1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season explained

1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season
Sport:	College football
League:	NCAA
Season:	Regular Season
Season Champs:	LSU Auburn
No Of Teams:	13
Duration:	September 26, 1908 through November 29, 1908
Seasonslistnames:	Football
Prevseason Year:	1907
Nextseason Year:	1909

The 1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the college football games played by the member schools of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association as part of the 1908 college football season. The season began on September 26.

LSU won the SIAA championship, but amidst fears of many players being ineligible under SIAA rules most sportswriters did not include them for consideration.^[1] Its season was clouded by accusations of professionalism from Grantland Rice and rival school Tulane which was also undefeated in southern play. Despite this, the SIAA eventually cleared LSU of any wrongdoing.^[2] LSU featured Hall of Fame quarterback Doc Fenton.

Auburn and Vanderbilt were among those listed as alternative SIAA champions. The newspapers unanimously handed the title to Auburn. Auburn featured first-year halfback Lew Hardage. Vanderbilt had a down year with a wealth of sophomores; guided shrewdly by McGugin to its success.^[3]

The Tennessee Volunteers compiled four wins in SIAA play, the most in team history. It was widely considered the best Tennessee football season up to that point.^[4] Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin noted "All things considered, Leach was perhaps the best football player of the year in Dixie."^[1]

Results and team statistics

Conf. Rank	Team	Head coach	Overall record	Conf. record	PPG	PAG
1 (tie)	LSU	Edgar Wingard	10–0	2–0	44.3	1.1
1 (tie)	Auburn	Mike Donahue	6–1	5–1	22.6	1.4
3	Vanderbilt		7–2–1	3–0–1	20.7	6.1
4	Tennessee	George Levene	7–2	3–2	13.8	3.9
5	Georgia Tech		6–3	4–3	16.3	8.2
6	Georgia	Branch Bocock	5–3–1	2–2–1	9.0	5.6
7 (tie)	Alabama	Doc Pollard	6–1–1	1–1–1	13.5	3.9
7 (tie)	Sewanee	Harry Van Surdam	4–1–3	1–1–1	11.8	2.5
9	Mississippi A&M		3–4	1–3	15.4	16.1
10	Mississippi	Frank Kyle	3–5	0–2	12.4	15.6
- align="left" bgcolor=""	11	Mercer	Frank Blake	3–4	0–3	18.7	8.4
12	Howard	John Counselman	2–4	0–3
12	Clemson		1–6	0–4	3.7	14.9
13	Nashville

Key

PPG = Average of points scored per game
PAG = Average of points allowed per game^[5]

Regular season

Index to colors and formatting
Non-conference matchup; SIAA member won
Non-conference matchup; SIAA member lost
Non-conference matchup; tie
Conference matchup

SIAA teams in bold.

Week One

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
September 26		Clemson	Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC	W 15–0		^[6]
September 26		Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	W 11–5		^[7]

Week Two

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 3	Memphis University School	Ole Miss	Oxford, MS	W 30–0		^[8]
October 3	Mooney	Sewanee	Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN	W 29–0		^[9]
October 3	Wetumpka Agricultural School	Alabama		W 27–0		^[10]
October 3	Howard (AL)	Auburn	West End Park • Birmingham, AL	W 18–0		^[11]
October 3		Georgia	Herty Field • Athens, GA	W 16–0		^[12]
October 3	Gordon	Georgia Tech	Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA	W 32–0		^[13]
October 3	Locust Grove Institute	Mercer	Central City Park • Macon, GA	W 56–0		^[14]
October 3	North Carolina	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	W 12–0		^[15]
October 3	New Orleans Gym Club	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	W 41–0		^[16]
October 3		Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	W 32–0		^[17]

