Wikipedia

1914 Florida Gators football team

The 1914 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1914 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The season was C. J. McCoy's first year of three as the head coach of the Gators team. McCoy's 1914 Florida Gators completed their ninth varsity football season on a four-game winning streak, with an overall record of 5–2[1] and an SIAA conference record of 3–2.[2]

1914 Florida Gators football
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record5–2 (3–2 SIAA)
Head coach
CaptainJohn Sutton, Puss Hancock
Home stadiumUniversity Athletic 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

Before the season

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End Joe Swanson was shifted to fullback.[3]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
October 10vs. Auburn
L 0–20[4]
October 17King*
W 36–0[5]
October 24vs. Sewanee
  • Barrs Field
  • Jacksonville, FL
L 0–26[6]
October 31vs. Florida Southern*
W 59–0[7]
November 7Wofford
  • University Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 66–0[8]
November 14at The Citadel
W 7–0[9]
November 26Mercer
  • University Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 14–0[10]
  • *Non-conference game

[1]

Game summaries

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Auburn

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

Coach Mike Donahue's Auburn team was nearly as strong as the season before, and beat Florida 20–0 en route to another SIAA title. In contrast to last year, the Gators held Auburn scoreless in the first half,[3] and the loss was seen as a moral victory and sign of progress.[12] However, the Gators also lost their captain. John Sutton left the game feeling poorly, and further examination revealed a weak heart.[12] Roy "Puss" Hancock took over for Sutton as captain.[13]

Auburn's backfield played well and fullback Bedie Bidez scored two touchdowns.[11] Florida gave way to Auburn's superior weight by the second half.[3][11]

King College

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In the second week of play, Florida enjoyed a first-time victory against the King College Tornado, 36–0.[14]

Sewanee

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Sewanee at Florida
1 234Total
• Sewanee 13 706 26
Florida 0 000 0

Florida suffered a shutout loss to the Sewanee Tigers, 26–0. Florida was outplayed in the first half.[16] In the final period, Sewanee quarterback Lee Tolley had an 85-yard touchdown run.[15]

The starting lineup was Henderson (left end), Lotspeich (left tackle), Goldsby (left guard), Farrior (center), Yon (right guard), Hancock (right tackle), Freeman (right end), Oates (quarterback), Fuller (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Swanson (fullback).[15]

Florida Southern

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In Tampa, Florida extended the winning streak over Florida Southern, 59–0.[17]

Wofford

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Florida beat Wofford for the first time, 66–0.[18]

The Citadel

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Florida at The Citadel
1 234Total
• Florida 7 000 7
The Citadel 0 000 0
  • Date: November 14
  • Location: College Park Stadium
    Charleston, SC
  • Game weather: Heavy rain

In Charleston, the Gators defeated The Citadel 7–0 in a heavy rain and a field saturated with inches of mud.[19] Rammy Ramsdell returned the opening kickoff back 40 yards, and Jim Sparkman eventually carried it over for the decisive touchdown,[19] "before the ball was wet."[20]

Mercer

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Florida closed the season with a 14–0 win over the Mercer Baptists on Thanksgiving.[18]

Postseason

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Florida ranked in the top half of the SIAA. The yearbook remarked that a Gator squad had never had more "guts".[21]

Personnel

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Linemen

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Player Position Games
started 		High school Height Weight Age
Cappleman Guard 5'9" 160 23
Cowsert End 5'8" 145 18
Freeman End 5'11" 160 20
Jack Goldsby Guard 5'9" 185 19
Puss Hancock Tackle 5'10" 185 23
B. Henderson End 5'9" 155 19
Daddy Lotspiech Tackle 5'10" 165 23
Rex Farrior Center Hillsborough 5'9" 168 18
Reid End 5'10" 167 19
John B. Sutton Tackle 6'0" 185 23
Roy Van Camp Tackle, Back 5'10" 162 20
Everett Yon Guard 6'0" 175 19

Backfield

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Player Position Games
started 		High school Height Weight Age
Artie Fuller Fullback 5'11" 158 19
Rammy Ramsdell Quarterback Hillsborough 5'10" 148 20
Jim Sparkman Halfback 5'8" 167 18
Joe Swanson Fullback 6'0" 165 21
Thompson Halfback 5'7" 150 23

[22]

Coaching staff

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References

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  1. ^ a b 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  2. ^ Roger Saylor, "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Archived 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c University of Florida 1915, p. 97
  4. ^ "Florida holds Auburn close". The Atlanta Journal. October 11, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Kings crumble before 'Gators". The Tampa Morning Tribune. October 18, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Fumbles costly for Floridians". The Tampa Morning Tribune. October 25, 1914. Retrieved December 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Versatile Florida attack overwhelms Blue and White before a thousand Tampa enthusiasts". The Tampa Morning Tribune. November 1, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Wofford loses to the Gators". The State. November 8, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Citadel lost game on field of slush". The Greenville News. November 15, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Mercer beaten in season's last battle". The Macon Telegraph. November 27, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b c "Auburn 20, Florida 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1914. p. 3. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  12. ^ a b McEwen 1974, p. 58
  13. ^ Marty Cohen (1995). Gator Tales. p. 11. ISBN 9781880652459.
  14. ^ University of Florida 1915, p. 98
  15. ^ a b c "Tigers Romp Over Plucky Floridians". Sewanee Purple. October 29, 1914. hdl:11005/1027.
  16. ^ "Sewanee Defeated Florida". The Houston Post. October 25, 1914. p. 19. Retrieved July 23, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  17. ^ University of Florida 1915, p. 99
  18. ^ a b University of Florida 1915, p. 101
  19. ^ a b c "Citadel-Florida Game Played In Heavy Rain". The Wilmington Morning Star. November 15, 1914. p. 7. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  20. ^ University of Florida 1915, p. 100
  21. ^ University of Florida 1915, p. 95
  22. ^ University of Florida 1915, pp. 95–100

Bibliography

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  • McEwen, Tom (1974). The Gators: A Story of Florida Football. Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publishers. ISBN 0-87397-025-X.
  • University of Florida (1915). The Seminole. Vol. 6.
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