Smoky Mountain Conference Explained

The Smoky Mountain Conference – officially the Smoky Mountain Athletic Conference – was an intercollegiate athletic conference that existed from December 1926 to October 1966.^{[1] [2]} Most teams in the league were located in Tennessee, and there were at times teams from Virginia and North Carolina. The first commissioner of the league was W. O. "Chink" Lowe,^[3] who had played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers; he served as commissioner until September 1941.^[4]

Members

The following is an incomplete list of the membership of the Smoky Mountain Conference.

Charter members of the conference when it was formed were; Carson–Newman, Emory & Henry, King, Maryville, Milligan, and Tusculum.

Institution	Location	Founded	Nickname	First season	Last season	Current conference	Current division	Ref
	Boone, North Carolina	1899	Mountaineers	1935	1937	Sun Belt	DI FBS	^[5]
	Jefferson City, Tennessee	1851	Eagles	1927	1951	South Atlantic	DII
	Lebanon, Tennessee	1842	Bulldogs	1932	1941	Mid-South	NAIA	^[6] ^[7]
	Johnson City, Tennessee	1911	Buccaneers	1930	1951	Southern	DI FCS
	Emory, Virginia	1836	Wasps	1927		South Atlantic	DII
	Bristol, Tennessee	1867	Tornados	1927	1939	Carolinas	DII	^[8]
	Harrogate, Tennessee	1897	Railsplitters	1930		South Atlantic	DII
	Maryville, Tennessee	1819	Scots	1927		USA South	DIII
	Milligan College, Tennessee	1866	Buffaloes	1927		Appalachian	NAIA
	Athens, Tennessee	1857	Bulldogs	1956		Appalachian	NAIA	^[9]
	Tusculum, Tennessee	1794	Pioneers	1927		South Atlantic	DII
	Cullowhee, North Carolina	1889	Catamounts	1934		Southern	DI FCS	^[10] ^[11]

School does not currently have an active football program.
Cumberland's team is now nicknamed the Phoenix.

Football champions

The conference did not operate from late 1941 until mid-1946, due to World War II.^[12]

• 1927 – No champion^[13]
• 1928 – Emory and Henry^[14]
• 1929 –
• 1930 –
• 1931 – ^[15]
• 1932 – ^[16]
• 1933 – ^[17]
• 1934 – ^[18]
• 1935 – ^[19]
• 1936 – ^{[20] [21]} and Appalachian State^[22]
• 1937 – ^[23]
• 1938 – ^{[24] [25]}
• 1939 – ^{[26] [27]}

• 1940 – Milligan^{[28] [29]}
• 1941 – King^[30]
• 1942 – N/A
• 1943 – N/A
• 1944 – N/A
• 1945 – N/A
• 1946 – ^{[31] [32]}
• 1947 –
• 1948 – No champion^[33]
• 1949 – Emory and Henry^[34]
• 1950 – Emory and Henry^[35]
• 1951 – Emory and Henry^{[36] [37]}
• 1952 – ^[38]

• 1953 – ^[39]
• 1954 – and ^[40]
• 1955 – ^[41]
• 1956 – ^[42]
• 1957 –
• 1958 –
• 1959 –
• 1960 –
• 1961 –
• 1962 –
• 1963 –
• 1964 –
• 1965 –

School media guide inconsistent with contemporary newspaper reports.

Basketball champions

• 1951 – Lincoln Memorial (regular season)^[43]
• 1956 – Lincoln Memorial and Tusculum (regular season),^[44] Tusculum (tournament)^[45]
• 1961 – Milligan College (tournament)

