1925 college football season

Last updated

The 1925 college football season ended with no clear national champion. At the close of the season, noted sports writer Billy Evans described the championship contest as "a dead heat" among Dartmouth, Tulane, Michigan, Washington, and Alabama. [1]

Contents

Dartmouth, led by halfback Andy Oberlander, compiled an 8–0-0 record and outscored its opponents by a total of 340 to 29. Having defeated Harvard, Cornell, and Chicago, was declared the national champion at the end of the season by the Dickinson System, and retroactively by Parke H. Davis. Alabama compiled a 10–0-0 record and has been recognized (retroactively) as national champion by the Billingsley Report, Boand System, College Football Researchers Association, Helms Athletic Foundation, and others. In an intersectional game between undefeated teams, Alabama (9-0-0) defeated Pacific Coast Conference champion Washington (9-0-1) by a 20–19 score in the 1926 Rose Bowl; that game has been called "the game that changed the South." [2]

Michigan shut out seven of eight opponents, outscored all opponents by a total of 227 to 3, and was retroactively named a co-national champion by Jeff Sagarin. The team featured two consensus All-Americans in quarterback Benny Friedman and end Bennie Oosterbaan, a passing combination that became known as the "Benny to Bennie Show". Michigan coach Fielding H. Yost called his 1925 squad "the greatest football team I ever saw in action." [3]

Tulane also went undefeated at 9–0–1. Tulane halfback Peggy Flournoy led the nation in scoring with 128 points. [4]

Colgate, Louisville, Michigan State Normal, Hawaii, Nebraska Wesleyan, and Oberlin also had undefeated teams in 1925.

The Dickinson System ratings were announced by Illinois economics professor Frank G. Dickinson on January 7, 1926, with his final rankings being (1) Dartmouth (20.00 pts); (2) Michigan and Alabama (both 19.18); (4) Colgate (18.75); (5) Missouri (16.25); (6) Tulane (15.00); (7), Washington (14.75); (8) Wisconsin and Stanford (13.75); (10) Pittsburgh (12.50); and (11) Lafayette (11.88)

Conference and program changes

Conference changes

Membership changes

School1924 Conference1925 Conference
Oklahoma A&M Cowboys Southwest Missouri Valley
Texas Tech Matadors Program establishedIndependent
Western State (CO) Mountaineers Independent Rocky Mountain
Northern Branch Cal Aggies Independent Far Western (FWC)

September

October

November

Rose Bowl

The 1926 Rose Bowl pairing of Alabama and Washington later became the subject of a television documentary, Roses of Crimson, and hailed as "the football game that changed the South". [2] Alabama was the first Southern football team to be invited to play in the Rose Bowl, and proved that the Southern teams could compete with those from the East, the Midwest, and the West Coast. George Wilson helped the Huskies take a 12–0 lead at halftime, but both extra point attempts failed, and Wilson was injured. In the third quarter, Alabama exploded for three touchdowns, starting with quarterback Pooley Hubert's run to make the score 12–7. Washington lost the ball on its 35-yard line, and Johnny Mack Brown carried the ball over to make the score 14–12 in favor of Alabama. A 61-yard pass from Hubert to Brown set up Alabama's third score for a 20–12 lead. George Wilson returned in the fourth quarter, and the Huskies scored a touchdown and the point after to close the score to 20–19, but the missed conversion attempts from the first half cost them the game. The victory for Coach Wallace Wade established Alabama as a football powerhouse. [14]

