By Darin Uncover the powerhouse moments and historical “firsts” in football history that all share one epic date: January 7. From the groundbreaking selection of Walter Camp’s first officially published All-American team in 1899—which featured a rare non-Ivy League star—to the launch of the NFL Playoff Bowl and the inaugural AFL All-Star Game, this single day is packed with milestones. Dive into a legacy of championship intensity, exploring the fierce 1979 AFC and NFC title games and the long-running string of iconic BCS and CFP National Championship battles, including LSU’s stunner and Clemson’s unforgettable dismantling of Alabama.
January 7 Football History Timeline
- January 7, 1899 – Walter Camp published his 1st All-American football team in Collier’s. Twelve of the thirteen players named had played for Ivy League schools. The sole exception was Isaac Seneca, a Native American who played at the fullback position for the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Camp, along with Caspar Whitney, started publishing the honor in 1889 in a magazine called “The Week’s Sport” and then in Harper’s Weekly, according to Britannica.com. 1899 was the first year that Collier’s received the honor of publication, and Camp carried on the tradition every year until Camp’s untimely death in 1925. The Magazine then asked Grantland Rice, the era’s most prominent sportswriter, to continue the annual selection.
- January 7, 1961 – Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida – The 1st NFL Playoff Bowl was played between the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns. According to the AmericanFootball.Fandom.com website, this game was officially named the Bert Bell Benefit Bowl. It was created to determine the third-place finisher in the NFL, pitting the two losing teams from the Divisional Playoff games. The game was played ten different times from 1960 through the 1969 season. The name was in honor of the late Bert Bell, former NFL commissioner, co-founder of the Philadelphia Eagles, and former co-owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The game was developed to give the NFL more television airtime to compete with the AFL. The American Football League had a contract with ABC to air most of its regular-season games as well as the postseason. The more established NFL was lagging behind its rival league, as very few regular-season games were broadcast nationally at the time, and the NFL Championship was the only postseason contest shown across the country. This new Playoff Bowl was played the week after the NFL Championship game. In the game itself, in 1961, Detroit beat Cleveland in an exciting one, 17-16, to claim third place in the pecking order for the 1960 NFL season.
- January 7, 1962 – Balboa Stadium, San Diego – The inaugural AFL All-Star Game was played. The contest pitted the best from the AFL’s Western Division against the greats from the AFL’s Eastern Division. RemembertheAFL.com nicely tells the story of the game. Players such as Jim Otto, Jack Kemp, and Coach Sid Gillman were on the West’s sidelines while the East boasted George Blanda, Billy Cannon, and Gino Cappelletti. The Western Division outshone the Eastern Division 47-27. The MVP of the game was the Dallas Texans Quarterback Cotton Davidson.
- January 7, 1979 – Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh – The AFC Championship game once again came to the home of the Steelers, per Pro-Football-Reference.com. The Houston Oilers, the Steelers’ AFC Central rivals, arrived to challenge the team of the 1970’s. Despite being the two best AFC teams, the game was sloppy: 14 turnovers were committed, 9 by the Oilers. The Steel Curtain Defense limited Oilers’ running back Earl Campbell to 62 yards and held Houston’s passing game under 100 yards, for only 142 total offensive yards. Meanwhile, Terry Bradshaw and company produced 379 yards as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated Houston, 34-5.
- January 7, 1979 – LA Memorial Coliseum – The NFC Championship game was extremely one-sided as the Dallas Cowboys demolished the Los Angeles Rams, 28-0.
- January 7, 2008 – Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans – The game was the Allstate Sugar Bowl to be played for the 2008 BCS National Championship. The Top team in the country, the Ohio State Buckeyes, was challenged by the number 2 team in the nation, the LSU Tigers, according to the allstatesugarbowl.com website. The game started off strong for Ohio State as they led 10-3 at the end of the first quarter. The Tigers had something else in mind as they rattled off 21 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a lead that they would not once again relinquish. Louisiana State became the national champs as they stunned the Buckeyes 38-24.
- January 7, 2010 – Rose Bowl, Pasadena – The 12th BCS National Championship took place as the Rose Bowl played its turn to host the big game. The #2 Texas Longhorns were out for the title against the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide. The Bama defense got after it early and knocked Texas star QB Colt McCoy out of the game, and then wore the Texas defense down with a strong running game from the tandem of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, who each went over 100 yards in the game. The Crimson Tide took home the Title as they outlasted Texas 37-21, per ESPN.com.
- On January 7, 2013, at 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 7, 2019 – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California – The National Championship pitted the top two teams in the country once again as #2 Clemson took on #1 Alabama. CBSSports.com reports that with strong defense and on the arm of the Tigers’ sensational freshman quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, who tossed for 347 yards and three touchdowns, led Clemson to a dominating claim to the title in a 44-16 victory.
January 7 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
Conclusion
From the earliest days of college football, when recognizing legends like Albert Exendine and Eddie LeBaron, to modern-day National Championship showdowns, January 7th consistently ranks among the most pivotal and action-packed dates on the calendar. Whether marking historical “firsts” in professional leagues—like the birth of the Playoff Bowl and the AFL All-Star contest—or hosting the climactic end to the college season, this date ensures that its place in football history is rich with both legacy and high drama.
Big thanks to our sources, including Pro-Football-Reference.com
