By Darin 
November 26 is a date that epitomizes the high stakes and legendary rivalries of football across all levels. This single day has celebrated the crowning of three separate Heisman Trophy winners—including Navy legend Roger Staubach and USC star O.J. Simpson—while simultaneously delivering some of the most dramatic finishes in North American football. From the legendary intensity of the Iron Bowl, featuring Joe Namath and Cam Newton comebacks, to the chaotic, championship history of the CFL Grey Cup, November 26 is a non-stop highlight reel of unforgettable moments and gridiron giants.
The day’s history is rich with individual excellence. In the late 1960s alone, three consecutive Heisman Trophies were awarded on this date: Roger Staubach (1963), O.J. Simpson (1968), and Steve Owens (1969). Staubach, the Navy junior, became the first player to win the Thompson Trophy Cup three times.
The Iron Bowl often defines the intensity of the rivalry. November 26 saw classics like Alabama’s 3-0 defensive win in 1960, the first-ever televised Iron Bowl victory led by Joe Namath, and Ray Ogden‘s 100-yard kickoff return in 1964, and Cam Newton’s improbable 24-point comeback for Auburn in 2010, which beat Alabama 28-27. Just down the road, in 1949, Georgia Tech defeated Georgia 7-6, a pivotal win that marked the beginning of the legendary eight-year “Drought” of Bobby Dodd’s mastery over the Bulldogs.
North of the border, the Grey Cup has a chaotic championship history on this date, from the Toronto Blues winning the second-ever Cup in 1910 to the BC Lions winning in 2000 as the first team with a losing regular season record to claim the title. The 1989 final, known simply as “The Kick,” saw Dave Ridgway deliver a 43-40 heartbreaker for Saskatchewan.
The date also celebrates professional football royalty, as it marks the birthdays of four Pro Football Hall of Famers: kicker Jan Stenerud, tackle Art Shell, defensive back Roger Wehrli, and defensive end Harry Carson. The day is also notable for Dan Marino setting the NFL record for career touchdown passes in 1995.
The Day the Heisman Crowned Legends: Iconic Iron Bowl Battles and Grey Cup Thrillers on November 26
November 26, 1910 – AAA Grounds, Hamilton, Ontario – The 2nd Grey Cup was played to determine a Canadian Champion per the American Football Database. The University of Toronto Blues kept the title, knocking off the home team Hamilton Tigers, 16-7, before a crowd of nearly 12,000 fans. (source)
November 26, 1925 – Red Grange makes his NFL debut with the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day against the Chicago Cardinals.
November 26, 1927 – Varsity Stadium, Toronto – Toronto’s Balmy Beach defeated the Hamilton Tigers by the score of 9-6 for their first of 2 Grey Cups, per the CFL.ca website. An all-eastern Canada final was played because the Regina Roughriders did not accept their earned Western bid into the Cup game due to the long delay between their last league game and the Canadian final.
November 26, 1949 – Varsity Stadium, Toronto – Our friends at NinetyNineyards.com are all over this story. The Montreal Alouettes outplayed the Calgary Stampeders, 28-15, for their first Championship. Make sure you check out the great piece the Ninety Nine Yards has on this game by clicking their highlighted name.
November 26, 1949 – Grant Field, Atlanta, Georgia – Georgia Tech was a seven-point favorite at home against their rivals from the University of Georgia, per a report by georgiatechticketstubs.com. The Bulldogs recovered a fumble in the second quarter and then cashed it in to take a 6-0 lead. That is when the cavalry came to the rescue of the stagnant Tech offense. Jim Southard, their injured starting quarterback, came off the bench and breathed a little bit of life into the Yellow Jackets. It finally paid off when, after multiple long drives, the Ramblin’ Wreck finally put the ball across the goal line and made the point after. It was just enough as the final score read Georgia Tech 7, Georgia 6, the victory that started “The Drought” for the Bulldogs and initiated Bobby Dodd’s eight-year mastery of Georgia.
November 26, 1955 – Empire Stadium, Vancouver – In the 43rd Grey Cup, the Edmonton Eskimos retained their Championship for another year with a 34-19 victory over the Montreal Alouettes, per the Grey Cup’s Website.
November 26, 1955 – Birmingham, Alabama – At the 20th Iron Bowl, the fans in attendance saw the Auburn Tigers blank the Crimson Tide of Alabama 26-0, per a clip on onthisday.com.