Conference standings

Major conference standings

1925 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Michigan $510710
Northwestern 310530
No. 8 Wisconsin 311611
Chicago 221341
Illinois 220530
Iowa 220530
Minnesota 111521
Ohio State 131431
Indiana 031341
Purdue 031341
  • $ Conference champion
Rankings from Dickinson System
1925 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 Missouri $510611
Drake 520530
Kansas State 321521
Iowa State 321431
Nebraska 221422
Oklahoma 331431
Grinnell 221332
Kansas 251251
Washington University 141251
Oklahoma A&M 031251
  • $ Conference champion
Rankings from Dickinson System
1925 Northwest Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Oregon Agricultural +700720
Washington +5001011
Gonzaga 212722
Whitman 230430
Idaho 230350
Montana 131341
Washington State 131341
Pacific (OR) 130351
Oregon 130151
Willamette 040270
  • + Conference co-champions
1925 Pacific Coast Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 7 Washington $5001011
No. 8 Stanford 410720
USC 3201120
Oregon Agricultural 320720
California 220630
Idaho 230350
Washington State 230341
Montana 140341
Oregon 050151
  • $ Conference champion
Rankings from Dickinson System
1925 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Colorado Agricultural $800910
Utah Agricultural 510610
Utah 510620
Colorado 520630
Wyoming 430630
BYU 330330
Colorado College 440541
Western State (CO) 240340
Colorado Mines 260270
Montana State 140650
Denver 160160
Colorado Teachers 060261
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Southern Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Alabama +7001000
No. 6 Tulane +500901
North Carolina 401711
Washington and Lee 510550
Virginia 411711
Georgia Tech 411621
Kentucky 420630
Florida 320820
Auburn 321531
VPI 331532
Vanderbilt 330630
Tennessee 221521
South Carolina 220730
Georgia 240450
Sewanee 140441
Mississippi A&M 140341
VMI 150550
LSU 021531
NC State 041351
Ole Miss 040550
Clemson 040170
Maryland 040251
  • + Conference co-champions
Rankings from Dickinson System
1925 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Texas A&M $410711
TCU 201711
Texas 211621
SMU 112522
Rice 121441
Arkansas 121441
Baylor 032352
  • $ Conference champion

Independents

1925 Eastern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Dartmouth   800
Fordham   910
No. 4 Colgate   702
No. 10 Pittsburgh   810
Syracuse   811
No. 11 Lafayette   711
Springfield   611
Princeton   511
Holy Cross   820
Penn   720
Army   720
Boston College   620
Cornell   620
NYU   621
Villanova   621
Washington & Jefferson   621
Carnegie Tech   521
Yale   521
Bucknell   731
Columbia   631
Muhlenberg   631
Temple   522
Harvard   431
Franklin & Marshall   540
Brown   541
Penn State   441
Buffalo   341
St. John's   340
Lehigh   351
Vermont   360
CCNY   250
Providence   270
Rutgers   270
Boston University   150
Manhattan   161
Tufts   160
Drexel   170
Rankings from Dickinson System
1925 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Illinois State   610
Dayton   720
Marquette   720
Notre Dame   721
Haskell   931
Western State Normal   621
Loyola (IL)   620
Central Michigan   413
Adrian   630
Butler   522
Michigan Mines   210
Detroit City College   431
Detroit   540
Assumption (ON)   331
Kent State   113
Michigan State   350
Muncie Normal   250
John Carroll   261
Saint Louis   261
Valparaiso   160
1925 Southern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Louisville   800
Georgetown   910
Howard   602
Texas Mines   511
Texas Tech   612
Stetson   621
Wake Forest   621
Davidson   622
George Washington   622
Navy   521
Texas A&I   421
William & Mary   640
Catholic University   440
Delaware   440
Spring Hill   440
Tennessee Docs   550
Duke   450
Middle Tennessee State Teachers   342
East Tennessee State Teachers   340
Western Kentucky State Normal   351
Georgia Normal   120
Richmond   360
Loyola (MD)   260
Delaware State   020
Mississippi State Teachers   060
West Tennessee State Teachers   071
1925 Western college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Hawaii   1000
Tempe State   620
Loyola (CA)   420
New Mexico A&M   531
San Diego State   531
La Verne   540
Arizona   331
Santa Barbara State   341
Regis   230
New Mexico   241
St. Ignatius (CA)   241
Santa Clara   260
Humboldt State   130

