October 29

On this episode of the Football's History Headlines we discuss a famous player that had a streak end and some big upsets in college history  as well as many more Football Hall of Fame Legendary stories.

Gridiron fans, gear up for another exciting day of football history! Dive into the archives and relive the moments that shaped the game we love. Today's headlines take us back in time, exploring everything from legendary quarterback duels that captivated a nation to groundbreaking rule changes that redefined the sport. So, whether you're a die-hard traditionalist or a stats guru, we have something for everyone. Let's lace up our virtual cleats and take a trip down memory lane!

Centre hands Harvard a loss!

October 29, 1921 - Per the footballfoundation.org, Centre College in Kentucky upset Harvard 6-0, handing the Crimson its first defeat since 1916. Centre’s Bo McMillin, a 1951 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, scored on a 32-yard run in what many still consider as one of the 20th century’s greatest sports upsets.

Wash. State with the Upset!

October 29, 1988 - A story from the NFF : Washington State scored 28 points in the second half to upset No. 1 UCLA and College Football Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and Terry Donahue, 34-30. Cougar running back Rick Swinton scored the go ahead touchdown with 6:21 remaining in the game. The Bruins had an opportunity late in the fourth quarter to win the game but Aikman misfired on four consecutive passes from the Washington State six yard line as Washington State’s defense stood tall to preserve the victory.

All good things must come to an end

October 29, 1989 - Ozzie Newsome had his NFL streak of 150 consecutive games with a reception come to an end. In a UPI article by Thomas M. Burnettrich dated October 29, 1989 the Newsome was injured after the first Cleveland offensive play in the second half and had not had a reception in the first half against the Oilers. Newsome, by his own choice, decided not to go back into the game to try and preserve the streak with a short reception. The Browns prevailed without their star receiver contributing on the stat line as they cruised to a 28-17 victory over the Houston Oilers. The streak started on October 21, 1979. 
 

John DeWitt

October 29, 1881 - Phillipsburg, New Jersey  -  John DeWitt a former guard and kicker from Princeton University was born.  Some consider DeWitt to be the greatest player in Princeton history as even the great Walter Camp placed him on an all-time All-America team. The NFF recounts a great story on Dewitt on their website. Things were not looking good for the Princeton Tigers in their annual battle with Yale. Their 10-game winning streak was in jeopardy when the Bulldogs scored the first points of the season against the Tigers. The Elis were about to increase their 6-0 lead as Ledyard Mitchell set to drop-kick a field goal. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, came the rush of John De Witt. He caught the ball in mid-air and raced 70 yards for a Tiger touchdown, then kicked the conversion point that tied the game at 6-6. Late in the contest, De Witt struck again, this time on a 53-yard field goal which provided the winning points in an 11-6 Princeton victory. Princeton finished the season at 11-0-0 and won the national championship, due largely to the efforts of this drop-kick specialist. DeWitt was a great all-around athlete as he even competed in the hammer throw for the United States in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St. Louis and won the silver medal! John DeWitt was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.

Barney Poole

October 29, 1923 - Gloster, Mississippi - Barney Poole was an end that played for multiple collegiate teams including Mississippi, North Carolina and Army.   The National Football Foundation informs us that due to special war time allowances, Barney Poole was permitted to participate in an unprecedented 7 seasons!  Poole started off his collegiate career at Mississippi in 1942, played with the North Carolina V-12 unit in 1943, moved to Army for the 1944-46 campaigns, then returned to Ole Miss for two additional seasons. Never was his playmaking talent displayed better than in the 1946 Army-Navy game. With time waning and Army up, Navy was driving for the go ahead score. Poole made a couple game-saving tackles, the last when he hauled Navy's Pete Williams down at the Cadet 4 yard line, ending the final threat with just seven seconds left in the game according to the NFF’s website. Poole was an all around great athlete as he earned 7 letters in football, 7 letters in basketball and 8 more in the sport of baseball. The National Football Foundation voted Barney Poole to join their exclusive club of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1974. Barney after college played in the National Football League for the New York Yanks, the Dallas Texans, the Baltimore Colts, and the New York Giants. Poole also played football in the All-America Football Conference for the New York Yankees.