1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season

The 1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the college football games played by the member schools of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association as part of the 1903 college football season. The season began on September 25.

1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season
League	NCAA
Sport	College football
Duration	September 25, 1903 through November 29, 1903
Number of teams	18
Regular Season
Season champions	Clemson Cumberland
East champions	Clemson Tigers
West champions	Cumberland Bulldogs

1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Clemson +	2	–	0	–	1			4	–	1	–	1
Cumberland (TN) +	4	–	1	–	1			6	–	1	–	1
Sewanee	5	–	1	–	0			7	–	1	–	0
Vanderbilt	5	–	1	–	1			6	–	1	–	1
Mississippi A&M	2	–	0	–	2			3	–	0	–	2
Georgia	3	–	2	–	0			3	–	4	–	0
Ole Miss	1	–	1	–	1			2	–	1	–	1
Texas	0	–	0	–	1			5	–	1	–	2
Kentucky State	0	–	0	–	0			7	–	1	–	0
Alabama	3	–	4	–	0			3	–	4	–	0
Auburn	2	–	3	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Tennessee	2	–	4	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Georgia Tech	1	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
Tulane	0	–	1	–	1			2	–	2	–	1
Mercer	0	–	1	–	0			0	–	1	–	0
Nashville	0	–	2	–	0			2	–	2	–	0
LSU	0	–	5	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
SW Presbyterian			–							–
+ – Conference co-champions

1903 met difficulty in determining an SIAA champion. Clemson had the best record, but lost to an inferior North Carolina team; and in the game to secure the SIAA title were tied by Cumberland. Clemson's John Heisman pushed strongly for Cumberland to share the SIAA title.[1] Cumberland's strongest victory was its win over Vanderbilt.

However, Sewanee beat Cumberland, yet suffered its only loss to Vanderbilt. Heisman originally challenged the winner of the Vanderbilt-Sewanee game.[2] John J. Tigert was a star player for Vanderbilt. Nash Buckingham rated Kentucky University and Vanderbilt as best in the south.[3]

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. Rank	Team	Head coach	Overall record	Conf. record	PPG	PAG
1 (tie)	Clemson	John Heisman	4–1–1	2–0–1	27.8	3.7
1 (tie)	Cumberland	A. L. Phillips	6–1–1	4–1–1	38.5	2.2
3	Sewanee	George S. Whitney	7–1	5–1	22.4	1.2
4	Vanderbilt	James H. Henry	6–1–1	5–1–1	24.0	2.0
5	Mississippi A&M	Daniel S. Martin	3–0–2	2–0–2	14.2	1.2
6	Georgia	Marvin D. Dickinson	3–4	3–2	9.3	14.0
7	Mississippi	M. S. Harvey	2–1–1	1–1–1	8.5	9.8
8	Texas	Ralph Hutchinson	5–1–2	0–0–1	16.4	3.5
9	Kentucky State	Jack Wright	7–1	0–0
10	Alabama	W. A. Blount	3–4	3–4	8.6	16.3
11	Auburn	William Penn Bates	4–3	2–3	17.9	13.1
12 (tie)	Tennessee	H. F. Fisher	4–5	2–4	8.4	12.2
12 (tie)	Georgia Tech	Oliver Huie	4–5	1–4	8.4	21.1
14 (tie)	Tulane	Charles Eshleman	2–2–1	0–1–1	12.8	11.2
14 (tie)	Mercer		0–1	0–1	0.0	46.0
16	Nashville	Wreidt/Bradley Walker/Childress	2–2	0–2	10.8	5.3
17	LSU	W. S. Borland	4–5	0–4	7.8	10.3

Key

PPG = Average of points scored per game
PAG = Average of points allowed per game[4]

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.

Unknown

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
?	Mooney School	Nashville		W 17–5
?, before Nov 11	Tennessee Medical College	Cumberland		W 86–0

Week One

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
September 25	Cynthiana	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	W 39–0

Week Two

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 3	Montgomery A. C.	Auburn	Auburn, AL	W 26–0
October 3	Cumberland	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	CUM 6–0		[5]
October 3	Mooney	Sewanee	McGee Field • Sewanee, TN	W 23–0
October 3	Texas Deaf School	Texas	Clark Field • Austin, TX	W 17–0
October 3	Maryville	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	W 17–0
October 3	Xavier	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	W 21–0