Minor conferences

ConferenceChampion(s)Record
Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association Hampton Institute 3–2–1
Far Western Conference Saint Mary's (CA) 3–0
Inter-Normal Athletic Conference of Wisconsin River Falls Normal 4–0
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Simpson
Upper Iowa
5–1
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Bethany
College of Emporia
7–0
Louisiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association Southwestern Louisiana 5–0
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Michigan State Normal 5–0
Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference Beloit
Carleton
Cornell College
Monmouth (IL)
3–0
1–0
3–0–1
1–0–1
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Macalester 3–0
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association Northwest Missouri State Teachers 3–0–1
North Central Intercollegiate Conference Creighton
Nebraska Wesleyan
North Dakota Agricultural
3–0–1
3–0–1
3–0–2
Nebraska Intercollegiate Conference Nebraska State Teachers–Chadron 6–0
Ohio Athletic Conference Ohio Wesleyan 7–0
Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference Tulsa 4–0
South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference Northern Normal and Industrial
Yankton
5–0
4–0–1
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Occidental 5–0
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tuskegee
Southwestern Athletic Conference Bishop (TX) 4–1
Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association Southwestern 4–0–1
Tri-Normal Conference Cheney Normal 2–0

Minor conference standings

1925 California Coast Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Chico State $500710
San Mateo     
Modesto 330361
Cal Poly 120450
San Jose State 240250
Bakersfield 010010
Sacramento     
Santa Rosa     
  • $ Conference champion
  • Includes forfeit by San Mateo to Chico State
1925 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Hampton $411411
Virginia Seminary 311412
Virginia Union 330330
Virginia Normal 113314
Shaw 123223
Saint Paul's (VA) 132332
North Carolina A&T 132433
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Columbia Valley Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Cheney Normal $300630
Spokane College 210???
Whitworth 120???
Spokane University 030???
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Far Western Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Saint Mary's $300820
Nevada 310431
Cal Aggies 220530
Pacific (CA) 120520
Fresno State 040261
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Bradley +500900
Monmouth (IL) +601702
Millikin 501611
McKendree 510531
Lake Forest 210520
Knox (IL) 210260
St. Viator 320531
Carthage 321441
Augustana (IL) 431431
Western Illinois 431431
Eureka 540540
Hedding 110221
Shurtleff 341451
Eastern Illinois 120431
Lincoln (IL) 241251
Illinois College 243253
Mount Morris 120250
Wheaton (IL) 150170
Illinois State Normal 160160
Illinois Wesleyan 051161
Southern Illinois 020051
Blackburn 020030
North-Western College 060160
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Iowa Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Buena Vista 100810
Upper Iowa +510511
Simpson (IA) +510621
Iowa State Teachers 411512
Parsons 211421
Penn (IA) 212422
St. Ambrose 320531
Western Union 220340
Morningside 110350
Central (IA) 121231
Iowa Wesleyan 140350
Luther 020340
Des Moines 041071
Ellsworth 050070
  • + Conference co-champions
1925 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
College of Emporia +700700
Bethany (KS) +700700
Fairmount 304314
Pittsburg Teachers 520521
Emporia Teachers 321431
Kansas Wesleyan 321421
Southwestern (KS) 430530
Baker 331431
St. Mary's (KS) 331431
Washburn 241241
Bethel (KS) 140240
Hays Teachers 141241
Ottawa 142152
Friends 151251
Sterling 151151
McPherson 042142
  • + Conference co-champions
1925 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Michigan State Normal $500800
Albion 311342
Kalamazoo 221521
Alma 230440
Hillsdale 230341
Olivet 050061
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Midwest Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Monmouth (IL) +101702
Carleton +100610
Cornell (IA) +301602
Beloit +300620
Lawrence 210430
Coe 220350
Ripon 030250
Hamline 030260
Knox 030260
  • + Conference co-champions
1925 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Macalester $400421
Gustavus Adolphus 310510
St. Olaf 320450
Concordia (MN) 120221
Hamline 120260
Saint John's (MN) 050060
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Missouri College Athletic Union football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Missouri Wesleyan $500620
Missouri Mines 100521
William Jewell 610620
Westminster (MO) 520520
Culver–Stockton 220540
Missouri Valley 231331
Central Wesleyan 120430
Drury 130250
Central (MO) 051161
Tarkio 050170
