This Week In College Football
MORRISTOWN, NJ - December 26, 2006 - As part of an on-going series throughout the fall, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame circulates in advance This Week in College Football History, which takes a look back at some of college football's landmark moments over the last 138 years. During the season, many of these events are featured in a changing exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.

Featured Moment:

January 4, 1999: Tennessee downs Florida State 23-16 in the inaugural BCS Championship Game at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. UT quarterback Tee Martin, who finishes the game 11-of- 18 for 278 yards and two touchdowns, completes a 79-yard touchdown pass to Peerless Price, putting the Vols up 20-9 with nine minutes left in the game. Tennessee’s defense took over from there, repeatedly turning back FSU’s comeback attempts and securing a Volunteer national championship.


Other notable moments to occur This Week in College Football History:

January 1, 1902: NFF Hall of Fame coach Fielding Yost guides Michigan to a 49-0 thumping of Stanford in the inaugural East-West Classic in Pasadena (later known by its more famous Rose Bowl monicker). The Wolverines rush for a record 527 yards and punt 21 times, while limiting Stanford to five first downs and 67 rushing yards. There are no records of any forward passes in this early 20th Century bout, and the Tournament of Roses does not hold another football game until Jan. 1, 1916. Chariot races and the annual Rose Parade occupy fans in Southern California from 1903-15.

January 1, 1937: TCU edges Marquette 16- 6 in the inaugural Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas to start a 71-year tradition. Future Virginia and Vanderbilt head coach Art Guepe scores the first TD in the contest before the Horned Frogs of the Southwest Conference roar back behind NFF Hall of Fame members QB Sam Baugh and center Darrell Lester. Five years later, the SWC and Cotton Bowl sign the first major bowl-conference agreement to bring the league champion to the bowl every year from 1942-95.

January 1, 1937: 12,000 at Tropical Stadium in Havana, Cuba, watch Auburn and Villanova play to a 7-7 tie in the Bacardi Bowl. The game marks the last time an NCAA-recognized bowl game was played on foreign soil until this season’s Jan. 7 International Bowl in Toronto.

January 1, 1945: At the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Southwestern University (Texas) defeats the University of Mexico 35-0 in the only postseason bowl game to ever feature a university outside of the United States. The team payout was $6,511.

January 1, 1948: Baylor defeats No. 20 Wake Forest 20-7 in the last Dixie Bowl in Birmingham, Ala. The Demon Deacons will not participate in another New Year’s Day game until this season’s Orange Bowl against Louisville.

January 1, 1963: The Rose Bowl hosts the first-ever No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle in a bowl game and the first meeting of the nation’s top teams since 1946. No. 1 USC defeats No. 2 Wisconsin 42-37 in one of the biggest shootouts in Pasadena history. Southern California builds 21-7 (halftime) and 42-14 (third quarter) advantages before Wisconsin almost makes one of the then-biggest comebacks in bowl history. Badgers’ QB Ron VanderKelen hooks up with NFF Hall of Fame end Pat Richter (11 catches for 163 yards) repeatedly in the second half as UW scores 23 unanswered points in the final 14 minutes of the contest and almost downs the 11-0 Trojans.

January 1, 1965: At the Orange Bowl in Miami, Texas upends Alabama 21-17 in the first primetime telecast of a traditional New Year’s Day bowl. All-America Texas LB Tommy Nobis leads a goal- line stand in the fourth quarter that gives NFF Hall of Fame coach Darrell Royal’s youngsters a win, despite an 18-for-37 passing performance for 255 yards and a pair of scores by ‘Bama QB Joe Namath.

January 2, 1987: A college football record 70 million NBC viewers watch No. 2 Penn State upset No. 1 Miami 14-10 in the Fiesta Bowl. A swarming Penn State defense forces Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testeverde to throw five interceptions. Joe Paterno’s squad wins the national championship despite being out-gained 445-162 yards in total offense and collecting only eight first downs.

For More Information - call 1-800-486-1865 or visit our website at www.footballfoundation.com

Football heroes to be honored on stamps
Football season is fast approaching, and four gridiron heroes from the past will be honored on new postage stamps to be issued in early August.

The 37-cent stamps recall the exploits of Walter Camp, Ernie Nevers, Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski and will be issued Aug. 8 at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. They go on sale nationally Aug. 11.

All four men are members of the College Hall of Fame, and Nevers, Grange and Nagurski are also enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Walter Camp is known as the father of American football. He helped shape the rules of the game, first playing as a student at Yale from 1876 to 1882 and later serving as coach at the University from 1888 to 1892. Camp is credited with such innovations as the system of downs, the play from scrimmage, limiting 11 players per side, and the position of quarterback.

Harold "Red" Grange became famous as a halfback for the University of Illinois where he was a three-time All American in the 1920s. He played pro ball for the Chicago Bears.

Ernest Alonzo Nevers starred at Stanford, playing in the 1925 Rose Bowl Game while recovering from two broken ankles. Wearing special braces he carried the ball 34 times and made four tackles. Nevers played professional football for the Duluth Eskimos and the Chicago Cardinals (forerunners of the Arizona Cardinals).

Bronislau Nagurski earned his nickname, "Bronko," as a child. He was a tackle and fullback for the University of Minnesota from 1927 to 1929. Nagurski played multiple positions for the Chicago Bears from 1930 to 1937 and again in 1943. In 1933 he helped lead the Bears to victory in the NFL's first official championship game.