November 26, 1960 – Empire Stadium, Vancouver – The 48th Grey Cup Final pitted the Edmonton Eskimos against the Ottawa Rough Riders, according to sportsteamhistory.com. This year, it was the Rough Riders who would come out on top, defeating the Eskimos 16-6 for their 5th Championship. (source)
November 26, 1960 – Birmingham, Alabama – In a defensive battle per onthisday.com, it was the Alabama Crimson Tide that kicked a field goal to get by Auburn, 3-0, in the 25th Iron Bowl. (source)
November 26, 1963 – New York City – The 29th Heisman Trophy was awarded to Navy’s Junior quarterback, Roger Staubach. Roger had an impressive 1963 season, leading the Midshipmen to the number 2 ranking in the country as he passed for 1,474 yards on 161 attempts, which were pretty lofty numbers for the era. Staubach was the first player to win the Thompson Trophy Cup three times. Roger’s four years in the Navy included a tour in Vietnam, and upon his return, he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys into the NFL. Staubach was at the helm of the Cowboys for 11 seasons and led them to 4 Super Bowl appearances. (source)
November 26, 1964 – Was the advent of the First Televised Iron Bowl per si.com? It was a great one to show on TV too, as Quarterback Joe Namath and a 100-yard kickoff return by Ray Ogden pushed the Crimson Tide to a 21-14 Thanksgiving Day victory over Auburn. (source)
November 26, 1966 – Empire Stadium, Vancouver – The 54th CFL Grey Cup game was played. It was a significant game as the Saskatchewan Roughriders won their first Championship by downing the Ottawa Rough Riders by the score of 29-14. The story is told in detail at NinetyNineYards.com, so please click their name and read all about it.
On November 26, 1968, O.J. Simpson, the running back from Southern Cal, won the Heisman Trophy. The Senior rusher set a new NCAA rushing mark during the 1968 season and helped the Trojans achieve a 9-0-1 record and second in the rankings with his 22 touchdowns and 1709 yards on the ground. Simpson was the number one pick in the 1969 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. Per the Heisman.com site, O.J. became the first pro player to rush for over 2,000 yards when he gained 2,003 in 1973 in just 14 games.
November 26, 1969 – In the 35th Heisman Trophy selection, Steve Owens, the senior running back from Oklahoma, was the winner of the nation’s top college football individual award. Steve ran the ball 358 times for 1,523 yards in 1969 and punched in 23 touchdowns, per the Heisman Trophy web page.
November 26, 1977 – Legion Field, Birmingham – The 42nd Iron Bowl featured number 2 in the nation Alabama on a surge, as they dispatched unranked Auburn by the tune of 48-21, per the Pickin Splinters website. Alabama’s QB Jeff Rutledge threw for 2 touchdowns & RB Tony Nathan rushed for 2 touchdowns as the Crimson Tide rolled their arch rival.
November 26, 1978 – CNE Stadium, Toronto – The 66th Grey Cup saw the Edmonton Eskimos take their first of 5 straight titles, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 20-13, per the American Football Database.
On November 26, 1984, John W. Mercom Jr. announced that the New Orleans Saints were up for sale for $75 million, per the onthisday website. It would be in May of 1985 that Tom Benson would purchase the Saints for $70,204,000. (source)
November 26, 1989 – SkyDome, Toronto – Let’s start by telling you that the 77th Grey Cup was fondly referred to as “The Kick.” That should take some mystery out of it. Yes, it was a tight game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and it came down to the end. The Ti-Cats scored a game-tying TD with 44 seconds remaining, per the cfl.ca article on the game. It looked like their late surge would send the game into overtime. But the Saskatchewan offense had other plans as they quickly marched down the field to get into a position to have their kicker try a Field Goal attempt with just two ticks remaining on the clock. That kicker was Dave Ridgway, and his kick was good, propelling the Roughriders to a 43-40 win over the Tiger-Cats.
November 26, 1992 – Birmingham, Alabama – The 57th Iron Bowl took place, and the Alabama Crimson Tide was victorious over Auburn by a margin of 17-0
On November 26, 1995, Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino set another record. This time, it was an NFL record: the 343rd touchdown pass in the game against the Indianapolis Colts, per American Fandom. Marino’s passing wasn’t enough as the Blue Horseshoe scored 36 points to the Dolphins’ 28.
November 26, 2000 – McMahon Stadium, Calgary – In a thriller, it was the BC Lions who outlasted the Montreal Alouettes 28-26 in a very improbable CFL Championship in the 88th edition of the Grey Cup. The Lions were the first team ever to finish the regular season with more losses than wins and then to win the Grey Cup! The NinetyNineYards.com gang is all over this game in detail, so be sure to check out their article by clicking their highlighted name above.
November 26, 2010 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama – The second-ranked Auburn Tigers squeaked by number 9 Alabama 28-27 in a thriller at the 75th Iron Bowl. ESPN.com’s coverage of the game says the Tigers had to stage a comeback from a 24-point deficit, led by Quarterback Cam Newton and a stout defense, to win.
November 26, 2011 – At the 76th Iron Bowl, onthisday.com shows that Alabama beat Auburn 42-14 in Auburn’s home stadium.
November 26, 2017 – TD Place Stadium, Ottawa – The CFL Championship of the 105th Grey Cup was a whale of a game. The Toronto Argonauts won their 17th Championship with a 27-24 victory over the Calgary Stampeders. You can read all about the game story on Sportsnet.ca’s piece on the contest.
November 26 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
- Jan Stenerud
- Art Shell
- Roger Werhli
- Harry Carson
Conclusion
Whether marking the height of college dominance with three Heisman winners, the fierce rivalries of the Iron Bowl, or the unpredictable drama of the Grey Cup, November 26 is truly an all-encompassing date in football history. This day celebrates championship triumphs, legendary comebacks, and the birth of multiple defensive and special teams Hall of Famers, solidifying its place as a cornerstone in the sport’s most memorable moments.