Wikipedia

1913 Auburn Tigers football team

The 1913 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1913 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The Tigers were retroactively recognized as a national champion in 1999 by the Billingsley Report's alternative calculation which considers teams' margin of victory. The team was coached by Mike Donahue and was undefeated at 8–0, outscoring opponents 224–13.

1913 Auburn Tigers football
National champion (Billingsley MOV)
SIAA champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record8–0 (8–0 SIAA)
Head coach
Base defense7–2–2
CaptainKirk Newell
Home stadiumDrake Field
Rickwood Field
Uniform
Seasons
← 1912
1914 →
1913 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Auburn $ 8 – 0 – 0 8 – 0 – 0
Mississippi A&M 5 – 1 – 1 6 – 1 – 1
Georgia 3 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Vanderbilt 3 – 1 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Georgia Tech 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Alabama 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
LSU 1 – 1 – 2 6 – 1 – 2
Sewanee 2 – 2 – 0 4 – 3 – 0
Florida 2 – 2 – 0 4 – 3 – 0
Clemson 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Mississippi College 1 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Tennessee 1 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
The Citadel 0 – 3 – 1 3 – 4 – 2
Mercer 0 – 4 – 1 2 – 5 – 1
Kentucky 0 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Texas A&M 0 – 1 – 1 3 – 4 – 2
Central University 0 – 2 – 0 2 – 5 – 0
Tulane 0 – 4 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

Auburn was the champion of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The team played just two games at home.[1][2] Under Billingsley's primary methodology, Chicago was recognized as the national champion.[3][4] Although it is a recognized national championship,[5] Auburn does not claim the title, but does acknowledge it in its official media guide.

Before the season

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Since Auburn's tie with Vanderbilt last year, teams other than Vanderbilt had a chance to win a title, and newspapers covered football more than the World Series for the first time.[6]

Coach Donahue built his team around his defense, which played out of a 7–2–2 scheme. The team was led by senior captain Kirk Newell. One source reads "Coach Donahue loved the fullback dive and would run the play over and over again before sending the elusive Newell wide on a sweep."[7]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 4Mercer
W 53–0[8]
October 11Florida
W 55–0[9]
October 18at Clemson
W 20–0[10]
October 25Mississippi A&M
W 34–0[11]
November 1vs. LSU
W 7–0[12]
November 8at Georgia Tech
W 20–0[13]
November 15Vanderbilt
  • Rickwood Field
  • Birmingham, AL
W 14–6[14]
November 22at Georgia
W 21–712,000[15]

Game summaries

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Mercer

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A.P.I. began its season with a 53-0 blowout against visiting Mercer on Drake Field.[2]

Florida

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Florida at Auburn
1 234Total
Florida 0 000 0
• Auburn 13 21714 55

The week before, the Florida Gators had the largest win in their history, a 144–0 win over Florida Southern. Auburn crushed the Gators 55–0. Auburn scored five touchdowns in the first half.[16] Captain Kirk Newell retired in the third period due to the heat.[16]

The starting lineup was Wynne (left end), Esslinger (left tackle), Lockwood (left guard), Pitts (center), Thigpen (right guard), Louisell (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Newell (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[16]

Mississippi A&M

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The second place Mississippi A&M Aggies fell to Auburn 34–0 after years of close games between the two schools.[17]

Clemson

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Clemson was defeated 20–0 with coach Donahue using his fullback.[18]

The starting lineup was Wynne (left end), Esslinger (left tackle), Lockwood (left guard), Pitts (center), Thigpen (right guard), Louisell (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Newell (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[18]

LSU

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LSU at Auburn
1 234Total
LSU 0 000 0
• Auburn 0 070 7

Sources:[19]

In a close game of conventional football, Auburn beat the LSU Tigers 7–0, with Tom Dutton standing out at center of defense.[20] Kirk Newell starred with end runs, and in the third quarter brought the ball to the 12-yard line with a 40-yard run.[19] Red Harris eventually made the deciding score.[19]

The starting lineup was Taylor (left end), Louisell (left tackle), Thigpen (left guard), Pitts (center), Lockwood (right guard), Esslinger (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Newell (left halfback), Kearley (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[19]

Georgia Tech

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Auburn beat Georgia Tech 20–0, Auburn's sixth straight shutout. After the first half, Tech's line was beaten down by Auburn's.[21]

Vanderbilt

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Auburn at Vanderbilt
1 234Total
• Auburn 7 007 14
Vanderbilt 6 000 6

Sources:

In "one of the most spectacular games the South ever saw",[22] Auburn beat Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores 14–6. Auburn scored with fullback Hart. Vanderbilt responded quickly with a 30-yard pass from Ammie Sikes to Hord Boensch. Using four different fullbacks on one drive, Auburn drove 80 yards to win.[23]

Georgia

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Auburn at Georgia
1 234Total
• Auburn 0 777 21
Georgia 7 000 7

Sources:[24]

The Tigers defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 21–7 to claim the SIAA title. Many prominent persons, including the governor, saw the contest.[25]