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Maryville (MO) $301701
Springfield (MO) 211422
Kirksville 121621
Warrensburg 121441
Cape Girardeau 130332
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Nebraska College Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Chadron Normal $600900
Peru Normal 610631
Midland 610640
Omaha 211331
Doane 530530
Kearney Normal 430450
Wayne Normal 330440
Cotner 250350
Hastings 141151
Grand Island 143143
Nebraska Central 151151
York (NE) 070070
  • $ Conference champion
1925 New England Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
New Hampshire $201412
Maine 101521
Massachusetts 100620
Rhode Island State 011251
Connecticut 031351
  • $ Conference champion
1925 North Central Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Nebraska Wesleyan +301602
Creighton +301631
North Dakota Agricultural +402502
North Dakota 220440
South Dakota State 112232
Morningside 240350
South Dakota 140350
Des Moines 040071
  • + Conference co-champions
1925 Northwest Ohio League football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Bowling Green 201313
Toledo 100180
Findlay 211522
Bluffton 120130
Defiance 030062
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Ohio Wesleyan $600711
Oberlin 501701
Wooster 510620
Kenyon 520620
St. Xavier 311521
Mount Union 421721
Baldwin–Wallace 530530
Ohio 320620
Miami (OH) 320530
Muskingum 330431
Case 342342
Denison 340441
Heidelberg 340440
Cincinnati 230450
Wittenberg 351351
Ohio Northern 241341
Western Reserve 250360
Hiram 052053
Akron 160170
Otterbein 051062
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Tulsa $400620
Oklahoma Baptist 610810
Central State Teachers 411432
Southwestern State 311541
Northwestern Oklahoma State 220540
Northeastern State 232262
Oklahoma City 350460
East Central 241351
Phillips 160180
Southeastern Oklahoma State 041242
  • $ Conference champion
1925 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Normal +500710
Yankton +401432
Columbus (SD) 410520
Southern Normal 421721
Eastern Normal 430430
South Dakota Mines 220360
Augustana (SD) 340440
Dakota Wesleyan 121341
Huron 142143
Spearfish 041261
Sioux Falls 060060
  • + Conference co-champions
  • Sioux Falls forfeited games to Yankton, Columbus, Eastern Normal, Southern Normal, Augustana (SD), and Huron.
    South Dakota Mines and Spearfish played twice. The second game was not counted in the conference standings.
1925 Southern California Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Occidental $410630
Southern Branch 311531
Whittier 220350
Caltech 121261
Pomona 131151
Redlands 131351
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Oglethorpe $810830
SW Louisiana 300720
Centenary 200620
Millsaps 410540
Furman 310730
Birmingham–Southern 311731
The Citadel 520640
Howard (AL) 420630
Newberry 320530
Mercer 320360
Centre 110360
Union (TN) 110540
Chattanooga 230440
Presbyterian 240360
Louisiana Tech 121161
Wofford 130370
Loyola (LA) 130270
Mississippi College 151171
Louisiana College 031261
Georgetown (KY) 020170
Rollins 030070
Erskine 040160
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Bishop $    
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Southwestern (TX) $401531
Simmons (TX) 610720
Howard Payne 411531
Trinity (TX) 420930
North Texas State Teachers 420640
Abilene Christian 211252
Austin 230441
Sam Houston State 120540
East Texas State 240280
West Texas State 130440
St. Edward's 131341
Southwest Texas State 160260
Daniel Baker 042262
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Tri-Normal Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Cheney Normal $200630
Bellingham Normal 110520
Ellensburg Normal 020240
  • $ Conference champion
1925 Tri-State Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Geneva $500630
Waynesburg 211351
Thiel 320450
Bethany (WV) 221341
Westminster (PA) 140260
Duquesne 040070
  • $ Conference champion
1925 West Virginia Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Marshall $302414
New River State 311512
West Virginia Wesleyan 310530
Davis & Elkins 420730
Salem 421522
Fairmont State 113712
Potomac State 112122
Broaddus 231251
West Liberty State 130161
Glenville State 051061
West Virginia *200810
Concord *120431
Shepherd *011421
Morris Harvey *030160
  • $ Conference champion
  • * – Did not qualify for conference standings
    Ties did not count in conference standings.
1925 Western Interstate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Lombard 100350
Columbia (IA) 311431
DePaul 211421
St. Viator 211531
Luther 110340
La Crosse Normal 021142
Valparaiso 030160
1925 Wisconsin Normal Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
River Falls Normal $400511
Oshkosh Normal 301521
Eau Claire Normal 310421
Whitewater Normal 220330
La Crosse Normal 121142
Milwaukee Normal 121141
Stout Normal 121141
Superior Normal 130440
Stevens Point Normal 130241
Platteville Normal 130151
  • $ Conference champion

