1896 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season

1896 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season
League	NCAA
Sport	College football
Duration	October 3, 1896 through December 14, 1896
Teams	16
Regular Season
Season champions	LSU Georgia
Football seasons
←  1895 1897  →

1896 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
LSU +	3	–	0	–	0			6	–	0	–	0
Georgia +	2	–	0	–	0			4	–	0	–	0
Vanderbilt	2	–	0	–	2			3	–	2	–	2
Auburn	3	–	1	–	0			3	–	1	–	0
Texas	1	–	1	–	0			4	–	2	–	1
Alabama	1	–	1	–	0			2	–	1	–	0
Kentucky State College	1	–	1	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Sewanee	3	–	3	–	0			3	–	3	–	0
Tennessee	0	–	0	–	0			4	–	0	–	0
Tulane	1	–	2	–	0			3	–	2	–	0
Nashville	0	–	1	–	1			0	–	1	–	1
Mercer	0	–	2	–	1			0	–	2	–	1
Central (KY)	0	–	2	–	1			0	–	3	–	1
Mississippi A&M	0	–	2	–	0			0	–	4	–	0
SW Presbyterian	0	–	2	–	0			0	–	3	–	0
Cumberland (TN)			–							–
+ – Conference co-champions

The 1896 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the college football games played by the members schools of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association as part of the 1896 college football season. The season began on October 3.

Coach Pop Warner's conference champion Georgia team beat North Carolina 24–16 in a close game. "For the first time in Southern football history the football supremacy of Virginia and North Carolina was successfully challenged." ^[1] Against John Heisman's Auburn team, Georgia also had the first successful onside kick in the South. ^[2]

The LSU Tigers, led by coach Allen Jeardeau, went undefeated and were the SIAA co-champions.

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. Rank	Team	Head coach	Overall record	Conf. record	PPG	PAG
1 (tie)	LSU	Allen Jeardeau	6–0	3–0
1 (tie)	Georgia	Pop Warner	4–0	2–0
3	Vanderbilt	R. G. Acton	3–2–2	3–0–2
4	Auburn	John Heisman	3–1	3–1
5 (tie)	Georgia Tech	J. B. West	1–1–1	1–1–1
5 (tie)	Texas	Harry Orman Robinson	4–2–1	1–1
5 (tie)	Alabama	Otto Wagonhurst	2–1	1–1
5 (tie)	Kentucky State	Dudley Short	3–6	1–1
9	Sewanee	J. E. Blair	3–3	3–3
10	Tulane	Harry Baum	3–2	1–2
11 (tie)	Southwestern Presbyterian		0–1	0–1
11 (tie)	Nashville		0–1–1	0–1–1
13 (tie)	Mercer	J. D. Winston	0–2–1	0–2–1
13 (tie)	Central	H. McC. Anderson	0–3–1	0–2–1
13 (tie)	Mississippi A&M	J. B. Hildebrand	0–4	0–2
?	Cumberland

Key

PPG = Average of points scored per game

PAG = Average of points allowed per game

Regular season

Index to colors and formatting
Non-conference matchup; SIAA member won
Non-conference matchup; SIAA member lost
Non-conference matchup; tie
Conference matchup

SIAA teams in bold.

Week One

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 3	Lexington Athletic Club	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	L 0–10		[3]
October 6	Auburn	Mercer	Central City Park • Macon, GA	AUB 46–0		[4]

Week Two

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 10	Kentucky State	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	VAN 22–0	600	[5]
October 10	Centenary	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	W 46–0		[6]
October 10	Union (TN)	Mississippi A&M	Starkville Fairgrounds • Starkville, MS	L 0–8

Week Three

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 17	Nashville	Sewanee	Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN	SEW 6–0		[7]
October 17	Galveston High School	Texas	Clark Field • Austin, TX	W 42–0		[8]
October 17	Tulane Alumni	Tulane	Tulane Athletic Field • New Orleans, LA	W 12–0		[9]
October 17	Vanderbilt	Centre	Danville, KY	L 0–46		[10]
October 17	Kentucky State	Catlettsburg Athletic Club	Catlettsburg, KY	L 4–6		[11]
October 22	Williamsburg (KY)	Tennessee	Baldwin Park • Knoxville, TN	W 10–0		[12]

