The 1943 Southeastern Conference football season was the eleventh season of college football played by the member schools of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and was a part of the 1943 college football season .Georgia Tech compiled an 8–3 overall record, with a conference record of 3–0, and was SEC champion. The 1943 season was notable for the suspension of football at Alabama , Auburn , Florida , Kentucky , Mississippi State , Ole Miss , and Tennessee due to Army resrictions during World War II.[ 2]
1943 Southeastern Conference football season Sport Football Duration September 17, 1943 – January 1, 1944 (1943-09-17 – 1944-01-01 ) Number of teams 5 Champion Georgia Tech
Results and team statistics
edit
Key
AP final = Rankings from AP sports writers. See 1943 NCAA football rankings
PPG = Average of points scored per game[ 3]
PAG = Average of points allowed per game[ 3]
Index to colors and formatting
SEC member won
SEC member lost
SEC member tie
SEC teams in bold
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Ref.
October 16
300th Infantry
Georgia Tech
Grant Field • Atlanta, GA
W 27–0
10,000
[ 15]
October 16
Louisiana Army
LSU
Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA
W 28–7
3,500
[ 16]
October 16
Vanderbilt
Tennessee Tech
Overall Field • Cookeville, TN
W 20–0
[ 17]
October 16
Georgia
Daniel Field
Richmond Academy Stadium • Augusta, GA
L 7–18
5,000
[ 18]
# Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Ref.
October 29
Howard (AL)
Georgia
Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA
W 39–0
[ 23]
October 30
TCU
LSU
Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA
W 14–0
18,000
[ 24]
October 30
Milligan
Vanderbilt
Dudley Field • Nashville, TN
W 26–6
3,000
[ 25]
October 30
No. 8 Duke
Georgia Tech
Grant Field • Atlanta, GA
L 7–14
30,000
[ 26]
October 30
Georgia Pre-Flight
Tulane
Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA
L 13–14
18,000
[ 27]
# Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Ref.
November 5
Presbyterian
Georgia
Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA
W 39–0
4,000
[ 28]
November 5
Carson–Newman
Vanderbilt
Dudley Field • Nashville, TN
W 12–6
[ 29]
November 6
No. 10 LSU
Georgia Tech
Grant Field • Atlanta, GA
GT 42–7
20,000
[ 30]
# Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Ref.
November 13
VMI
Georgia
Grant Field • Atlanta, GA
W 46–7
5,000
[ 31]
November 13
No. 19 Georgia Tech
Tulane
Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA
GT 33–0
38,000
[ 32]
# Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Ref.
November 20
Clemson
No. 15 Georgia Tech
Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry )
W 41–6
10,000
[ 33]
November 20
LSU
Tulane
Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (rivalry )
TUL 27–0
40,000
[ 34]
# Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Ref.
November 25
Tennessee Tech
Vanderbilt
Dudley Field • Nashville, TN
W 47–7
7,000
[ 35]
November 27
Georgia
No. 14 Georgia Tech
Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry )
GT 48–0
28,000
[ 36]
# Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.
Records through the completion of the 1943 season
Team
Head coach
Years at school
Overall record
Record at school
SEC record
Georgia
Wally Butts
5
36–16–2 (.685)
36–16–2 (.685)
11–8–2 (.571)
Georgia Tech
William Alexander
24
126–92–15 (.573)
126–92–15 (.573)
29–31–5 (.485)
LSU
Bernie Moore
9
72–40–6 (.636)
60–28–3 (.676)
29–19–2 (.600)
Tulane
Claude Simons Jr.
2
18–20–1 (.474)
7–8–0 (.467)
2–5–0 (.286)
Vanderbilt
Ernest Alley
1
5–0–0 (1.000)
5–0–0 (1.000)
0–0–0 (–)
The following SEC players were selected in the 1944 NFL draft :[ 40]
Round
Overall Pick
Player name
School
Position
NFL team
1
5
Steve Van Buren
LSU
Halfback
Philadelphia Eagles
2
14
Bob Cifers
Tennessee
Back
Detroit Lions
2
16
Lamar Blount
Mississippi State
Back
New York Giants
5
43
Larry Rice
Tulane
Center
Boston Yanks
6
52
Hillary Horne
Mississippi State
Tackle
Philadelphia Eagles
9
78
Mitchell Olenski
Alabama
Tackle
Brooklyn Tigers
9
87
Tex Warrington
Auburn
Center
Boston Yanks
11
103
Carl Grate
Georgia
Guard
New York Giants
12
117
J. P. Moore
Vanderbilt
Back
Chicago Bears
13
125
Ray Poole
Ole Miss
End
New York Giants
13
126
Bill Baughman
Alabama
Center
Green Bay Packers
13
127
Charley Walker
Kentucky
Center
Washington Redskins
14
136
Bert Corley
Mississippi State
Center
New York Giants
14
139
Joe Hartley
LSU
Tackle
Chicago Bears
14
140
Jim Talley
LSU
Center
Philadelphia Eagles
15
144
Billy J. Murphy
Mississippi State
Back
Brooklyn Tigers
15
147
Ollie Poole
Ole Miss
End
New York Giants
15
149
Jim Gaffney
Tennessee
Back
Washington Redskins
15
151
Jim Myers
Tennessee
Guard
Card-Pitt
15
152
Bud Hubbell
Tennessee
End
Cleveland Rams
17
167
Jack Helms
Georgia Tech
Tackle
Detroit Lions
17
172
Ed Ryckeley
Georgia Tech
End
Chicago Bears
17
174
Aubrey Clayton
Auburn
Back
Cleveland Rams
18
186
Reldon Bennett
LSU
Tackle
Boston Yanks
19
189
Bill Eubank
Mississippi State
End
Detroit Lions
19
192
Kermit Davis
Mississippi State
End
Green Bay Packers
19
193
Clyde Ehrhardt
Georgia
Center
Washington Redskins
21
210
Mike Mihalic
Mississippi State
Guard
Brooklyn Tigers
22
221
Ted Cook
Alabama
End
Brooklyn Tigers
23
240
Jim Pharr
Auburn
Center
Cleveland Rams
23
241
Dilton Richmond
LSU
End
Boston Yanks
24
251
Joe Warlick
Mississippi State
Back
Cleveland Rams
26
273
Charley Kuhn
Kentucky
Back
Cleveland Rams
26
274
Bill Portwood
Kentucky
End
Boston Yanks
27
279
Andy Bires
Alabama
End
New York Giants
27
282
Jack McKewan
Alabama
End
Chicago Bears
28
291
A. B. Howard
Mississippi State
End
Green Bay Packers
29
298
Marty Frohm
Mississippi State
Tackle
Brooklyn Tigers
29
306
John Hughes
Mississippi State
End
Cleveland Rams
30
317
Dick McPhee
Georgia
Back
Cleveland Rams
30
318
Gus Letchas
Georgia
Back
Boston Yanks
31
323
Jim McLeod
LSU
End
Cleveland Rams
^ Scott, Richard (2008). SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion . MVP Books. p. 58. ISBN 1616731338 . Retrieved March 13, 2014 .