Week Three

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 9	Haskell	Texas	Dallas, TX	L 6–0
October 10	Clemson	Georgia	Herty Field • Athens, GA	CLEM 29–0		[6]
October 10	Mercer	Georgia Tech	Grant Field • Atlanta, GA	GT 46–0		[7][8][9]
October 10	Carson-Newman	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	W 38–0
October 10	Alabama	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	VAN 30–0		[10]
October 10	Berea College	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	W 17–0

Week Four

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 14		LSU Alumni	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	W 11–0
October 16		Alabama	Mississippi A&M	Columbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MS	MSA&M 11–0		[11]
October 17		Howard	Auburn	Auburn, AL	W 58–0
October 17		Clemson	Georgia Tech	Atlanta, GA	CLEM 73–0		[12]
October 17		K. M. I.	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	W 18–0
October 17		Oklahoma	Texas	Clark Field • Austin, TX	T 6–6
October 17		Tennessee Medical College	Sewanee	McGee Field • Sewanee, TN	W 52–0
October 17		South Carolina	Georgia	Herty Field • Athens, GA	L 27–7		[11]
October 17		Tennessee	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	VAN 40–0		[13]
October 20	3:00 p. m.	Cumberland	Sewanee	McGee Field • Sewanee, TN	SEW 6–0		[14]

Week Five

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 23	Auburn	Alabama	Riverside Park • Montgomery, AL	ALA 18–0		[15]
October 24	Georgia	Georgia Tech	Atlanta, GA	UGA 38–0		[16]
October 24	Baylor	Texas	San Antonio, TX	W 48–0
October 24	Ole Miss	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	VAN 33–0		[16]
October 24	Mississippi A&M	Meridian A. C.	Meridian, MS	W 43–0
October 24	Eagles-New Orleans	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	W 33–0
October 24	Miami	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	W 47–0

Week Six

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
October 28	North Carolina A&M	Clemson	Columbia, SC	W 24–0		[17]
October 29	Tennessee	South Carolina	Columbia, SC	L 24–0
October 30	LSU	Louisiana Tech	Ruston, LA	W 16–0
October 30	Arkansas	Texas	Clark Field • Austin, TX	W 15–0
October 31	LSU	Shreveport A. C.	Shreveport, LA	W 5–0
October 31	Georgia Tech	Howard		W 37–0
October 31	Sewanee	Auburn	Oak Park • Montgomery, AL	SEW 47–0		[16][18]
October 31	Tennessee	Nashville	Peabody Field • Nashville, TN	TENN 10–0
October 31	Vanderbilt	Georgia	Herty Field • Athens, GA	VAN 33–0		[16]
November 2	Sewanee	Alabama	West End Park • Birmingham, AL	SEW 23–0		[19]
November 2	Georgetown (KY)	Kentucky State	Lexington, KY	W 51–0

Week Seven

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 6	Vanderbilt	Texas	Clark Field • Austin, TX	T 5–5
November 7	Georgia	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	UGA 5–0		[19]
November 7	Sewanee	Nashville	Nashville, TN	SEW 6–0		[19]
November 7	Florida State College	Georgia Tech	Atlanta, GA	W 17–0		[19]
November 7	Shreveport A. C.	Tulane	New Orleans, LA	L 23–0
November 7	Marietta	Kentucky State		W 11–0
November 7	Ole Miss	Tennessee Medical College	Memphis, TN	W 17–0
November 7	LSU	Mississippi A&M	Starkville Fairgrounds • Starkville, MS	MSA&M 11–0		[19]
November 7	Grant University	Cumberland		W 92–0		[20]
November 9	LSU	Alabama	The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL	ALA 18–0		[10]

Week Eight

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 11	LSU	Auburn	Auburn, AL	AUB 12–0
November 13	Texas	Oklahoma	Norman, OK	W 11–5
November 13	Tennessee Medical	Nashville	Nashville, TN	W 26–0		[21]
November 14	Auburn	Georgia Tech	Atlanta, GA	AUB 10–5		[19]
November 14	Cumberland	Alabama	The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL	CUM 44–0		[22]
November 14	Clemson	North Carolina	Chapel Hill, NC	L 11–6		[22][23]
November 14	Sewanee	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	SEW 17–0		[22]
November 14	Washington (MO)	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field Nashville, TN	W 41–0
November 14	Georgia	Savannah	Savannah, GA	L 6–0
November 14	Mississippi A&M	Ole Miss	University Park • Oxford, MS	T 6–6		[22]
November 16	Cumberland	LSU	State Field • Baton Rouge, LA	CUM 41–0		[24]

