1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season
LeagueNCAA
SportCollege football
DurationSeptember 25, 1903
through November 29, 1903
Number of teams18
Regular Season
Season championsClemson
Cumberland
East championsClemson Tigers
West championsCumberland Bulldogs
Football seasons
← 1902
1904 →
1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Clemson + 2 – 0 – 1 4 – 1 – 1
Cumberland (TN) + 4 – 1 – 1 6 – 1 – 1
Sewanee 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Vanderbilt 5 – 1 – 1 6 – 1 – 1
Mississippi A&M 2 – 0 – 2 3 – 0 – 2
Georgia 3 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Ole Miss 1 – 1 – 1 2 – 1 – 1
Texas 0 – 0 – 1 5 – 1 – 2
Kentucky State 0 – 0 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Alabama 3 – 4 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Auburn 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 3 – 0
Tennessee 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Georgia Tech 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Tulane 0 – 1 – 1 2 – 2 – 1
Mercer 0 – 1 – 0 0 – 1 – 0
Nashville 0 – 2 – 0 1 – 3 – 0
LSU 0 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
SW Presbyterian   –     –  
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1903 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 1903 college football season. The season began on September 25.

1903 met difficulty in determining an SIAA champion. Clemson had the best record, but lost to an inferior North Carolina team; and in the game to secure the SIAA title were tied by Cumberland. Clemson's John Heisman pushed strongly for Cumberland to share the SIAA title.[1] Cumberland's strongest victory was its win over Vanderbilt.

However, Sewanee beat Cumberland, yet suffered its only loss to Vanderbilt. Heisman originally challenged the winner of the Vanderbilt-Sewanee game.[2] John J. Tigert was a star player for Vanderbilt. Nash Buckingham rated Kentucky University and Vanderbilt as best in the south.[3]

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. Rank Team Head coach Overall record Conf. record PPG PAG
1 (tie) Clemson John Heisman 4–1–1 2–0–1 27.8 3.7
1 (tie) Cumberland A. L. Phillips 6–1–1 4–1–1 38.5 2.2
3 Sewanee George S. Whitney 7–1 5–1 22.4 1.2
4 Vanderbilt James H. Henry 6–1–1 5–1–1 24.0 2.0
5 Mississippi A&M Daniel S. Martin 3–0–2 2–0–2 14.2 1.2
6 Georgia Marvin D. Dickinson 3–4 3–2 9.3 14.0
7 Mississippi M. S. Harvey 2–1–1 1–1–1 8.5 9.8
8 Texas Ralph Hutchinson 5–1–2 0–0–1 16.4 3.5
9 Kentucky State Jack Wright 7–1 0–0
10 Alabama W. A. Blount 3–4 3–4 8.6 16.3
11 Auburn William Penn Bates 4–3 2–3 17.9 13.1
12 (tie) Tennessee H. F. Fisher 4–5 2–4 8.4 12.2
12 (tie) Georgia Tech Oliver Huie 4–5 1–4 8.4 21.1
14 (tie) Tulane Charles Eshleman 2–2–1 0–1–1 12.8 11.2
14 (tie) Mercer 0–1 0–1 0.0 46.0
16 Nashville Wreidt/Bradley Walker/Childress 2–2 0–2 10.8 5.3
17 LSU W. S. Borland 4–5 0–4 7.8 10.3

Key

PPG = Average of points scored per game
PAG = Average of points allowed per game[4]

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.

Unknown

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
? Mooney School Nashville W 17–5
?, before Nov 11 Tennessee Medical College Cumberland W 86–0

Week One

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
September 25 Cynthiana Kentucky State Lexington, KY W 39–0

Week Two

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
October 3 Montgomery A. C. Auburn Auburn, AL W 26–0
October 3 Cumberland Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, TN CUM 6–0 [5]
October 3 Mooney Sewanee McGee Field • Sewanee, TN W 23–0
October 3 Texas Deaf School Texas Clark Field • Austin, TX W 17–0
October 3 Maryville Tennessee Waite Field • Knoxville, TN W 17–0
October 3 Xavier Kentucky State Lexington, KY W 21–0

Week Three

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
October 9 Haskell Texas Dallas, TX L 6–0
October 10 Clemson Georgia Herty Field • Athens, GA CLEM 29–0 [6]
October 10 Mercer Georgia Tech Grant Field • Atlanta, GA GT 46–0 [7][8][9]
October 10 Carson-Newman Tennessee Waite Field • Knoxville, TN W 38–0
October 10 Alabama Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, TN VAN 30–0 [10]
October 10 Berea College Kentucky State Lexington, KY W 17–0

