1914 Florida Gators football team

Last updated

1914 Florida Gators football
14gators.jpg
Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record5–2 (3–2 SIAA)
Head coach
Captains
  • John Sutton
  • Puss Hancock
Home stadium University Athletic Field
Seasons
  1913
1915  
1914 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Tennessee + 6 0 09 0 0
Auburn + 4 0 18 0 1
Texas A&M 2 0 06 1 1
Ole Miss 2 1 15 4 1
Mississippi A&M 4 2 06 2 0
Sewanee 4 2 05 3 0
Florida 3 2 05 2 0
Georgia 2 2 13 5 1
Clemson 2 2 05 3 1
Alabama 3 3 05 4 0
Kentucky 1 1 05 3 0
LSU 1 2 14 4 1
Chattanooga 1 3 05 4 0
Vanderbilt 1 3 02 6 0
Mississippi College 0 1 14 3 1
Wofford 0 1 01 7 1
Central University 0 1 01 3 1
Mercer 0 3 05 4 0
Tulane 0 3 13 3 1
The Citadel 0 3 02 5 0
  • + Conference co-champions

The 1914 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1914 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The season was C. J. McCoy's first year of three as the head coach of the Gators team. McCoy's 1914 Florida Gators completed their ninth varsity football season on a four-game winning streak, with an overall record of 5–2 [1] and an SIAA conference record of 3–2. [2]

Contents

Before the season

End Joe Swanson was shifted to fullback. [3]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultSource
October 10vs. Auburn L 0–20 [4]
October 17 King *W 36–0 [5]
October 24vs. Sewanee
  • Barrs Field
  • Jacksonville, FL
L 0–26 [6]
October 31vs. Southern College *W 59–0 [7]
November 7 Wofford
  • University Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 66–0 [8]
November 14at The Citadel W 7–0 [9]
November 26 Mercer
  • University Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 14–0 [10]
  • *Non-conference game

[1]

Game summaries

Auburn

Auburn at Florida
1234Total
Auburn0071320
Florida00000

Coach Mike Donahue's Auburn team was nearly as strong as the season before, and beat Florida 200 en route to another SIAA title. In contrast to last year, the Gators held Auburn scoreless in the first half, [3] and the loss was seen as a moral victory and sign of progress. [12] However, the Gators also lost their captain. John Sutton left the game feeling poorly, and further examination revealed a weak heart. [12] Roy "Puss" Hancock took over for Sutton as captain. [13]

Auburn's backfield played well and fullback Bedie Bidez scored two touchdowns. [11] Florida gave way to Auburn's superior weight by the second half. [3] [11]

King College

In the second week of play, Florida enjoyed a first-time victory against the King College Tornado, 36–0. [14]

Sewanee

Sewanee at Florida
1234Total
Sewanee1370626
Florida00000

Florida suffered a shutout loss to the Sewanee Tigers, 26–0. Florida was outplayed in the first half. [16] In the final period, Sewanee quarterback Lee Tolley had an 85-yard touchdown run. [15]

The starting lineup was Henderson (left end), Lotspeich (left tackle), Goldsby (left guard), Farrior (center), Yon (right guard), Hancock (right tackle), Freeman (right end), Oates (quarterback), Fuller (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Swanson (fullback). [15]

Southern College

In Tampa, Florida extended the winning streak over Southern College, 59–0. [17]

Wofford

Florida beat Wofford for the first time, 66–0. [18]

The Citadel

Florida at The Citadel
1234Total
Florida70007
The Citadel00000
  • Date: November 14
  • Location: College Park Stadium
    Charleston, SC
  • Game weather: Heavy rain

In Charleston, the Gators defeated The Citadel 7–0 in a heavy rain and a field saturated with inches of mud. [19] Rammy Ramsdell returned the opening kickoff back 40 yards, and Jim Sparkman eventually carried it over for the decisive touchdown, [19] "before the ball was wet." [20]

Mercer

Florida closed the season with a 14–0 win over the Mercer Baptists on Thanksgiving. [18]

Postseason

Florida ranked in the top half of the SIAA. The yearbook remarked that a Gator squad had never had more "guts". [21]

Personnel

Linemen

PlayerPositionGames
started
High schoolHeightWeightAge
CapplemanGuard5'9"16023
CowsertEnd5'8"14518
FreemanEnd5'11"16020
Jack GoldsbyGuard5'9"18519
Puss HancockTackle5'10"18523
B. HendersonEnd5'9"15519
Daddy LotspiechTackle5'10"16523
Rex Farrior Center Hillsborough 5'9"16818
ReidEnd5'10"16719
John B. SuttonTackle6'0"18523
Roy Van CampTackle, Back5'10"16220
Everett Yon Guard6'0"17519

Backfield

PlayerPositionGames
started
High schoolHeightWeightAge
Artie FullerFullback5'11"15819
Rammy Ramsdell QuarterbackHillsborough5'10"14820
Jim SparkmanHalfback5'8"16718
Joe SwansonFullback6'0"16521
ThompsonHalfback5'7"15023

[22]

Coaching staff

References

  1. 1 2 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  2. Roger Saylor, "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Archived 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine ," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 University of Florida 1915 , p. 97
  4. "Florida holds Auburn close". The Atlanta Journal. October 11, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Kings crumble before 'Gators". The Tampa Morning Tribune. October 18, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Fumbles costly for Floridians". The Tampa Morning Tribune. October 25, 1914. Retrieved December 17, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Versatile Florida attack overwhelms Blue and White before a thousand Tampa enthusiasts". The Tampa Morning Tribune. November 1, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Wofford loses to the Gators". The State. November 8, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Citadel lost game on field of slush". The Greenville News. November 15, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Mercer beaten in season's last battle". The Macon Telegraph. November 27, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 3 "Auburn 20, Florida 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1914. p. 3. Retrieved July 22, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. 1 2 McEwen 1974 , p. 58
  13. Marty Cohen (1995). Gator Tales. p. 11. ISBN   9781880652459.
  14. University of Florida 1915 , p. 98
  15. 1 2 3 "Tigers Romp Over Plucky Floridians". Sewanee Purple. October 29, 1914. hdl:11005/1027.
  16. "Sewanee Defeated Florida". The Houston Post. October 25, 1914. p. 19. Retrieved July 23, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  17. University of Florida 1915 , p. 99
  18. 1 2 University of Florida 1915 , p. 101
  19. 1 2 3 "Citadel-Florida Game Played In Heavy Rain". The Wilmington Morning Star. November 15, 1914. p. 7. Retrieved July 22, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  20. University of Florida 1915 , p. 100
  21. University of Florida 1915 , p. 95
  22. University of Florida 1915 , pp. 95–100

Bibliography