1917 Auburn Tigers football team
The 1917 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1917 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. It was the Tigers' 26th 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 13th year, and played their home games at Drake Field in Auburn, Alabama. They finished with a record of six wins, two losses and one tie (6–2–1 overall, 5–1 in the SIAA).
| 1917 Auburn Tigers football | |
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| Conference | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| 1917 record | 6–2–1 (5–1 SIAA) |
| Head coach |
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| Base defense | 7–2–2 |
| Captain | Carey Robinson |
| Home stadium | Drake Field |
| 1917 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech $ | 4 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clemson | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Centre | 1 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi A&M | 3 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 3 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sewanee | 4 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | 2 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wofford | 1 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Furman | 1 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 1 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Citadel | 0 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Howard (AL) | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi College | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Led by Walter Camp All-America Honorable Mention Moon Ducote, Auburn lost its two games to Davidson and Georgia Tech, widely regarded as the two best teams in the south.[1] Georgia Tech was the south's first national champion. Auburn held undefeated Big Ten champion Ohio State to a scoreless tie.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 6 | Howard | W 53–0 | |
| October 13 | Camp Sheridan* | Montgomery, Alabama | W 13–0 |
| October 19 | at Clemson | W 7–0 | |
| October 27 | Mississippi A&M | W 13–6 | |
| November 3 | Florida |
| W 68–0 |
| November 10 | vs. Davidson* | Atlanta | L 7–21 |
| November 17 | at Vanderbilt | W 31–7 | |
| November 24 | Ohio State* |
| T 0–0 |
| November 29 | at Georgia Tech |
| L 7–68 |
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Season summary
Howard
The season opened with a 53–0 defeat of Howard.
Camp Sheridan
In the second week of play, the Tigers beat Camp Sheridan 13–0.
Clemson
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Auburn beat Clemson on Riggs Field 7–0, in a close game. Ducote starred for Auburn and Stumpy Banks starred for Clemson.[4]
Auburn's starting lineup was Ducote (left end), Caton (left tackle), Samford (left guard), Rogers (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Styles (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Creel (right halfback), Revington (fullback).[4]
Mississippi A&M
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Auburn won a tough game with the Mississippi Aggies, winning 13–6. The Aggies score when their tackle, Horton, picked up a fumble and ran 95 yards for a touchdown.[5]
Auburn's starting lineup was Styles (left end), Caton (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Rogers (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Gibson (right end), Ducote (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Trapp (right halfback), Revington (fullback).[5]
Florida
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Auburn's biggest win was 68–0 over Florida.[6]
Auburn's starting lineup was Creel (left end), Styles (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Gibson (right end), Ducote (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Trapp (right halfback), Revington (fullback).[6]
Davidson
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Davidson, led by Buck Flowers, beat the Tigers 21–7 in an upset, one of the greatest in Southern history.[7][8] Flowers returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown, caught a pass for a second touchdown, set up a third touchdown with an 85-yard return to Auburn's two-yard line, and kicked all three extra points for the Wildcats. He also prevented Auburn from scoring with a tackle at the goal line.[9]
Auburn's starting lineup was Esslinger (left end), Styles (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Gibson (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Ducote (right halfback), Revington (fullback).[7]
Vanderbilt
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The Tigers defeated Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores 31–7.[10]
Auburn's starting lineup was Gibson (left end), Styles (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Creel (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Ducote (right halfback), Revington (fullback).[10]
Ohio State
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Auburn held undefeated Big Ten champion Ohio State to a scoreless tie less than a week before the Tech game.[12] Ohio State, led by Chic Harley, had been favored 4 or 5 to 1.[13] Coach John Heisman (who previously coached at Auburn) and his players were at the game, rooting for the Tigers.[14] Auburn stopped Ohio State inside its 10-yard line five times.[15]
Auburn's starting lineup was Creel (left end), Styles (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Gibson (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Ducote (right halfback), Revington (fullback).[11]
Georgia Tech
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In the season's final game, Georgia Tech, for year's considered the South's greatest, Auburn 68–7. Tech piled up 472 yards on the ground in 84 rushes and 145 yards in the air.[17] Joe Guyon scored four touchdowns,[17] and Everett Strupper had a 65-yard touchdown run. According to the Atlanta Journal,
It was not the length of the run that featured it was the brilliance of it. After getting through the first line, Stroop was tackled squarely by two secondary men, and yet he squirmed and jerked loosed from them, only to face the safety man and another Tiger, coming at him from different angles. Without checking his speed Everett knifed the two men completely, running between them and dashing on to a touchdown.[17]
In the second quarter, Moon Ducote broke through the line toward the goal with blocking by Pete Bonner and William Donahue. After Guyon dove at Ducote and missed, Guyon gave chase and tackled him at the 26-yard line.[16] For Auburn's only score Ducote circled around end for 17 yards and lateraled to Donahue, who ran down the sideline for a six-yard touchdown.[14] Guyon was the star of the game,[18] accounting for four touchdowns and having his best day passing.[17] Strupper had touchdown runs of 62 and 50 yards.[17] Auburn's starting lineup was Gibson (left end), Martin (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Styles (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Ducote (right halfback), Revington (fullback)[16]
Postseason
Despite the lopsided loss to Tech, Auburn was considered a strong team. Ducote and Bonner were the only non-Tech, unanimous All-Southern selections.[19] Coach Donahue later said that Ducote was "undoubtedly the best ever."[20]
References
- Bernie McCarty (February 1988). "Georgia Tech's 1917 backfield, better than Four Horsemen" (PDF). College Football Historical Society. 1 (3). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
- 2009 Auburn Football Media Guide (PDF). Auburn, Alabama: Auburn Media Relations Office. 2009. p. 185.
- "1917 Auburn University Football Schedule". Auburn University Athletics. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- "Clemson Tigers Lose To Auburn Plainsmen". The Atlanta Constitution. October 20, 1917. p. 14. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
- "The Plainsmen Have Tough Game". The Atlanta Constitution. October 28, 1917. p. 3. Retrieved May 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Auburn Had Little Trouble Defeating The Light Gator Eleven". The Florida Alligator. November 7, 1917.
- Dick Jemison (November 11, 1917). "Ralph Flowers, Demon Halfback, Defeats Auburn". Atlanta Constitution – via Newspapers.com. Part 1 Part 2
- "Wildcat Origin". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- "Renowned Athlete Buck Flowers Dies". Sumter Daily Item. April 11, 1983. p. 3A.
- "Vady Beaten By Plainsmen; Count 31 to 7". The Atlanta Constitution. November 18, 1917. p. 3. Retrieved May 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Auburn Tigers Play Ohio State To Scoreless Tie". November 25, 1917. p. 3. Retrieved July 12, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- "1917 Auburn Tigers". Archived from the original on 2015-12-10.
- Heisman & Schlabach 2012, p. 160
- Heisman, John M.; Schlabach, Mark (2012). Heisman: The Man Behind The Trophy. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 161. ISBN 978-1-4516-8291-5.
- Phillip Marshall (2005). Stadium Stories: Auburn Tigers. p. 12. ISBN 9780762723119.
- "Golden Tornado Wins Great Victory" (PDF). The Technique. December 4, 1917. p. 4.
- McCarty, Bernie (May 1988). "Georgia Tech's 1917 backfield, better than the Four Horsemen: Part 2" (PDF). College Football Historical Society Newsletter. 1 (4): 16–17. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016.
- "Georgia Tech Defeats Auburn Eleven 68 to 7". Greensboro Daily News. November 30, 1917. p. 13. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- Spalding Football Guide. 1918.
- see Gridiron Gasps, The Tuscaloosa News, January 10, 1933.