Week Four

Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
October 14 LSU Alumni LSU State Field • Baton Rouge, LA W 11–0
October 16 Alabama Mississippi A&M Columbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MS MSA&M 11–0 [11]
October 17 Howard Auburn Auburn, AL W 58–0
October 17 Clemson Georgia Tech Atlanta, GA CLEM 73–0 [12]
October 17 K. M. I. Kentucky State Lexington, KY W 18–0
October 17 Oklahoma Texas Clark Field • Austin, TX T 6–6
October 17 Tennessee Medical College Sewanee McGee Field • Sewanee, TN W 52–0
October 17 South Carolina Georgia Herty Field • Athens, GA L 27–7 [11]
October 17 Tennessee Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, TN VAN 40–0 [13]
October 20 3:00 p. m. Cumberland Sewanee McGee Field • Sewanee, TN SEW 6–0 [14]

Week Five

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
October 23 Auburn Alabama Riverside Park • Montgomery, AL ALA 18–0 [15]
October 24 Georgia Georgia Tech Atlanta, GA UGA 38–0 [16]
October 24 Baylor Texas San Antonio, TX W 48–0
October 24 Ole Miss Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, TN VAN 33–0 [16]
October 24 Mississippi A&M Meridian A. C. Meridian, MS W 43–0
October 24 Eagles-New Orleans LSU State Field • Baton Rouge, LA W 33–0
October 24 Miami Kentucky State Lexington, KY W 47–0

Week Six

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
October 28 North Carolina A&M Clemson Columbia, SC W 24–0 [17]
October 29 Tennessee South Carolina Columbia, SC L 24–0
October 30 LSU Louisiana Tech Ruston, LA W 16–0
October 30 Arkansas Texas Clark Field • Austin, TX W 15–0
October 31 LSU Shreveport A. C. Shreveport, LA W 5–0
October 31 Georgia Tech Howard W 37–0
October 31 Sewanee Auburn Oak Park • Montgomery, AL SEW 47–0 [16][18]
October 31 Tennessee Nashville Peabody Field • Nashville, TN TENN 10–0
October 31 Vanderbilt Georgia Herty Field • Athens, GA VAN 33–0 [16]
November 2 Sewanee Alabama West End Park • Birmingham, AL SEW 23–0 [19]
November 2 Georgetown (KY) Kentucky State Lexington, KY W 51–0

Week Seven

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
November 6 Vanderbilt Texas Clark Field • Austin, TX T 5–5
November 7 Georgia Tennessee Waite Field • Knoxville, TN UGA 5–0 [19]
November 7 Sewanee Nashville Nashville, TN SEW 6–0 [19]
November 7 Florida State College Georgia Tech Atlanta, GA W 17–0 [19]
November 7 Shreveport A. C. Tulane New Orleans, LA L 23–0
November 7 Marietta Kentucky State W 11–0
November 7 Ole Miss Tennessee Medical College Memphis, TN W 17–0
November 7 LSU Mississippi A&M Starkville Fairgrounds • Starkville, MS MSA&M 11–0 [19]
November 7 Grant University Cumberland W 92–0 [20]
November 9 LSU Alabama The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL ALA 18–0 [10]

Week Eight

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
November 11 LSU Auburn Auburn, AL AUB 12–0
November 13 Texas Oklahoma Norman, OK W 11–5
November 13 Tennessee Medical Nashville Nashville, TN W 26–0 [21]
November 14 Auburn Georgia Tech Atlanta, GA AUB 10–5 [19]
November 14 Cumberland Alabama The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL CUM 44–0 [22]
November 14 Clemson North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC L 11–6 [22][23]
November 14 Sewanee Tennessee Waite Field • Knoxville, TN SEW 17–0 [22]
November 14 Washington (MO) Vanderbilt Dudley Field Nashville, TN W 41–0
November 14 Georgia Savannah Savannah, GA L 6–0
November 14 Mississippi A&M Ole Miss University Park • Oxford, MS T 6–6 [22]
November 16 Cumberland LSU State Field • Baton Rouge, LA CUM 41–0 [24]