Week Three

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 10	Howard (AL)	Alabama	West End Park • Birmingham, AL	W 17–0		^[18]
October 10	Gordon	Auburn	Drill Field • Auburn, AL	W 42–0		^[19]
October 10	Castle Heights	Sewanee	Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN	W 35–2		^[20]
October 10	Florida	Mercer	Central City Park • Macon, GA	W 24–0		^[21]
October 10	Louisiana Industrial	Mississippi A&M	Hardy Field • Starkville, MS	W 47–0		^[22]
October 10	Ole Miss	Arkansas	The Hill • Fayetteville, AR	L 33–0		^[23]
October 10	Mooney	Georgia Tech	Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA	W 30–0		^[24]
October 10	Maryville (TN)	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	W 39–5		^[25]
October 10	VPI	Clemson	Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC	L 6–0
October 10		Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	W 32–0		^[26]
October 11	Jackson Barracks-New Orleans	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	W 81–5	1,000	^[27]

Week Four

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 17	Auburn	Mercer	Central City Park • Macon, GA	AUB 23–0		^[28]
October 17	Cincinnati	Alabama	State Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL	W 16–0		^[29]
October 17	Mississippi A&M	Georgia Tech	Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA	GT 23–0
October 17	South Carolina	Georgia	Herty Field • Athens, GA	W 29–6
October 17	Sewanee	Virginia	Lafayette Field • Norfolk, VA	T 0–0	5,000	^[30]
October 17	Texas A&M	LSU	Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA	W 26–0		^[31]
October 17	Kentucky State College	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	W 7–0
October 17	Clemson	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	VAN 41–0
October 17		Ole Miss	Edgewood Park • Memphis, TN	W 17–0		^[32]

Week Five

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 23		Southwestern Presbyterian	Mississippi A&M	Columbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MS	W 6–0	4,000	^[33]
October 24	12:00 p. m.	Sewanee	Auburn	West End Park • Birmingham, AL	AUB 6–0	3,000	^[34]
October 24		Georgia	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	TENN 10–0
October 24		Alabama	Georgia Tech	Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA	GT 11–6
October 24		Ole Miss	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	VAN 29–0
October 26		Southwestern Presbyterian	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	W 55–0		^[35]

Week Six

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 28	Davidson	Clemson	State Fair Grounds • Columbia, SC	L 0–13		^[36]
October 29	Mississippi College	Ole Miss	State Fairgrounds • Jackson, MS	W 41–0		^[37]
October 31	Chattanooga	Alabama	The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL	W 23–6		^[38]
October 31	Georgis	Mercer	Central City Park • Macon, GA	UGA 11–0		^[39]
October 31	LSU	Auburn	Drill Field • Auburn, AL	LSU 10–2
October 31	Vanderbilt	Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI	L 6–24		^[40]
October 31		Mississippi A&M	Hardy Field • Starkville, MS	W 12–5		^[41]
October 31	Sewanee	Kentucky State College	State Athletic Field • Lexington, KY	W 12–0
October 31	Tennessee	Georgia Tech	Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA	TENN 6–5
October 31	Ole Miss	Tulane	Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA	L 0–10		^[42]

Week Seven

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 5	Clemson	Georgia	Augusta, GA	UGA 8–0		^[43]
November 7	Auburn	Georgia Tech	Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA	AUB 44–0
November 7	Mississippi A&M	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	LSU 50–0
November 7	Sewanee	Saint Louis	Sportsman's Park • St. Louis, MO	T 6–6		^[44]
November 7	Tennessee	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	VAN 16–9

Week Eight

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 10	Baylor	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	W 89–0		^[45]
November 10	Southwestern Presbyterian	Ole Miss	Oxford, MS	L 5–9		^[46]
November 14	Georgia	Alabama	State Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL	T 6–6
November 14	Sewanee	Georgia Tech	Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA	SEW 6–0
November 14	Mississippi A&M	Tulane	Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA	L 23–0		^[47]
November 14	Ohio State	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	L 6–17		^[48]
November 14	Clemson	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	TENN 6–5		^[49]
November 16	Haskell	LSU	Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA	W 33–0		^[50]

Week Nine

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 17	Mercer	The Citadel	Charleston, SC	L5–10		^[51]
November 19	Georgia Tech	Mercer	Central City Park • Macon, GA	GT 16–6		^[52]
November 20	Haskell	Alabama	The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL	W 9–8		^[53]
November 21	Davidson	Georgia	Herty Field • Athens, GA	W 2–0		^[54]
November 21	Chattanooga	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	W 35–0		^[55]
November 21	Vanderbilt	Washington University	Francis Field • St. Louis, MO	W 28–0	6,000	^[56] ^[57]
November 23	LSU	Louisiana Industrial	Ruston, LA	W 22–0		^[58]

