The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's This Week in College Football History looks back at some of college football's landmark moments that took place on Thanksgiving. If you choose to use this content in whole or in part, as a courtesy, please credit The National Football Foundation and use the NFF logo, which can be downloaded by clicking here.
 
  At St George's Cricket Club, Princeton met Yale in what is believed to be the first college football game ever played on Thanksgiving, Yale defeated Princeton two goals to none. "Football" was less than a decade old in 1876, with the style of play more closely resembling rugby, and neither team had an official coach. Featured on Yale's roster was future College Football Hall of Fame coach Walter Camp, who became known as the "Father of American Football" for his central role in establishing some of the game's most significant rule changes. After this game, Princeton and Yale would face off on each Thanksgiving Day until 1894, when the game was moved to Saturday. Yale finished the 1876 season with a perfect 3-0 record and was retroactively named the year's national champion. Princeton would end the season at 3-2.
 
  Notre Dame and Texas both carried perfect records into this Thanksgiving showdown – the first ever meeting of the now historic programs. Notre Dame was riding especially high, having not lost a game in three years. The two teams traded touchdowns to start the game, and the Fighting Irish kicked a field goal to go into halftime up 10-7. Led by College Football Hall of Fame fullback Ray Eichenlaub and team captain Knute Rockne (a future Hall of Fame Coach), the Fighting Irish broke away in the second half, scoring 20 unanswered points to end Texas' 12-game winning streak. The win sealed an undefeated 7-0 season for Hall of Fame coach Jesse Harper in his first year at Notre Dame while the Longhorns finished with a 7-1 record.
 
  In the first edition of the Egg Bowl to feature the presentation of the "Golden Egg Trophy," Ole Miss edged its rival Mississippi State (then known as Mississippi A&M), 20-12. On a rainy day in Oxford, the teams traded touchdowns in the first half, but only the Rebels were able to convert their extra point, taking a 7-6 lead into the break. Ole Miss then scored two touchdowns to open the second half, extending its lead to 20-6. The Bulldogs were able to score one touchdown to draw within eight points, but could get no closer. Mississippi finished the season 5-3-1 under coach Homer Hazel, a College Football Hall of Fame inductee as a player at Rutgers, while Mississippi State went 5-3.
 
  The Panthers looked to celebrate the Bicentennial of Pittsburgh with a win, but the Penn State Nittany Lions had upset on their minds on Thanksgiving in 1958. Pitt held Penn State to just 12 yards rushing in the first half, jumping out to an early, 14-0 halftime lead. However, the Nittany Lions came roaring back, getting quick touchdowns from Pat Botula and Norm Neff to get within 14-12. Pittsburgh's Chuck Reinhold then scored a touchdown from 52 yards out, putting the Panthers up 21-12, before Penn State quarterback Al Jacks hit Neff for another touchdown in the fourth quarter. With six minutes left, Penn State's Jim Kerr returned a punt 43 yards to set up halfback Don Jonas' game-winning touchdown. Pittsburgh finished the season 5-4-1 while Hall of Fame coach Rip Engle led Penn State to a 6-3-1 record. 
 
  Arkansas' College Football Hall of Fame coach Frank Broyles notched his 100th career win, crushing Texas Tech 33-0 on Thanksgiving. Arkansas' offense featured Hall of Fame receiver Chuck Dicus, but tailback Bill Burnett was the star, scoring three touchdowns. The Razorback defense was also stout, intercepting Texas Tech quarterbacks five times in the shutout effort. The drubbing set up Arkansas' matchup with Texas the following week in a contest dubbed the "Game of the Century." Arkansas lost that game and its following matchup against Mississippi in the Sugar Bowl to finish the year with the No. 7 AP ranking and a 9-2 record. Texas Tech finished the 1969 season at 5-5.
 
  In College Football Hall of Fame quarterback Major Harris' penultimate game as a West Virginia Mountaineer, he threw for 182 yards and rushed for 95 in a Thanksgiving win over Syracuse. With the effort, Harris became the first player to pass for 5,000 yards and rush for 2,000 yards in his career. West Virginia won the game by shutting out the Orange in the second half while scoring 10 points in the third quarter to take the lead. Fullback Rico Tyler scored the game-winning touchdown after a fumble recovery by defensive back Lawrence Drumgoole. The game featured two Hall of Fame head coaches, as West Virginia's Don Nehlen took down Syracuse's Dick MacPherson. After losing to Clemson in the Gator Bowl, the Mountaineers finished the 1989 season with the No. 21 AP ranking and an 8-3-1 record. Syracuse fared better in the postseason, defeating Georgia in the Peach Bowl to finish 8-4.
 
  Tulane's offense came alive on Thanksgiving, scoring 63 points to down Louisiana Tech and claiming the Green Wave's first undefeated regular season since 1929. Tulane quarterback Shaun King threw for 330 yards and three scores while running back Toney Converse rushed for 182 yards and a school record four touchdowns. Bulldog quarterback Tim Rattay had quite the game himself, throwing for 471 yards and two touchdowns in the defeat. The Green Wave, champions of Conference USA, would cap a perfect 12-0 season with a win over BYU in the Liberty Bowl. Tulane would receive the No. 7 ranking in the final AP Poll, its highest ranking since finishing No. 5 in 1939. Louisiana Tech finished the year 6-6.


About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include Football Matters^®, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy^®, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments – a proud partner of the Campbell Trophy^®, Herff Jones, New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Sports Business Journal, SportsManias, Under Armour and VICIS. Learn more at footballfoundation.org.