November 15

In this episode of the Football History Headlines we discuss Paul Brown's admitted greatest victory, and some upsets were in the air as well as many more Football Hall ofFfame Legendary stories. 

We're diving into the archives to revisit the headlines that rocked the NFL landscape. From legendary draft-day decisions that changed franchises to record-breaking performances that left fans in awe, get ready to relive the electrifying moments that shaped the game we love. So, lace up your cleats and join us as we explore the captivating stories from the gridiron's rich past!

Iron Bowl 6

November 15, 1901 - Tuscaloosa, Alabama -  From Onthisday.com , the 6th Iron Bowl classic took place as the Auburn Tigers blanked the Crimson Tide of Alabama 17-0.  

Football Program Suspended

November 15, 1906 - Columbia University suspends its football program due to the high number of deaths and injuries per the Library of Congress.

Aggies Upset Owls 

November 15, 1958 - Houston, Texas - Texas A&M plays Number 17 Rice University.  Rice was riding high all season as they sat in first-place atop the Southwest Conference. It wasn’t an easy game at all for the Owls as the teams were deadlocked at 14 in the third quarter. But that’s when Texas A&M’s Gordon LeBoeuf got his mitts on a blocked punt by teammate Don Smith and took it 55 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. The NFF’s article on the game then tells how tailback Charlie Milstead extended the Aggie lead to 28-14 shortly after with his second touchdown run of the day. Rice’s All-America end Buddy Dial, a 1993 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, scored a late touchdown on a four-yard reception from Bobby Wright, but it would not be enough for the Owls, as A&M won by a touchdown 28-21.

Bobby Mitchell Carries the Offense

November 15, 1959 - Griffith Stadium, Washington D.C. - According to barstoolsports.com , Cleveland Browns' halfback Bobby Mitchell set a club record for longest run from scrimmage (90-yards), and put up a pretty big number with 232 yards on the ground for the day and three TDs against a porous Washington defense.  Redskins back Johnny Olszewski nearly matched Mitchell’s numbers as he rushed for 190 yards himself in a losing effort. As the Cleveland Browns were victorious by the score of 31-17 over Washington.  

Paul Brown's Most Rewarding Victory?

November 15, 1970 - Paul Brown, as head coach of the expansion Cincinnati Bengals, defeats his former team the Cleveland Browns. The website cincyjungle.com has a great story on this subject. Giving a bit of a backstory to give the win some relevance because earlier in the season the Bengals took a 20-16 lead into the fourth quarter  but the Browns came back and won the 1st matchup by 3 points. The rematch on November 15, 1970 resulted in a Cincinnati Bengals win by the tune of 14-7. The legendary coach/owner said in an interview after the game that it was a moment he called his "greatest victory." In fact the full piece from the original article from the UPI's report in 1970:
"This was my best victory," Brown beamed in the dressing room afterwards. He was asked if he meant the best victory since he formed the Bengals in 1968.
"I'm talking about my best victory, period," Brown answered enthusiastically. "It's been a long, frustrating first half of the season," the former Browns coach said, "but this made it all worthwhile. It was a tremendous battle. We happened to get that second touchdown and held on for dear life."

November 15, 2014 -  Tuscaloosa, Alabama - A narrow escape for the Alabama Crimson Tide as they overcame a Mississippi State upset bid in a 25-20 victory in a game littered with future NFL stars.. A 2014 story from sbnation.com tells the tale of the game quite well. The Bulldogs looked completely overwhelmed early. Scoring opened with a safety to put up Alabama 2-0, and Alabama would eventually open it up to 19-0 in the second quarter, with Blake Sims connecting with Amari Cooper for one score and Derrick Henry running the ball on the ground for a TD on the other.
Mississippi State would eventually creep their way back into the game to a score of 19-13 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but by then they were about spent and Bama punched in another 6 points in the fourth. They simply dug themselves too deep a hole, and you can't do that against Alabama, even if this isn't a vintage Crimson Tide squad. Dak Prescott threw three interceptions, including one in the end zone, and the running game never really got off the mat after a bad start.

Get "Shorty" Miller

November 15, 1890 -  The Penn State University quarterback from 1910 through 1913, Gene “Shorty “ Miller was born. The NFF’s bio on the player describes a particular game that set Shorty Miller out from the crowd. The captains of the rival squads of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn State gathered at the 50 yard-line for the coin toss before the start of the 1911 game. Penn won the flip and elected to kickoff. It was a fatal mistake. Gene "Shorty" Miller, Penn State's heralded sophomore quarterback, weaved 95 yards for a touchdown. Minutes later, Miller scored again, this time on a 32-yard run, and Penn was demoralized. The Nittany Lions went on to a 22-6 victory and the first of two undefeated seasons. College Football Hall of Fame in 1974.

A team photo of the 1910 Penn State Football squad, taken by an unknown, Courtesy Penn State University via Wikimedia Commons.

Otis Armstrong

November 15, 1950 - Chicago, Illinois - Otis Armstrong the Purdue product that played halfback was born. When Otis Armstrong left college he owned the All-Time Big Ten Conference rushing record. He was the Conference MVP, First Team All-Conference, winner of the Swede Nelson Award for Good Sportsmanship and was a consensus All-American according to the National Football Foundation’s bio on him. Otis registered 3,315 career rushing yards which set school and conference records and placed him sixth in NCAA history for the feat. The NFF selected Otis Armstrong to enter into its College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. After school Otis was selected as a first round pick by the Denver Broncos in the 1973 NFL Draft. Armstrong played eight seasons with Denver and led the NFL in rushing in 1974, earning First Team All-Pro honors and appearing in his first of two Pro Bowls. As a Bronco he appeared with the team in Super Bowl XII.