1914 Auburn Tigers football team

1914 Auburn Tigers football
SIAA co-champion
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	8–0–1 (4–0–1 SIAA)
Head coach	Mike Donahue (10th season)
Base defense	7–2–2
Captain	Henry W. Robinson
Home stadium	Drake Field Rickwood Field
Seasons ←  1913 1915  →

1914 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	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
Centre	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

The 1914 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University (then called the Alabama Polytechnic Institute) in the 1914 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. It was the Tigers' 23rd overall 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 10th year, and played their home games at Drake Field in Auburn, Alabama. They finished as SIAA Champions with a record of eight wins, zero losses and one tie (8–0–1 overall, 4–0–1 in the SIAA) and outscored opponents 193–0.

Auburn's strong defense, which held opponents scoreless all season, helped the team garner a retroactive national title by James Howell's computer rating system. ^[1] Auburn University does not claim or otherwise acknowledge this title.

Before the season

Auburn returned another powerful team minus Kirk Newell. ^[2] "Bull" Kearley was shifted from halfback to end to add speed to the defensive line. ^[3]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance
September 26	Marion Military Institute *	Drake Field Auburn, AL	W 39–0
October 3	at Florida	Jacksonville, FL (rivalry)	W 20–0
October 10	Clemson	Drake Field Auburn, AL (rivalry)	W 28–0
October 17	West Alabama A. C.*	Drake Field Auburn, AL	W 60–0
October 24	Mississippi A&M	Rickwood Field Birmingham, AL	W 19–0
November 7	at Georgia Tech *	Grant Field Atlanta, GA (rivalry)	W 14–0
November 14	Vanderbilt	Rickwood Field Birmingham, AL	W 6–0	10,000
November 21	at Georgia	Piedmont Park Atlanta, GA (Deep South's Oldest Rivalry)	T 0–0
November 25	vs. Carlisle *	Piedmont Park Atlanta, GA	W 7–0
*Non-conference game

^{[4] [5]}

Season summary

Marion Military Institute

The season opened with a 28–0 win over the Marion Military Institute.

At Florida

Auburn at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total •Auburn 0 0 7 13 20 Florida 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 10 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Sources: [6]

In Jacksonville, Auburn defeated the Florida Gators 20–0. Auburn's team was nearly as strong as the season before and claims another SIAA title. In contrast to the prior season, the 20–0 loss was seen as a moral victory and sign of progress for the Gators. ^[7] However, the Florida also lost its captain. John Sutton left the game feeling poorly, and further examination revealed a weak heart. ^[7] Auburn's backfield performed well, and Florida gave way by the second half. ^[6] Bedie Bidez made two touchdowns. ^[6]

Clemson

Auburn beat the Clemson Tigers 28–0.

West Alabama A. C.

Against West Alabama Athletic Club came the season's biggest win, 60–0.

Mississippi A&M

Despite several fumbles, Auburn beat the Mississippi Aggies 19–0. One touchdown came on a delayed pass of 35 yards. ^[8]

The starting lineup was Steed (left end), Culpepper (left tackle), Sample (left guard), Pitts (center), Taylor (right guard), Louiselle (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Hairston (left halfback), Hart (right halfback), Harris (fullback). ^{[8] [9]}

Georgia Tech

Auburn at Georgia Tech

1 2 3 4 Total •Auburn 0 7 0 7 14 Ga. Tech 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 7 Location: Grant Field Atlanta Referee: Innis Brown Sources: [10]

Auburn defeated John Heisman's Georgia Tech team 14–0. Tech would not lose to a southern team for 5 years after this.

Auburn scored first in the second quarter, Prendergast carrying the ball over. ^[10] Red Hart had a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth for the other score. ^[10]

The starting lineup was Kearley (left end), Steed (left tacle), Taylor (left guard), Pitts (center), Thigpen (right guard), Louiselle (right tackle), Robinson (end), Hairston (quarterback), Prendergast (left halfback), Hart (right halfback), Harris (fullback). ^[10]

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt at Auburn

1 2 3 4 Total Vanderbilt 0 0 0 0 0 •Auburn 6 0 0 0 6 Date: November 14 Location: Rickwood Field Birmingham, Alabama Game attendance: 10,000 Referee: Bradley Walker Sources: [11]

In dreary weather, Auburn beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 6–0. In less than eight minutes of play, Red Harris made the decisive touchdown. ^[11]

The starting lineup was Kearley (left end), Steed (left tacle), Taylor (left guard), Pitts (center), Thigpen (right guard), Louiselle (right tackle), Robinson (end), Hairston (quarterback), Prendergast (left halfback), Hart (right halfback), Harris (fullback). ^[11]

Georgia

All-American David Paddock and the Georgia Bulldogs held the Tigers to a scoreless tie. Auburn fumbled often in their own territory, then stood "like Petain at Verdun." ^[12]

Carlisle

In final game of the season, Auburn defeated the Carlisle Indians led by Pete Calac and coached by Pop Warner. It was the first intersectional game in Atlanta.

Postseason

Auburn claimed a share of an SIAA title.

References

1. "1914 NCAA Division IA Football Power Ratings".
2. Woodruff 1928 , p. 5
3. "Auburn's Best Defense Ever Led the 1914 Tigers to an Undefeated Season Now Recognized as a National Championship". August 12, 2014.
4. 2009 Auburn Football Media Guide (PDF). Auburn, Alabama: Auburn Media Relations Office. 2009. p. 185. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
5. "1914 Auburn University Football Schedule". Auburn University Athletics. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
6. "Auburn 20, Florida 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1914. p. 3. Retrieved July 22, 2016– via Newspapers.com.
7. McEwen, The Gators, p. 58.
8. "Auburn Beats Mississippi 19 to 0". The Tennessean. October 25, 1914. p. 32. Retrieved May 10, 2016– via Newspapers.com.
9. Woodruff 1928 , p. 10
10. "Georgia Tech Beaten By Auburn". The Tennessean. November 8, 1914. p. 27. Retrieved May 10, 2016– via Newspapers.com.
11. "Auburn Defeats Vanderbilt". Greensboro Daily News. November 15, 1914. p. 6. Retrieved May 10, 2016– via Newspapers.com.
12. Woodruff 1928 , p. 15

Additional sources

• Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 2.