselves trailing the heavily favored Mizzou squad 17-0 in the fourth quarter. USC quarterback Connor Shaw was banged up and had flu-like symptoms, according to an article on the postandcourier.com website, but he spearheaded a fierce comeback surge for South Carolina. Earlier in the week, Shaw admitted to a partial tear in his LCL, and a few days before kick-off, he had the flu, so head coach Steve Spurrier did not let him start, and the team took the field with Dylan Thompson under center. After watching Dylan struggle through the first 3 quarters, Spurrier turned to Shaw and asked if he could go, and the youngster responded by leading the Gamecocks to a tie and overtime against the Tigers. The Carolina victory came in the second OT session when Mizzou tried to tie the score once more, but their kick banged off the upright to fall away from its mark, allowing the underdog USC team to claim victory. (Source)
- November 3, 2013 – Oakland, California – Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles completes 22 of his 28 passing attempts for 406 yards, scoring 3 touchdowns to Wideout Riley Cooper to become the 7th passer in NFL history with 7 TD tosses in a game during the Philadelphia Eagles’ 49-20 win over the Raiders.
- November 16, 2013 – The famous Prayer at Jordan-Hare game occurred as Auburn overcame Georgia in a stunning comeback. It is too remarkable of a play to describe in a sentence or two, please check out our post in the Prayer at Jordan-Hare.
- November 24, 2013 – Taylor Field, Regina – At the 101st Grey Cup for the CFL Championship, the Saskatchewan Roughriders won their 4th title, defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 45-23. The Most Valuable Player was Roughriders running back Kory Sheets, who set a Grey Cup record by rushing for 197 yards and 2 touchdowns, thanks to a onthisday.com post.
- November 30, 2013 – Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Alabama – The 78th edition of the Iron Bowl series had to be one of the most stunning endings of all time! With little time remaining, Alabama lined up to attempt a 56-yard field goal to break a 28-28 tie. What happened has to be witnessed in the video below, as the emotion of the announcers is priceless! In short, the kick fell short, and Auburn’s Chris Davis caught the kick in the back of the end zone and raced 109 yards to paydirt to put the Auburn Tigers on top as they overcame the Tide of Alabama 34-28 in one of the most dramatic and unexpected endings of all time! (source) Here is more on this game.
- December 7, 2013 – The 22nd SEC Championship Game saw an offensive explosion as the #3 Tigers of Auburn defeated #5 Missouri 59-42.
- December 16, 2013 – The 79th Heisman Trophy Award went to Jameis Winston, Florida State’s talented quarterback. Heisman.com tells us that Jameis was the first freshman to have his team win the national Championship and win a Heisman in the same season. In the year Winston threw for 3,820 yards and 38 touchdowns.
- December 30, 2013 – NFL head coach Mike Shanahan is fired by the Washington Redskins. December 30 would soon be marked by close collegiate contests and remarkable professional milestones.