Rankings

Champions (per rankings)

Various different rankings (using differing methodologies) have identified either Alabama, Dartmouth, or Michigan as the season's champion. [15]

Note: besides the Dickinson System, all 1925 rankings were given retroactively

Dickinson System ranking

The Dickinson System ratings were announced by Illinois economics professor Frank G. Dickinson on January 7, 1926, with his final rankings being: [16]

1. Dartmouth (20.00 pts)
2. Michigan and Alabama (both 19.18)
4. Colgate (18.75)
5. Missouri (16.25)
6. Tulane (15.00)
7. Washington (14.75)
8. Wisconsin and Stanford (both 13.75)
10. Pittsburgh (12.50)
11. Lafayette (11.88)

Awards and honors

All-Americans

The consensus All-America team included:

PositionNameHeightWeight (lbs.)ClassHometownTeam
QB Benny Friedman 5'8"172Jr. Cleveland, Ohio Michigan
HB Andy Oberlander 6'0"197Sr. Chelsea, Massachusetts Dartmouth
HB Red Grange 5'11"175Sr. Wheaton, Illinois Illinois
HB Wildcat Wilson 5'11"185Sr. Everett, Washington Washington
FB Ernie Nevers 6'0"200Sr. Superior, Wisconsin Stanford
E Bennie Oosterbaan 6'0"180So. Muskegon, Michigan Michigan
T Ed Weir 6'0"190Sr. Superior, Nebraska Nebraska
G Carl Diehl 6'1"205Sr. Chicago, Illinois Dartmouth
C Ed McMillan 6'0"208Sr. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Princeton
G Ed Hess 6'1"190Jr. Chardon, Ohio Ohio State
T Ralph Chase 6'3"202Sr. Easton, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh
E George Tully 5'10"180Sr. Orange, New Jersey Dartmouth

Statistical leaders

Notes

References

  1. Billy Evans (December 27, 1925). "College Champ". Arizona Daily Star. p. 4 via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 "The Football Game That Changed the South". The University of Alabama. Archived from the original on December 3, 1998. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
  3. "Yost Calls 1925 Eleven Greatest: Does Not Even Except Wonderful Teams of 1901 and 1902; Rolled Up Grand 227 Point Total; Wolverine Mentor Says He's Proud to Have Coached Boys". The Hartford Courant. November 29, 1925. p. B2. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.
  4. "Deserves the Place". Harrisburg Telegraph. December 12, 1925. p. 13. Retrieved November 2, 2015 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  5. "Army Mule Tramples Notre Dame 27 to 0 in Greatest Upset," Syracuse Herald, Oct. 18, 1925
  6. "Football Games 1920s". dartmouth.edu.
  7. 1 2 "Evolution of the Game: The Introduction of the Forward Pass" (PDF). National Football Foundation's Football Letter. 3 (56): 30. October 2014.
  8. "Dartmouth Shoots Down Cornell, 62-13, with Aerials". Chicago Tribune. November 8, 1925.
  9. Bernie McCarty. "Oberlander's 500-yard game" (PDF). p. 17.
  10. W. A. Alexander (1926). "Forty-Five Yards for Georgia Tech" (PDF). Kansas City Star. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 13, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  11. "How Swede it was: 1924 football". thedartmouth.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  12. "'Froggy' Started March of Great Quarterbacks", Atlanta Journal-Constitution , pp. 3B, September 10, 1933
  13. "Ike Williams Saves Day By Kick In Third". The Anniston Star. November 15, 1925. p. 8. Retrieved March 3, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  14. "Alabama Passes Way to Victory Over Huskies," Oakland Tribune, Jan. 2, 1926, p8
  15. "Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. 2017. p. 111. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  16. "Dickison Football Rating System: Dartmouth Declared National Champion", by Frank G. Dickinson, The Pantagraph (Bloomington IL), January 8, 1926, p.11