Football History of October 6

Unpack a date filled with game-changing decisions and electrifying moments! October 6 is a historical hotspot in American football, featuring everything from crucial franchise moves to legendary college upsets. On this day, the New York Jets officially announced their pivotal shift to the Meadowlands in 1983, and just over a decade later, kicker Nick Lowery tied a major NFL career field goal record. Most famously, October 6, 1999, was the day the Houston Texans were officially born, expanding the league. Add in the South Carolina Gamecocks’ stunning 35-7 rout of the 5th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs in 2012, plus the birthdays of multiple Hall of Famers like Richard Seymour, and you have a date essential to NFL history and college football lore!

October 6 American Football History Timeline

• October 6, 1934 – The historic college football clash between the Texas Longhorns and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on October 6, 1934, ended in a monumental upset. Played in South Bend and marking the start of Notre Dame’s season under new coach Elmer Layden, the game saw Texas snatch a narrow 7-6 victory.

The decisive moment came early in the first quarter. Texas recovered a Notre Dame fumble on the opening kickoff at the Irish 18-yard line. Four plays later, Longhorns back Bohn Hilliard powered into the end zone and successfully kicked the extra point for the 7-0 lead. Notre Dame’s lone touchdown came in the second quarter, but the crucial extra point attempt failed, leaving the score at 7-6. The defensive battle that ensued over the next two quarters protected Texas’s slim lead. The hard-fought win marked the Longhorns’ first-ever victory over the Irish and Notre Dame’s first season-opening loss since 1896, instantly propelling the program into national conversation.

• October 6, 1983 – The New York Jets franchise announced to the media that they would be leaving the confines of Shea Stadium to play future home games at the Meadowlands, sharing the stadium with their NFC counterparts, the New York Football Giants.

• October 6, 1985 – Bernie Kosar’s Pro debut with the Cleveland Browns.

• October 6, 1996 – Nick Lowery of the New York Jets ties legendary kicker Jon Stenerud with 373 career NFL field goals. Lowery booted two field goals and an extra point in a loss to the Oakland Raiders, 34-13.

• October 6, 1999 – The NFL awarded the Houston Texans franchise a spot as the 32nd team in the League. Businessman Bob McNair and his Houston contingent went on a wild ride filled with patience, persistence, and a little bit of luck. McNair and others attempted to obtain an NHL franchise for Houston in June 1997, but the effort failed. A couple of weeks later, the Texas city learned that its beloved NFL team, the Oilers, was leaving for Tennessee. This prompted Bob McNair and his partners to change gears and petition for a new NFL franchise. In 1998, the League office in New York awarded Cleveland the 31st franchise, and everyone knew the NFL wanted an even number of teams for scheduling balance. McNair and his group pushed hard to secure the franchise rights, but were met with a disappointing result when the League approved Los Angeles as the 32nd team. All hope was not lost, though, as the LA award included a contingent clause requiring a suitable ownership group and stadium by September 15, 1998. This deadline was not met, and in the spring of 1999, NFL owners voted to award Houston an expansion team, with McNair as the team’s owner. On October 6, 1999, the NFL officially announced the Texans as its newest expansion team.

• October 6, 2003 – The thrilling Indianapolis Colts versus Tampa Bay Bucs clash.

The Sheriff Manning’s 21-Point Comeback 2003

• October 6, 2012 – The University of South Carolina upsets the 5th-ranked University of Georgia 35-7. 

October 6 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays

• George Pfann [1902] – A consensus All-American quarterback and punter, Pfann captained Cornell’s powerhouse squads to three consecutive undefeated seasons (1921–1923) and three recognized national championships. Enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1957, the Rhodes Scholar later served with distinction as a lieutenant colonel on General George S. Patton’s staff during World War II.
• Bob Fenimore [1925] – Nicknamed the “Blonde Bomber,” Fenimore was a dynamic triple-threat halfback at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) who led the nation in total offense in 1944 and rushing in 1945, steering the Aggies to an undefeated 1945 campaign and a Sugar Bowl title. A consensus All-American and 1972 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, he was selected No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bears in the 1947 NFL Draft.
• Tony Dungy [1955] – After winning Super Bowl XIII as a defensive back with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dungy revolutionized NFL defense by perfecting the “Tampa 2” scheme as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He later led the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI, becoming the first Black head coach to win a Super Bowl, earning enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
• Napoleon McCallum [1963] – A two-time consensus All-American running back for the Navy Midshipmen, McCallum set the NCAA record for career all-purpose yards (7,172) and finished sixth in the 1983 Heisman Trophy voting. Enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003, he famously balanced active duty as a naval lieutenant while playing for the Los Angeles Raiders before embarking on a full-time NFL career.

• Richard Seymour [1979] – A versatile, physically dominant defensive lineman out of Georgia, Seymour served as the cornerstone of the New England Patriots’ defense during their early-2000s dynasty, winning three Super Bowl titles. A seven-time Pro Bowler, three-time First-Team All-Pro, and member of the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

Conclusion

Whether charting the birth of an expansion franchise like the Houston Texans, marking a pivotal relocation for the New York Jets, or celebrating a monumental upset that shook the SEC landscape, the events of October 6 demonstrate the perpetual drama of American football. This date reminds us that history is made every time a whistle blows—from game-changing kicks by legends like Nick Lowery to the ongoing impact of Hall of Famers born on this day. The gridiron’s timeline is rich with these precise moments, ensuring that October 6 will always hold a significant, dynamic place in the game’s cherished lore.