Week Nine

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
November 18 Cumberland Tulane New Orleans, LA CUM 28–0
November 21 Clemson Davidson Davidson, NC W 24–0 [25]
November 21 Georgia Tech Tennessee Waite Field • Knoxville, TN TENN 11–0 [26]
November 21 Ole Miss LSU New Orleans, LA LSU 11–0
November 21 Sewanee Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, TN VAN 10–5 [27]

Week Ten

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
November 26 Tennessee Alabama West End Park • Birmingham, AL ALA 24–0 [10]
November 26 Auburn Georgia • Atlanta, GA UGA 22–13 [28]
November 26 South Carolina Georgia Tech Atlanta, GA L 16–0
November 26 Kentucky University Kentucky State L 5–0
November 29 Texas A&M Texas Clark Field • Austin, TX W 29–6

Week Eleven

Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
December 5 Mississippi A&M Tulane New Orleans, LA T 0–0

Postseason

SIAA Championship Game

Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference
November 26 3:00 p. m. Cumberland Clemson Oak Park • Montgomery, AL T 11–11 [29][30][31]

All-Southern team

Main article: 1903 College Football All-Southern Team

Walker Reynolds Tichenor's All-Southern team:[32]

Position Name Team
QB John Maxwell Clemson
HB John J. Tigert Vanderbilt
HB J. C. Anderson Cumberland
FB Jock Hanvey Clemson
E Bob Blake Vanderbilt
T Joseph Lee Kirby-Smith Sewanee
G Henry D. Phillips Sewanee
C Red Smith Cumberland
G Puss Derrick Clemson
G/T Marvin O. Bridges Cumberland
E Carl Sitton Clemson

References

  1. ^ Langum, David J (January 2010). From Maverick to Mainstream: Cumberland School of Law, 1847-1997. p. 95. ISBN 9780820336183.
  2. ^ "Fine Football in Southland". The Courier-Journal. October 25, 1903. p. 25. Retrieved May 16, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "The Best in the South". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 30, 1903. p. 3. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "1903 Independent Year Summary | College Football". www.sports-reference.com.
  5. ^ "Cumberland Wins". The Tennessean. October 4, 1903. p. 7. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "Clemson Tigers Win In A Walk". The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1903. p. 6. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ Robert E. Wilder (2011). Gridiron Glory Days: Football at Mercer, 1892-1942. p. 13. ISBN 9780881462678.
  8. ^ Scott Thompson (September 29, 2000). Dublin: The Emerald City. p. 135. ISBN 9781439610787.
  9. ^ Jon Nelson (July 2012). A History of College Football in Georgia. p. 18. ISBN 9781614236139.
  10. ^ a b c "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ a b Woodruff 1928, p. 145
  12. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 143
  13. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 144
  14. ^ "The Varsity Triumphs Over Cumberland". Sewanee Purple. Vol. 20, no. 8. October 27, 1903. hdl:11005/766.
  15. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 146
  16. ^ a b c d Woodruff 1928, p. 148
  17. ^ "Eighteen To Naught". News and Observer. October 29, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  18. ^ Trevino, Heather S.; Pastorello, Linda E. (2007). Oak Park and the Montgomery Zoo. p. 12. ISBN 9780738553115.
  19. ^ a b c d e f Woodruff 1928, p. 149
  20. ^ "Cumberland's Easy Victory". The Courier-Journal. November 8, 1903. p. 4. Retrieved December 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ^ "Tennessee Won but Her Right Halfback Had a Leg Broken". The Charlotte Observer. November 14, 1903. p. 3. Retrieved December 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  22. ^ a b c d Woodruff 1928, p. 150
  23. ^ "For Carolina The Tide Has Turned". News and Observer. November 15, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved May 5, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  24. ^ "Louisiana Is Very Easy". The Times-Democrat. November 17, 1903. p. 11. Retrieved January 3, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  25. ^ "Clemson Defeats Davidson". The Charlotte Observer. November 22, 1903. p. 5. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  26. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 151
  27. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 155
  28. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 156
  29. ^ Sam Blackman (December 15, 2014). "Clemson's "First Bowl Game"". Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  30. ^ Lou Sahadi (October 2014). "24. 1903 Game With Cumberland". 100 Things Clemson Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. ISBN 9781623689490.
  31. ^ Wiley Lee Umphlett (1992). Creating the Big Game: John W. Heisman and the Invention of American Football. p. 67. ISBN 9780313284045.
  32. ^ Fuzzy Woodruff's A History of Southern Football
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