See also

• List of defunct college football conferences

Notes and References

1. Web site: A History of Intercollegiate Athletics at Milligan College, 1887-1973 . Billy H. . Stout . June 1974 . etsu.edu . March 26, 2017.
2. News: Smoky Mountain Meeting Is Formed at Greeneville . . limited . . . newspapers.com . December 3, 1926 . March 26, 2017.
3. News: Two Bits' Worth . Bill . Tobitt . limited . . newspapers.com . August 13, 1939 . March 26, 2017.
4. News: Three Schools Left In Smoky . limited . . . . newspapers.com . September 17, 1941 . March 26, 2017.
5. Web site: Appalachian State Football Online Yearbook . 2014 . issuu.com . March 24, 2017.
6. Web site: Cumberland Phoenix History . gocumberlandathletics.com . March 25, 2017.
7. News: Lazell . Arthur . Cumberland Admitted To Smoky Conference . The Knoxville Journal . . December 6, 1932 . 9 . September 20, 2020 . .
8. News: King Withdraws From S-M League . limited . . . newspapers.com . October 30, 1939 . March 26, 2017.
9. Web site: A History of Tennessee Wesleyan College: 1857-1957 . Martin (then-President of Tennessee Wesleyan College) . LeRoy Albert . 1957 . 2024-06-04.
10. News: Catamount Grid, Cage Schedules Are Announced . limited . . . newspapers.com . June 26, 1934 . March 26, 2017.
11. News: Smoky Mountain . limited . . . newspapers.com . November 30, 1936 . March 26, 2017.
12. News: Smoky Mountain Loop Has Five Members . . limited . The Daily Tribune . . newspapers.com . August 15, 1946 . March 26, 2017.
13. News: . All-Smoky Mountain Eleven Picked . The Knoxville Journal . . November 29, 1927 . 9 . September 25, 2020 . .
14. Web site: Emory & Henry Football - Year-By-Year Records . gowasps.com . March 25, 2017.
15. News: Thompson . Marvin . Scots Beat C-N To Win Smoky Title . The Knoxville Journal . . November 27, 1931 . 15 . September 20, 2020 . .
16. Web site: King College Loses to Carson-Newman . . limited . . . newspapers.com . October 30, 1932 . March 25, 2017.
17. News: Sullinger . Ray . Sullinger Picks All-Smoky Eleven . . . December 4, 1933 . 6 . September 20, 2020 . .
18. News: Conference Title Goes to Milligan . . limited . . . newspapers.com . November 30, 1934 . March 26, 2017.
19. News: Cumberland Completes Most Successful Gridiron Season . limited . . . newspapers.com . December 1, 1935 . March 25, 2017.
20. Web site: Carson–Newman Football Media Guide . 2016 . cneagles.com . March 25, 2017.
21. News: Smoky Mountain Title To Newman . . . . November 29, 1936 . March 26, 2017 . .
22. Web site: APPALACHIAN WINS FROM CUMBERLAND . . 3 . 1936-11-26 . 2024-06-04.
23. News: Championship Goes To Carson-Newman . . limited . . . newspapers.com . November 28, 1937 . March 26, 2017.
24. Web site: East Tennessee State Football Record Book . 2015 . etsubucs.com . March 25, 2017.
25. News: ETST Take First Smoky Mountain Title . . limited . . . newspapers.com . November 20, 1938 . March 26, 2017.
26. News: . Carson-Newman Officially is Named Smoky Mountain Winner . The Knoxville Journal . . December 3, 1939 . 7 . September 19, 2020 . .
27. News: 1939, By All Odds, Will Go Down as Blue Ribbon Year In Sporting Circles of Volunteer State . Escar . Thompson . . limited . . . newspapers.com . December 31, 1939 . March 26, 2017.
28. News: Unbeaten Milligan Swamps Tusculum. . limited . . . newspapers.com . November 2, 1940 . March 25, 2017.
29. News: . Buffs And Bucs Play Final Games Here This Week . Johnson City Press . . November 3, 1940 . 9 . September 19, 2020 . .
30. News: . Teachers College Withdraws From Smoky Mountain Circuit . Johnson City Chronicle . . December 11, 1941 . 9 . September 25, 2020 . .
31. News: . Maryville Schedules Prohibits Acceptance of Buff Challenge . Johnson City Press . . November 7, 1946 . 9 . September 25, 2020 . .
32. News: Smoky Mountain Conference May Admit ET State . . limited . . . newspapers.com . December 9, 1947 . March 26, 2017.
33. News: . Sewanee And Austin Peay Lead Small College Ranks . Johnson City Press . . . November 1, 1948 . 11 . September 25, 2020 . .
34. News: . Middle Tennessee May Face Supreme Test This Weekend . Johnson City Press . . . November 7, 1949 . 10 . September 25, 2020 . .
35. News: . Ohio Valley, Smoky Conference Titles All Wrapped Up . . . November 14, 1950 . 2 . September 25, 2020 . .
36. News: . Interest High In Bristol For Wasp-Buc Tilt . Johnson City Press . . . November 1, 1951 . 20 . September 25, 2020 . .
37. News: Thompson . Gene . Emory Whips State In Gruelling 28-7 Struggle . . . November 4, 1951 . 1C . February 26, 2024 . .
38. News: Smyth . Jimmy . Bench Views . Johnson City Press . . October 8, 1952 . 17 . September 26, 2020 . .
39. News: Thompson . Gene . Bench Views . . . October 3, 1953 . 7 . September 26, 2020 . .
40. News: Thompson . Gene . Emory, Carson-Newman Play To Scoreless Tie . . . September 26, 1954 . 21 . March 3, 2024 . .
41. News: . Emory-Henry Whips Eagles by 25-7 Score . . . October 9, 1955 . 19 . September 26, 2020 . .
42. News: . Carson-Newman Loses To E&H, 17-7 . . . October 7, 1956 . 25 . September 26, 2020 . .
43. Web site: Smoky Mountain Conference Champions . Middlesboro Daily News . 1951-02-23 . 2024-06-04.
44. News: . Smoky Cage Tourney Card To Be Made . . . February 27, 1956 . 6 . September 26, 2020 . .
45. News: . Tusculum Takes Smoky Tourney . Johnson City Press . . . March 4, 1956 . 17 . September 26, 2020 . .