1913 Auburn Tigers football team

1913 Auburn Tigers football
Black & white image illustrating the 1913 Auburn University American football players in their uniforms.
National champion (Billingsley MOV)
SIAA champion
Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1913 record 8–0 (8–0 SIAA)
Head coach Mike Donahue
Base defense 7–2–2
Captain Kirk Newell
Uniform
1913 SIAA 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 4 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 0 2 0     2 5 0
Tulane 0 4 0     3 5 0
  • $ Conference champion

The 1913 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1913 college football season. The team was coached by Mike Donahue and was undefeated at 8–0, outscoring opponents 224–13. Auburn, led by senior captain Kirk Newell, was the champion of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The team played just two games at home.[1]

The Tigers were retroactively recognized as a national champion by the Billingsley Report's alternative calculation which considers teams' margin of victory. Under Billingsley's primary methodology, Chicago was recognized as the national champion.[2][3] Although it is a recognized national championship,[4] Auburn does not claim the title, but does acknowledge it in its official media guide.

Schedule

Date Time Opponent Site Result Attendance
October 4 Mercer Drake FieldAuburn, AL W 53–0  
October 11 Florida Drake Field • Auburn, AL W 55–0  
October 18 Mississippi A&M Rickwood FieldBirmingham, AL W 34–0  
October 25 at Clemson Bowman Field • Clemson, SC W 20–0  
November 1 2:30 p. m. vs. LSU Mobile, AL W 7–0  
November 8 at Georgia Tech Grant FieldAtlanta, GA W 20–0  
November 15 Vanderbilt Rickwood Field • Birmingham, AL W 13–6  
November 22 at Georgia Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA (Rivalry) W 21–7   12,000
daggerHomecoming.

Season summary

Mercer

The season opened with a 53–0 defeat of Mercer.

Florida

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.[5] Captain Kirk Newell retired in the third period due to the heat.[5]

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).[5]

Mississippi A&M

The second place Mississippi A&M Aggies fell to Auburn 34–0.

Clemson

Clemson was defeated 20–0.

LSU

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

Sources:[6]

In a close game of conventional football, Auburn beat the LSU Tigers 7–0. Kirk Newell starred with end runs, and in the third quarter brought the ball to the 12-yard line with a 40-yard run.[6] Red Harris eventually made the deciding score.[6]

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).[6]

Georgia Tech

Auburn beat Georgia Tech 20–0, Auburn's sixth straight shutout.

Vanderbilt

Auburn beat Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores 13–6.

Georgia

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

Sources:[7]

The Tigers defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 21–7 to claim the SIAA title. Many prominent persons, including the governor, saw the contest.[8]

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.[7] 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.[7] 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.[7] Christopher again got the touchdown.[7]

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).[7]

Postseason

Newell gained 1,707 yards that year, 46% of the team's entire offensive output;[9] and 5,800 yards rushing, 350 yards receiving, and 1,200 yards on punt returns for his career.[10] One writer claims "Auburn had a lot of great football teams, but there may not have been one greater than the 1913-1914 team."[11] Newell went on to be a World War I hero and member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.[12]

References

  1. http://www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/history_and_tradition_1913_champions.html
  2. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2015). "National Poll Rankings" (PDF). NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA. p. 108. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  3. "Billingsley's National Champions by Year". College Football Research Center. 2008.
  4. http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/auburn/national_champs.php
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Florida Is Easy For Auburn Team". The Atlanta Constitution. October 12, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved July 22, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 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.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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.
  8. "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.
  9. 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'".
  10. Kelly Kazek (2011). Hidden History of Auburn. The History Press. pp. 58–61.
  11. Ethan Brady. "Auburn's 1913 Undefeated Team" (PDF).
  12. http://ashof.org/index.php?src=directory&view=company&refno=252&srctype=company_detail
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