Week Four

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 24	LSU	Tulane	Tulane Athletic Field • New Orleans, LA	LSU 6–0		[13]
October 24	Texas	Dallas	Dallas, TX	T 0–0
October 24	Birmingham Athletic Club	Alabama	The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL	W 30–0		[14]
October 24	Kentucky University	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	W 36–6		[15]
October 24	Central	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	T 0–0		[16]
October 24	Georgia	Wofford	Spartanburg, SC	W 26–0		[17]
October 26	Central	Sewanee	McGee Field • Sewanee, TN	SEW 6–4		[18]
October 22	Tennessee	Chattanooga Athletic Club	Chattanooga, TN	W 4–0		[19]

Week Five

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 31	Kentucky State	Centre	Danville, KY	L 0–32		[20]
October 31	North Carolina	Georgia	Brisbine Park • Atlanta, GA	W 24–16	3,000	[21]
October 31	Georgia Tech	Mercer	Central City Park • Macon, GA	L 4–6		[22]
October 31	Sewanee	Alabama	The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL	SEW 10–6		[23]

Week Six

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 7	Central	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	KEN 62–0		[24]
November 7	San Antonio	Texas	Varsity Athletic Field • Austin, TX	W 12–4		[25]
November 7	Georgia Tech	Auburn	Drill Field • Auburn, AL	W 45–0		[26]
November 7	Vanderbilt	Missouri	Fair Grounds • St. Louis, MO	L 6–26		[27]
November 9	Sewanee	Georgia	Herty Field • Athens, GA	UGA 26–0		[28]
November 9	Tulane	Vicksburg Athletic Club	Vicksburg, MS	W 48–0		[29]
November 11	Vanderbilt	SW Presbyterian	Baseball Park • Clarksville, TN	VAN 36–0		[30]
November 13	LSU	Ole Miss	Fairgrounds • Vicksburg, MS	W 12–4		[31]

Week Seven

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 14	Mississippi A&M	Alabama	The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA 20–0		[32]
November 14	Nashville	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	T 0–0		[33]
November 14	Centre	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	L 0–44		[34]
November 14	Texas	Tulane	Tulane Athletic Field • New Orleans, LA	TEX 12–4	800	[35] [36]
November 14	VPI	Tennessee	Baldwin Park • Knoxville, TN	W 6–4		[37]
November 16	Sewanee	Auburn	Riverside Park • Montgomery, AL	AUB 38–6		[38]
November 16	Texas	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	LSU 14–0		[39]
November 20	Mississippi A&M	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	LSU 52–0		[40]

Week Eight

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 21	Kentucky State	Georgetown (KY)	Georgetown, KY	W 16–0		[41]
November 21	Mercer	Georgia Tech	Brisbane Park • Atlanta, GA	T 12–12		[42]
November 21	Mississippi A&M	Southern Athletic Club	Sportsman's Park • New Orleans, LA	L 0–55		[43]
November 26	Auburn	Georgia	Brisbine Park • Atlanta, GA	UGA 12–6		[44]
November 26	Central	Tennessee	Baldwin Park • Knoxville, TN	UT 30–0		[45]
November 26	Dallas	Texas	Varsity Athletic Field • Austin, TX	W 22–4	2,000	[46]
November 26	Ole Miss	Tulane	Tulane Athletic Field • New Orleans, LA	W 10–0		[47]
November 26	Vanderbilt	Sewanee	Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN	VAN 10–4		[48]
November 27	Kentucky State	Louisville Athletic Club	Louisville, KY	L 4–30		[49]

Week Nine

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 28	LSU	Southern Athletic Club	Sportsman's Park • New Orleans, LA	W 6–0	500	[50]

Week Eleven

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
December 14	Missouri	Texas	Varsity Athletic Field • Austin, TX	L 0–10		[51]

