1952 in football

American football

 * NFL Championship – Detroit Lions win 17–7 over the Cleveland Browns
 * Sugar Bowl (1951 season):
 * The Tennessee Volunteers lose 28-13 to the Maryland Terrapins; still awarded the national championship by the AP and Coaches Poll
 * 1952 college football season:
 * The Michigan State Spartans win the college football national championship (don't play in a bowl game the following January)