Week Ten

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 26	Tennessee	Alabama	State Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL	ALA 4–0
November 26	Clemson	Georgia Tech	Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA	GT 30–6
November 26	Georgia	Auburn	Montgomery Baseball Park • Montgomery, AL	AUB 23–0		^[59]
November 26	LSU	Arkansas	West End Park • Little Rock, AR	W 36–4	5,000	^[60]
November 26	Howard (AL)	Mercer	Central City Park • Macon, Georgia	W 45–0		^[61]
November 26	Ole Miss	Mississippi A&M	State Fairgrounds • Jackson, MS	MSA&M 44–6		^[62]
November 26	Sewanee	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	T 6–6

Awards and honors

All-Southern team

See main article: 1908 College Football All-Southern Team. The consensus All-Southern team:

Position	Name	First-team Selectors	Team
QB	Ray Morrison	NB	Vanderbilt
HB	Walker Leach	H, DM, NB	Tennessee
HB	Lew Hardage	DM	Auburn
FB	Lawrence Markley	H, DM, NB	Sewanee
E	Vaughn Blake	H, DM, NB	Vanderbilt
T	Frank Faulkinberry	H, DM, NB	Sewanee
G	Louis Hasslock	H, DM, NB	Vanderbilt
C	C. C. Countess		Alabama
G	James L. Harris		Sewanee
T	J. R. Davis	H, DM	Georgia Tech
E	Walker Reynolds		Auburn

Selectors include John Heisman (H), Dan McGugin (DM), and Nash Buckingham (NB).

References

• Book: Woodruff, Fuzzy. A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. 1. 1928.