Week Nine

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 18	Cumberland	Tulane	New Orleans, LA	CUM 28–0
November 21	Clemson	Davidson	Davidson, NC	W 24–0		[25]
November 21	Georgia Tech	Tennessee	Waite Field • Knoxville, TN	TENN 11–0		[26]
November 21	Ole Miss	LSU	New Orleans, LA	LSU 11–0
November 21	Sewanee	Vanderbilt	Dudley Field • Nashville, TN	VAN 10–5		[27]

Week Ten

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 26	Tennessee	Alabama	West End Park • Birmingham, AL	ALA 24–0		[10]
November 26	Auburn	Georgia	• Atlanta, GA	UGA 22–13		[28]
November 26	South Carolina	Georgia Tech	Atlanta, GA	L 16–0
November 26	Kentucky University	Kentucky State		L 5–0
November 29	Texas A&M	Texas	Clark Field • Austin, TX	W 29–6

Week Eleven

Date	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
December 5	Mississippi A&M	Tulane	New Orleans, LA	T 0–0

SIAA Championship Game

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	Result	Attendance	Reference
November 26	3:00 p. m.	Cumberland	Clemson	Oak Park • Montgomery, AL	T 11–11		[29][30][31]

All-Southern team

Walker Reynolds Tichenor's All-Southern team:[32]

Position	Name	Team
QB	John Maxwell	Clemson
HB	John J. Tigert	Vanderbilt
HB	J. C. Anderson	Cumberland
FB	Jock Hanvey	Clemson
E	Bob Blake	Vanderbilt
T	Joseph Lee Kirby-Smith	Sewanee
G	Henry D. Phillips	Sewanee
C	Red Smith	Cumberland
G	Puss Derrick	Clemson
G/T	Marvin O. Bridges	Cumberland
E	Carl Sitton	Clemson

References

1. Langum, David J (January 2010). From Maverick to Mainstream: Cumberland School of Law, 1847-1997. p. 95. ISBN 9780820336183.
2. "Fine Football in Southland". The Courier-Journal. October 25, 1903. p. 25. Retrieved May 16, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "The Best in the South". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 30, 1903. p. 3. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
4. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/independent/1903.html
5. "Cumberland Wins". The Tennessean. October 4, 1903. p. 7. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Clemson Tigers Win In A Walk". The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1903. p. 6. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Robert E. Wilder (2011). Gridiron Glory Days: Football at Mercer, 1892-1942. p. 13. ISBN 9780881462678.
8. Scott Thompson (29 September 2000). Dublin: The Emerald City. p. 135. ISBN 9781439610787.
9. Jon Nelson (July 2012). A History of College Football in Georgia. p. 18. ISBN 9781614236139.
10. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-05-08. Retrieved 2016-05-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
11. Woodruff 1928, p. 145
12. Woodruff 1928, p. 143
13. Woodruff 1928, p. 144
14. "The Varsity Triumphs Over Cumberland". Sewanee Purple. 20 (8). October 27, 1903. hdl:11005/766.
15. Woodruff 1928, p. 146
16. Woodruff 1928, p. 148
17. "Eighteen To Naught". News and Observer. October 29, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
18. Trevino, Heather S.; Pastorello, Linda E. (2007). Oak Park and the Montgomery Zoo. p. 12. ISBN 9780738553115.
19. Woodruff 1928, p. 149
20. "Cumberland's Easy Victory". The Courier-Journal. November 8, 1903. p. 4. Retrieved December 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "Tennessee Won but Her Right Halfback Had a Leg Broken". The Charlotte Observer. November 14, 1903. p. 3. Retrieved December 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
22. Woodruff 1928, p. 150
23. "For Carolina The Tide Has Turned". News and Observer. November 15, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved May 5, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Louisiana Is Very Easy". The Times-Democrat. November 17, 1903. p. 11. Retrieved January 3, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "Clemson Defeats Davidson". The Charlotte Observer. November 22, 1903. p. 5. Retrieved May 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
26. Woodruff 1928, p. 151
27. Woodruff 1928, p. 155
28. Woodruff 1928, p. 156
29. Sam Blackman (December 15, 2014). "Clemson's "First Bowl Game"". Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
30. Lou Sahadi. "24. 1903 Game With Cumberland". 100 Things Clemson Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.
31. Wiley Lee Umphlett (1992). Creating the Big Game: John W. Heisman and the Invention of American Football. p. 67. ISBN 9780313284045.
32. Fuzzy Woodruff's A History of Southern Football

• Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. 1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)