References

1. Woodruff 1928 , p. 53
2. Woodruff 1928 , p. 68
3. "Football; The Lexington Athletic Club downs State College". The Sunday Leader. October 4, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
4. "Auburn finds Mercer an easy mark". The Birmingham News. October 19, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
5. "Nashville gets 'em both". The Nashville American. October 11, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Louisiana State University Cadets defeat the Centenary College team". The Times-Democrat. October 11, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
7. "Sewanee 6; U. of N. 0; Nashville boys fared a little better than Vanderbilt". The Nashville American. October 18, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
8. "The 'Varsity team won". Austin Daily Statesman. October 18, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Tulane wins its first time out". The Daily Picayune. October 18, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
10. "Football, Vanderbilt badly beaten by "Old Centre" yesterday". The Sunday Leader. October 18, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
11. "At Catlettsburg Kentucky State College loses by a score of 6 to 4". The Sunday Leader. October 18, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
12. "The University scored a victory". The Knoxville Sentinel. October 23, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
13. "Decision for visitors; Referee awarded the game to the visitors upon Tulane's desertion of the field". The Times-Democrat. October 25, 1896. Retrieved December 16, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
14. "Birmingham lost; Foot ball game at Tuskaloosa disastrous for the Athletics". The Birmingham News. October 26, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
15. "State College—Wins the local championship by a score of 36 to 6". The Sunday Leader. October 25, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
16. "Vanderbilt vs. Central College; Good game at Nashville, ending in a draw". The Chattanooga Daily Times. October 25, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
17. "Georgia wins over Wofford". The Atlanta Journal. October 27, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
18. "Sewanee the victor; Puts it onto Central University to the tune of 6 to 4". The Nashville American. October 27, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
19. "Chattanooga wins spirited football game at the park yesterday". Chattanooga Daily Times. October 25, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
20. ""Old Centre."—The Danville team beats State College by a score of 32 to 0". The Sunday Leader. November 1, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
21. "Football yesterday". The News and Observer. November 1, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
22. "Techs defeat Mercer, Atlantians win in a close game by a score of 6 to 4". The Atlanta Constitution. November 1, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
23. "The University football team went down before Sewanee". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 1, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
24. "The Gridiron.–Ad[sic Unintersting Game Between S. C. and C. U." The Sunday Leader. November 8, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
25. "Yesterday's ball game". Austin Daily Statesman. November 8, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
26. "One-sided game at Auburn". The Birmingham News. November 9, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
27. "Missouri and Vanderbilt". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. November 7, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
28. "Foot ball at Athens; University of Georgia beats Sewanee 26 to 0". The Morning News. November 10, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
29. "Local team short on taeties". The Commercial Appeal. November 10, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
30. "Foot ball yesterday; The S.W.P.U. team defeated the Vanderbilt eleven, score 36 to 0". The Leaf-Chronicle. November 12, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
31. "Exciting football and races; Great day at the successful exposition at Vicksburg". The Commercial Appeal. November 14, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
32. "Shut them out; The Tuscaloosa foot ball team defeats the A. & M." Birmingham State Herald. November 15, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
33. "Was most disgraceful". The Nashville American. November 15, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
34. "Football—"Old Centre" wins the State Championship". The Sunday Leader. November 15, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
35. "That Texas team wins once more". The Daily Picayune. November 15, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
36. "That Texas team wins once more (continued)". The Daily Picayune. November 15, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
37. "Blacksburg defeated". The Richmond Dispatch. Library of Virginia. November 15, 1896. p. 13. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
38. "Thirty-six to six! Was the way yesterday's great football contest resulted". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 17, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
39. "Football; State University trounces the Texas 11". The Daily Picayune. November 17, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
40. "Untitled". The Daily Clarion-Ledger. November 21, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
41. "At Georgetown—Kentucky State College wins easy from Georgetown University". The Sunday Leader. November 22, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
42. "Techs 12, Mercer 12; Football game at Brisbine Park yesterday was a tie". The Atlanta Constitution. November 22, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
43. "Dull foot ball game". Natchez Democrat. November 22, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
44. "Auburn knocked out". Birmingham State Herald. November 27, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
45. "Bad defeat for Central University". The Courier-Journal. November 27, 1896. Retrieved July 8, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
46. "'Varsity, 'Varsity, U. T. A." Austin Daily Statesman. November 27, 1896. Retrieved July 8, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
47. "Mississippi defeated; Tulane wins by a score of 10 to 0". The Times-Democrat. November 27, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
48. "Vanderbilt victorious". Nashville Banner. November 27, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
49. "L. A. C.'s fine victory". The Courier-Journal. November 27, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
50. "Cadet champions; Southern Athletic Club football eleven defeated". The Times-Democrat. November 29, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
51. "'Varsity boys defeated". Austin Daily Statesman. December 15, 1896. Retrieved April 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.

• Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 1.