Notes and References

1. Book: Spalding's Football Guide. 1909. 75. Shawnee Mission, Kansas, NCAA Publishing Service.
2. Web site: From 'The LSU Football Vault': The 1908 Season. 2015-07-14. 2015-07-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20150714084737/http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=1621833. dead.
3. Book: Football's Greatest Coaches. Edwin Pope. 1956. Edwin Pope. 340, 342.
4. Book: Big Orange: a pictorial history of University of Tennessee football. 1982. 34. 9780880110716. Fields. Bud. Bertucci. Bob.
5. Web site: 1908 Independent Year Summary.
6. News: Clemson is winner from Gordon squad. The Atlanta Journal. September 27, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
7. News: Close call for the Commodores. The Nashville American. September 27, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
8. News: U of M too heavy; Memphis University School eleven beaten 30 to 0 in opening clash. The Commercial Appeal. October 5, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
9. News: Tigers open season by easily defeating Mooney, score 29 to 0. The Nashville Tennessean. October 4, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
10. News: Wetumpka is easy, varsity football team plays its first game. The Montgomery Advertiser. October 4, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
11. News: Auburn 18, Howard 0. The Atlanta Constitution. October 4, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
12. News: Georgia 16, Dahlonega 0. The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
13. News: Tech defeats Gordon Institute in first game of season. The Atlanta Journal. October 4, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
14. News: Mercer 56; Locust Grove 0. The Atlanta Constitution. October 4, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
15. News: Tennessee 12, Carolina 0 - Tar Heels unable to score against their strong opponents at Knoxville. Charlotte Daily Observer. October 4, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
16. News: L.S.U. wins easily. The Times-Democrat. October 4, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
17. News: Walkover for Vandy with Maryville team. The Atlanta Journal. October 4, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
18. News: Howard is downed. The Montgomery Advertiser. October 11, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
19. News: Auburn crushes Gordon. The Birmingham Age-Herald. October 11, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
20. News: Sewanee runs up big score on C.H.. Nashville Banner. October 13, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
21. News: Mercer 24; Florida 0. 4. The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1908. July 22, 2016. Newspapers.com.
22. News: A&M shows strength; Starkville squad runs through Louisianans 47 to 0 in their first game of season. The Commercial Appeal. October 11, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
23. News: Mississippi 0, Arkansas 33; State University eleven plays rings around University of Mississippi. The Arkansas Gazette. October 11, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
24. News: Inman Bell's arm broken in scrimmage. The Atlanta Journal. October 11, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
25. News: Tennessee's easy victory - had no trouble in running up score on Maryville. The Sunday Times. October 11, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
26. News: Vanderbilt is held to 32 to 0 score by Poly. The Indianapolis Star. October 11, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
27. News: Barracks team loses. The Times-Democrat. October 13, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
28. News: Auburn 23; Mercer 0. The Atlanta Constitution. October 18, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
29. News: Blanked in the South, U. of C. eleven failed to score on Alabama. The Cincinnati Enquirer. October 18, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
30. News: No score at Norfolk. Evening Star. October 18, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
31. News: Yellow and Purple Win; Texas A. & M. Defeated. The Times-Democrat. 15. October 18, 1908. May 8, 2016. Newspapers.com.
32. News: . Rah Rah Boys Are In Town . . . October 17, 1908 . 11 . October 3, 2023 . .
33. News: Columbus sees excellent game. The Birmingham Age-Herald. October 24, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
34. Auburn's Greatest Victory In Many Years. 204. November 11, 1908. Orange and Blue.
35. News: Big Score. The Tennessean. May 9, 2016. Newspapers.com. 6. October 27, 1908.
36. News: Davidson downs Clemson Tigers. October 29, 1908. Charlotte Daily Observer. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
37. News: Clinton was very easy; University team won signal victory at Fair Grounds. Jackson Daily News. October 30, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
38. News: Touchdown for locals, University of Chattanooga made good showing. Chattanooga Daily Times. November 1, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
39. News: Much fumbling in Georgia. The Commercial Appeal. November 1, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
40. News: Michigan crushes the dreaded Vanderbilt team. The Detroit Free Press. November 1, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
41. News: Transylvania loses to Mississippi team. The Lexington Herald. November 1, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
42. News: Tulane defeats Mississippi by score of 10 to 0. The Daily Democrat. November 1, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
43. News: Clemson Tigers were defeated. The State. November 6, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
44. News: St. Louis baffled by Sewanee attack. St. Louis Globe-Democrat. November 8, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
45. News: L.S.U. Football Team Defeats Baylor 89 To 0. 11. The Times-Democrat. November 11, 1908. May 8, 2016. Newspapers.com.
46. News: Mississippi beaten 9–5. The Commercial Appeal. November 11, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
47. News: Tulane wins by big score. The Shreveport Times. November 15, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
48. News: Ohio State varsity defeats Vanderbilt. The State. November 15, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
49. News: Clemson defeated by one point, that's all. The Journal and Tribune. November 15, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
50. News: Haskell Lost Second Game of Their Trip. Lawrence Daily World. 1. November 17, 1908. May 8, 2016. Newspapers.com.
51. News: New style football won for The Citadel. The State. November 18, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
52. News: Tech's line crossed; Fumble gave Mercer touchdown unlooked for in game at Macon. The Commercial Appeal. November 20, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
53. News: Crimson-White triumphs over Haskell Indians. Tuscaloosa Times-Gazette. November 21, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
54. News: Georgia defeats Davidson. November 22, 1908. The News and Observer. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
55. News: Tennessee gets fright when Green rushes across goal with pigskin. The Sunday Times. November 22, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
56. News: . Cayou's Eleven In Shape For Great Battle . . . November 21, 1908 . 8 . July 17, 2023 . .
57. News: . Washington U. Beaten by the Forward Pass . . . November 22, 1908 . 1S . July 17, 2023 . .
58. News: Ruston beaten by Louisiana. Arkansas Democrat. November 24, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
59. News: Orange and Blue Waves triumphant over plucky Georgia eleven and Auburn takes the championship. The Montgomery Advertiser. November 27, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
60. News: Louisiana downs Arkansas boys. The Commercial Appeal. November 27, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
61. News: Mercer 45, Howard 0. The Atlanta Constitution. November 27, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.
62. News: Cadets march over Varsity. The Commercial Appeal. November 27, 1908. May 10, 2024. Newspapers.com.