^ Brown, Matt (May 25, 2020). "The season when some college football teams could play and others could not" . The New York Times . The Athletic. Retrieved August 10, 2024 .
^ a b "1943 Southeastern Conference Year Summary" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 10, 2024 .
^ "Georgia soars over P.C. team, 25–7" . The Greenville News . September 18, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Georgia Tech topples powerful Carolina eleven, 20–7" . Asheville Citizen-Times . September 26, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "LSU Tigers beat Georgia, 34 to 27, in free scoring game" . The Macon Telegraph and News . September 26, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tenn. Tech loses, 67–0, to Georgia" . Nashville Banner . October 2, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Owls fall as LSU opens up" . Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . October 3, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Bertelli dazzles Tech for Irish, 53 to 13" . The Chattanooga Times . October 3, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tulane's Green Wave unable to handle Memphis' powerful Sailors, lose 41–7" . Johnson City Press . Associated Press . October 3, 1943. p. 9. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Georgia beats Wake in close contest, 7 to 0" . Winston-Salem Journal . October 9, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Georgia Tech Engineers give Navy Pre-Flight fancy licking" . The Shreveport Times . October 10, 1943. p. 19. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tulane team manhandles weak Rice eleven, 33–0" . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . October 10, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Texas A&M licks LSU by 28 to 13" . San Angelo Standard-Times . October 10, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Wheeler, Romney (October 17, 1943). "Georgia Tech beats Soldiers" . The Philadelphia Inquirer . Associated Press . p. 4S. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "L.S.U. Tigers romp to victory over Army special students" . The Shreveport Times . October 17, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Vanderbilt defeats Tennessee Tech, 20–0" . The Chattanooga Times . October 17, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Williams, F. M. (October 17, 1943). "Georgia Bulldogs fall before Daniel Field, 18–7" . The Atlanta Constitution . p. 13C. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tulane strikes twice for victory over SMU, 12 to 6" . San Angelo Standard-Times . October 24, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Commodores trample Camp Campbell Bombers 40 to 14" . The Nashville Tennessean . October 24, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Navy wrecks Georgia Tech with passes" . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . October 24, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Louisiana State Tigers hang up 27–6 triumph over Georgia" . The Knoxville Journal . October 24, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Georgia whips Howard team by 39–0 score" . The Birmingham News . October 30, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "LSU Tigers claw Texas' Frogs, 14–0" . Austin American-Statesman . October 31, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Milligan gridders bow to Vanderbilt" . Johnson City Press . October 31, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Duke Blue Devils defeat Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 14 to 7" . The Birmingham News . October 31, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tulane misses try for point and loses to Georgia Sailors" . The Shreveport Times . October 31, 1943. p. 19. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Georgia wins over fighting Presbyterians, 40 to 12" . The Macon Telegraph . November 6, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Vandy holds off late C–N rally to win, 12–6" . The Knoxville News-Sentinel . November 7, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Georgia Tech's lend-lease punch devastates LSU civilians" . The State . November 7, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Cook runs wild as Bulldogs triumph, 46 to 7" . The Atlanta Constitution . November 14, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Prokop's passes stun Tulane 33–0" . The Courier-Journal . November 14, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Georgia Tech wins easily over Clemson, 41 to 6" . The Atlanta Constitution . November 21, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "40,000 watch Tulane rout L.S.U., 27 to 0" . The Atlanta Constitution . November 21, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Commodores smash Tennessee Tech, 47–7, in finale" . The Nashville Tennessean . November 26, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Jackets smash Georgia, 48–0" . The Atlanta Journal . November 28, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Georgia Tech edges Tulsa, 20 to 18" . Tulsa World . January 2, 1944. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Van Buren turns tables on Aggies, 19–14" . The Miami News . January 2, 1944. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections" (PDF) . National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2014. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2014 .
^ "1944 NFL Draft" . SR/Pro Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 10, 2024 .