Which College Football Teams Play On Thanksgiving?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Since the beginning of time, okay maybe not that long ago, but since very early on in National Football League history, fans have been able to watch the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. This season, the Lions host the Bears, the Cowboys host the Bills, and the Falcons host the Saints.

Do any college teams play on Thanksgiving?

Virtually every level of football, from amateur and high school to college and the NFL (including the CFL on Canadian Thanksgiving), plays football on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday) or the immediately following holiday weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).

What college football teams played on the first Thanksgiving?

The University of Detroit Stadium hosted the first broadcasted Thanksgiving Day football game in 1934, pitting the Detroit Lions against the Chicago Bears and sparking a new tradition.

Who plays football on Thanksgiving?

The first two Thanksgiving NFL games will be hosted by the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys as they are every season. Detroit will open the day with a game against the Chicago Bears, while the Cowboys will play the Las Vegas Raiders.

What football teams are playing on Thanksgiving 2020?

This year’s Thanksgiving matchups will be between the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions , and the Washington Football Team and the Dallas Cowboys.

Who will play on Thanksgiving 2021?

NFL 2021 Thanksgiving schedule: Raiders-Cowboys, Bills-Saints and NFC North showdown on tap. The NFL will once again be a part of Thanksgiving Day traditions in 2021, with three games to be played on Nov. 25.

Are there any football games on TV on Thanksgiving?

As usual, three games are scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, across three separate networks. FOX will carry the Detroit Lions home game against the Houston Texans at 12:30 p.m. ET, while CBS will broadcast the NFC East matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Football Team at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Which football team has the most Thanksgiving Day wins?

The largest loss by the Cowboys was 22 points when the Los Angeles Chargers won, 28-6, in 2017. Among Cowboys’ quarterbacks, Danny White has the most wins on Thanksgiving with a mark of 7-1, Tony Romo was 6-3, and Troy Aikman was 5-5.

Why do they play football on Thanksgiving?

Their tradition began in 1966 when general manager Tex Schramm signed up to play on that day to get more national publicity. Like the Lions, the Cowboys had record-shattering crowds show up at the Cotton Bowl.

When was the first Thanksgiving pro football game?

In 1934 , the NFL played its first Thanksgiving game. The Detroit Lions would welcome the Chicago Bears to a feast on Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving Day football games began on November 29, 1934, and have been a tradition ever since.

What will be on TV on Thanksgiving 2020?

  • Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, NBC, 9 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. CT and 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT.
  • The CBS Thanksgiving Day Celebration, 9 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. CT.
  • Arthur Thanksgiving, PBS, 4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CT.
  • The Masked Singer: The Masks Give Thanks, Fox, 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT.

Do the Chiefs play on Thanksgiving?

The Chiefs’ bye week falls in Week 12 , the week of Thanksgiving. The Chiefs are the Vegas favorite to win the AFC, but they play the next three teams on that sheet — the Bills, Ravens and Browns — this season.

What is the only NFL team to never play on Thanksgiving?

The Jacksonville Jaguars are the only team to have never played a game on Thanksgiving. Four teams have yet to suffer a loss on Thanksgiving — Ravens, Saints, Panthers and Texans.

Why are there 2 football games on Thanksgiving?

Because of television network commitments in place through the 2013 season, to make sure that both the AFC -carrying network (NBC from 1965 to 1997, and CBS since 1998) and the NFC-carrying network (CBS from 1956 to 1993, and Fox since 1994) got at least one game each, one of these games was between NFC opponents, and ...

Why do Cowboys always play on Thanksgiving?

The Cowboys’ tradition of playing on Thanksgiving started when then-general manager Tex Schramm signed up for the holiday game in 1966 . Schramm sought more national publicity and saw Thanksgiving as a way to boost national attention from football fans in and out of Dallas.

How many times has Detroit won on Thanksgiving?

The Detroit Lions’ all-time record on Thanksgiving Day is 37-42-2 .

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.