Kirk Newell of Auburn and Bob McWhorter of Georgia played their last games. At the 25-yard line, from a freak formation, Georgia's David Paddock pass the ball to Logan who caught it on the run and into the endzone for the first score of the game.[24] Red Harris got over a score in the second period. In the third quarter, Auburn had driven to the 11-yard line, and Donahue pulled Harris for Christopher. The Georgia team expected a buck, and committed to stopping it.[24] Newell skirted around right end for 7 yards. Christopher eventually plunged in from the 4-yard line. Later, from the 35-yard line, Newell had a run to the 7-yard line, chased out of bounds by McWhorter.[24] Christopher again got the touchdown.[24]

The starting lineup was Kearley (left end), Louisell (left tackle), Thigpen (left guard), Pitts (center), Lockwood (right guard), Esslinger (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Newell (left halfback), Prendergast (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[24]

Postseason

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Newell gained 1,707 yards that year, 46% of the team's entire offensive output;[26] and 5,800 yards rushing, 350 yards receiving, and 1,200 yards on punt returns for his career.[27] One writer claims "Auburn had a lot of great football teams, but there may not have been one greater than the 1913–1914 team."[2] Newell went on to be a World War I hero and member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.[28]

 
The Champions of the South

Roster

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Starters

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Line

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Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
M. S. Esslinger Tackle 4
Bull Kearley End 2 Franklin, Alabama 180 22
Tubby Lockwood Guard 4 Montgomery, Alabama 220 23
Lou Louisell Tackle 4 18
Boozer Pitts Center 4 Pittsview, Alabama 190 19
Robbie Robinson End 4 170
Baby Taylor End 1 Birmingham, Alabama 6'2" 194 21
Big Thigpen Guard 4 200
Jack Wynne End 2

Backfield

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Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Ted Arnold Quarterback 4 156
Red Harris Fullback 4 148
Kirk Newell Halfback 4 Dadeville, Alabama 150 22
Homer Prendergast Halfback 1
S. S. Sparkman Halfback 3

Subs

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Player Position Games
started 		Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
E. C. Adkins Halfback
Bedie Bidez Fullback
Chris Christopher Fullback
Cleveland Halfback
C. W. Culpepper Tackle
Roland Fricks Guard
Lucy Hairston End/back Crawford, Mississippi
Frank Hart Fullback Eufaula, Alabama 19
C. B. Martin Tackle
C. S. Noble Quarterback
George Steed Tackle

Staff

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References

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  1. ^ "AUBURNTIGERS.COM :: Auburn University Official Athletic Site Auburn University Official Athletic Site :: Football". Archived from the original on May 20, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Brady, Ethan. "Auburn's 1913 undefeated team" (PDF). Auburn Tigers Football. pp. 65, 69. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 1, 2018.
  3. ^ National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2015). "National Poll Rankings" (PDF). NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA. p. 108. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  4. ^ "Billingsley's National Champions by Year". College Football Research Center. 2008. Archived from the original on October 11, 2002. Retrieved January 2, 2009.
  5. ^ "Auburn Recognized National Championships". Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  6. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 276
  7. ^ "100 Year Anniversary: The Top 10 Players on Auburn's 1913 National Championship Team". June 28, 2013.
  8. ^ "Mercer's eleven no match for Auburn". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 5, 1913. Retrieved March 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Auburn swamps Florida team". The Atlanta Journal. October 12, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Auburn forced to fight". The Commercial Appeal. October 19, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Auburn eleven scores at will". The Atlanta Constitution. October 26, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ G. J. Flournoy (November 2, 1913). "Auburn's line plunging wins from Louisiana State team; Kirk Newell stars again". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 7. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Auburn romps on Tech". The Nashville Tennessean. November 9, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Auburn triumphs over Commodores". The Birmingham Age-Herald. November 16, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Auburn proves claim to title". The Birmingham News. November 23, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b c d "Florida Is Easy For Auburn Team". The Atlanta Constitution. October 12, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  17. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 280
  18. ^ a b Woodruff 1928, p. 278
  19. ^ a b c d G. J. Flournoy (November 2, 1913). "Auburn's Line Plunging Wins From Louisiana State Team; Kirk Newell Stars Again". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 7. Retrieved May 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  20. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 281
  21. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 282
  22. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 283
  23. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 284
  24. ^ a b c d e f Dick Jemison (November 23, 1913). "Auburn Wins Southern Title; Georgia Beaten Decisively; Harris Star of Fierce Game". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 7. Retrieved May 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  25. ^ "Thousands Of Enthusiasts See Auburn Football Team Win South's Championship". The Atlanta Constitution. November 23, 1913. p. 6. Retrieved May 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  26. ^ Henderson, Jeremy (August 21, 2013). "Football rankings guru Richard Billingsley says Auburn should claim century-old crown: 'My national championship for Auburn in 1913 is a very valid national championship'".
  27. ^ Kelly Kazek (2011). Hidden History of Auburn. The History Press. pp. 58–61. ISBN 9781609492922.
  28. ^ "Alabama Sports Hall of Fame – Birmingham, Alabama – Where Heroes Live Forever – Newell".

Additional sources

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  • Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 1.
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