Wikipedia

1914 Auburn Tigers football team

The 1914 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University (then called the Alabama Polytechnic Institute) in the 1914 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. It was the Tigers' 23rd overall season and they competed as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). The team was led by head coach Mike Donahue, in his 10th year, and played their home games at Drake Field in Auburn, Alabama. They finished as SIAA Champions with a record of eight wins, zero losses and one tie (8–0–1 overall, 4–0–1 in the SIAA) and outscored opponents 193–0.

1914 Auburn Tigers football
SIAA co-champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record8–0–1 (4–0–1 SIAA)
Head coach
Base defense7–2–2
CaptainHenry W. Robinson
Home stadiumDrake Field
Rickwood Field
Seasons
← 1913
1915 →
1914 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Tennessee + 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
Auburn + 4 – 0 – 1 8 – 0 – 1
Texas A&M 2 – 0 – 0 6 – 1 – 1
Ole Miss 2 – 1 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Mississippi A&M 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Sewanee 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Florida 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 2 – 0
Georgia 2 – 2 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Clemson 2 – 2 – 0 5 – 3 – 1
Alabama 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Kentucky 1 – 1 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
LSU 1 – 2 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
Chattanooga 1 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 3 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Mississippi College 0 – 1 – 1 4 – 3 – 1
Wofford 0 – 1 – 0 1 – 7 – 1
Central University 0 – 1 – 0 1 – 3 – 1
Mercer 0 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Tulane 0 – 3 – 1 3 – 3 – 1
The Citadel 0 – 3 – 0 2 – 5 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions

Auburn's strong defense, which held opponents scoreless all season, helped the team garner a retroactive national title by James Howell's computer rating system.[1] Auburn University does not claim or otherwise acknowledge this title.

Before the season

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Auburn returned another powerful team minus Kirk Newell.[2] "Bull" Kearley was shifted from halfback to end to add speed to the defensive line.[3]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 26Marion*
W 39–0[4]
October 3Fourth District Agricultural School*
  • Drake Field
  • Auburn, AL
W 60–0[5]
October 10at Florida
W 20–0[6]
October 17Clemson
W 28–0[7]
October 24Mississippi A&M
W 19–0[8]
November 7at Georgia Tech*
W 14–0[9]
November 14Vanderbilt
  • Rickwood Field
  • Birmingham, AL
W 6–010,000[10]
November 21at Georgia
T 0–0[11]
December 5vs. Carlisle*
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
W 7–0[12]
  • *Non-conference game

[13][14]

Season summary

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Marion Military Institute

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The season opened with a 28–0 win over the Marion Military Institute.

Fourth District

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Against the Fourth District Agricultural School of Hamilton, Alabama came the season's biggest win, 60–0.

At Florida

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Auburn at Florida
1 234Total
• Auburn 0 0713 20
Florida 0 000 0

In Jacksonville, Auburn defeated the Florida Gators 20–0. Auburn's team was nearly as strong as the season before and claims another SIAA title. In contrast to the prior season, the 20–0 loss was seen as a moral victory and sign of progress for the Gators.[16] However, the Florida also lost its captain. John Sutton left the game feeling poorly, and further examination revealed a weak heart.[16] Auburn's backfield performed well, and Florida gave way by the second half.[15] Bedie Bidez made two touchdowns.[15]

Clemson

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Auburn beat the Clemson Tigers 28–0.

Mississippi A&M

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Despite several fumbles, Auburn beat the Mississippi Aggies 19–0. One touchdown came on a delayed pass of 35 yards.[17]

The starting lineup was Steed (left end), Culpepper (left tackle), Sample (left guard), Pitts (center), Taylor (right guard), Louiselle (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Hairston (left halfback), Hart (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[17][18]

Georgia Tech

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Auburn at Georgia Tech
1 234Total
• Auburn 0 707 14
Ga. Tech 0 000 0

Sources:[19]

Auburn defeated John Heisman's Georgia Tech team 14–0. Tech would not lose to a southern team for 5 years after this.

Auburn scored first in the second quarter, Prendergast carrying the ball over.[19] Red Hart had a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth for the other score.[19]

The starting lineup was Kearley (left end), Steed (left tacle), Taylor (left guard), Pitts (center), Thigpen (right guard), Louiselle (right tackle), Robinson (end), Hairston (quarterback), Prendergast (left halfback), Hart (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[19]

Vanderbilt

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Vanderbilt at Auburn
1 234Total
Vanderbilt 0 000 0
• Auburn 6 000 6

Sources:[20]

In dreary weather, Auburn beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 6–0. In less than eight minutes of play, Red Harris made the decisive touchdown.[20]

The starting lineup was Kearley (left end), Steed (left tacle), Taylor (left guard), Pitts (center), Thigpen (right guard), Louiselle (right tackle), Robinson (end), Hairston (quarterback), Prendergast (left halfback), Hart (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[20]

Georgia

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All-American David Paddock and the Georgia Bulldogs held the Tigers to a scoreless tie. Auburn fumbled often in their own territory, then stood "like Petain at Verdun."[21]

Carlisle

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In final game of the season, Auburn defeated the Carlisle Indians led by Pete Calac and coached by Pop Warner. It was the first intersectional game in Atlanta.

Postseason

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Auburn claimed a share of an SIAA title.

References

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  1. ^ "1914 NCAA Division IA Football Power Ratings".
  2. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 5
  3. ^ "Auburn's Best Defense Ever Led the 1914 Tigers to an Undefeated Season Now Recognized as a National Championship". August 12, 2014.
  4. ^ "Auburn Tigets get a 39 to 0 victory". The Birmingham News. September 27, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Auburn gets 60 to win; Forward passes feature". The Birmingham News. October 4, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Florida holds Auburn close". The Atlanta Journal. October 11, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Auburn defeats Clemson team 28 to 0". The Nashville Tennessean. October 18, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Auburn defeats A. & M. 19 to 0". The Birmingham Age-Herald. October 25, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Auburn 14, Georgia Tech 0". The Journal and Tribune. November 8, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Lone touchdown gives Auburn eleven victory". The Commercial Appeal. November 15, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Georgia outplayed Auburn, earning a moral victory; Scoreless tie the result". The Atlanta Constitution. November 22, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Auburn's goal is still uncrossed". The Atlanta Constitution. December 6, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ 2009 Auburn Football Media Guide (PDF). Auburn, Alabama: Auburn Media Relations Office. 2009. p. 185. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
  14. ^ "1914 Auburn University Football Schedule". Auburn University Athletics. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  15. ^ a b c "Auburn 20, Florida 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1914. p. 3. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  16. ^ a b McEwen, The Gators, p. 58.
  17. ^ a b "Auburn Beats Mississippi 19 to 0". The Tennessean. October 25, 1914. p. 32. Retrieved May 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  18. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 10
  19. ^ a b c d "Georgia Tech Beaten By Auburn". The Tennessean. November 8, 1914. p. 27. Retrieved May 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  20. ^ a b c "Auburn Defeats Vanderbilt". Greensboro Daily News. November 15, 1914. p. 6. Retrieved May 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  21. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 15

Additional sources

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  • Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 2.
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