The 1909 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 1909 college football season. The season began on September 25.
Under head coach Harris G. Cope, Sewanee won its last conference title in major college football. Sewanee gave Vanderbilt its first loss to a Southern team in six years, and was the first Sewanee squad to win a title since the 1899 Iron Men.
When the Kentucky team was welcomed home after the upset win over Illinois, Philip Carbusier said that they had "fought like wildcats", a nickname that stuck.Michael Leo Donovan, Yankees to Fighting Irish : What's Behind Your Favorite Team's Name (Taylor Trade Publications, 2004), p107
President Taft showed up for the Sewanee-LSU game. LSU was led by Hall of Fame quarterback Doc Fenton.
Results and team statistics
Conf. RankTeamHead coachOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAG1SewaneeHarris Cope6–14–022.9 6.02VanderbiltDan McGugin 7–34–1 21.03.23AlabamaDoc Pollard5–1–24–1–2 8.52.14LSUJoe Pritchard6–23–123.5 4.65 (tie)Georgia TechJohn Heisman 7–24–224.15.05 (tie)AuburnMike Donahue5–24–216.75.67HowardJohn B. Longwell 5–2–12–213.43.78ClemsonBob Williams 6–32–210.34.89Mississippi Nathan Stauffer4–3–21-2–111.05.410Mississippi A&MW. D. Chadwick 5–41–317.04.911GeorgiaJames Coulter/Frank Dobson1–4–21–4–12.06.912The CitadelSam Costen4–3–20–1–118.46.413 0–10–1 14Mercer Frank Blake 3–5 0–48.03.915TennesseeGeorge Levene1–6–20–5 1.212.6 Key
PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game
Regular season Index to colors and formattingNon-conference matchup; SIAA member wonNon-conference matchup; SIAA member lostNon-conference matchup; tieConference matchup SIAA teams in bold.
Week One Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceSeptember 25MercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAL 0–10 September 25VanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNW 52–0 September 27GordonClemsonBowman Field • Calhoun, SCW 26–0
Week Two Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceOctober 2TennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNT 0–0 October 2The CitadelCharleston, SCW 36–0 October 2 Alabama The Quad • Tuscaloosa, ALW 16–0 October 2Howard (AL)AuburnBaseball Field • Montgomery, ALAUB 11–0 October 2GordonGeorgia TechPiedmont Park • Atlanta, GA W 18–6 October 2Memphis University SchoolOle MissOxford, MSW 18–0 October 2ClemsonVPIMiles Field • Blacksburg, VAL 0–6 October 2Jackson BarracksLSUState Field • Baton Rouge, LA W 70–0 October 2MercerVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNVAN 32–0 October 2Mississippi A&MHardy Field • Starkville, MSW 21–0
Week Three Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceOctober 5University of MemphisOle MissOxford, MSW 15–0 October 9Howard (AL)AlabamaThe Quad • Tuscaloosa, ALALA 14–0 October 9GordonAuburnDrill Field • Auburn, ALW 46–0 October 9ClemsonDavidsonLatta Park • Charlotte, NCW 17–5 October 9GeorgiaThe CitadelCollege Park Stadium • Charleston, SCT 0–0 October 9MooneyGeorgia TechPiedmont Park • Atlanta, GAW 35–6 October 9CumberlandMississippi A&MHardy Field • Starkville, MSMSAM 34–6 October 9Ole MissLSUState Field • Baton Rouge, LALSU 10–0 October 9Southwestern PresbyterianSewaneeHardee Field • Sewanee, TNW 64–0 October 9North CarolinaTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNL 0–3 October 9Rose PolytechnicVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNW 28–3
Week Four Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceOctober 15Howard (AL)West End Park • Birmingham, ALW 33–0 October 15DavidsonGeorgiaHerty Field • Athens, GAT 0–0 October 16AuburnMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAAUB 23–5 October 16ClemsonAlabamaBirmingham Fairgrounds • Birmingham, ALALA 3–0 October 16Port Royal MarinesThe CitadelCollege Park Stadium • Charleston, SCL 5–17 October 16South CarolinaGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAW 59–0 October 16SewaneePrincetonUniversity Field • Princeton, NJL 0–20 October 16Mississippi A&MLSUState Field • Baton Rouge, LALSU 15–0 October 16TennesseeKentucky State CollegeLexington, KYL 0–172,000October 16Vanderbilt AlumniVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNL 0–3 October 16Ole MissTulanePelican Park • New Orleans, LAL 0–5
Week Five Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceOctober 22Southwestern PresbyterianMississippi A&MColumbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MSW 31–0 October 23AlabamaOle MissMississippi State Fairgrounds • Jackson, MST 0–0 October 23Port Royal MarinesClemsonBowman Field • Calhoun, SCW 19–0 October 23GeorgiaTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNUGA 3–0 October 23Howard (AL)MercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAHOW 6–5 October 23SewaneeGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAGT 15–0 October 23AuburnVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNVAN 17–0
Week Six Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceOctober 30AlabamaGeorgiaPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAALA 14–0 October 30Georgia TechTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNGT 29–0 October 30SewaneeLSUPelican Park • New Orleans, LASEW 15–64,200–7,000October 30Mississippi A&MTulaneTulane Stadium • New Orleans, LAL 0–2 October 30Ole MissVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNVAN 17–0 October 30Howard (AL)ChattanoogaChamberlain Field • Chattanooga, TNT 0–0 October 30Porter Military AcademyThe CitadelCharleston, SCW 80–0
Week Seven Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceNovember 2Union (TN)Mississippi A&MColumbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MSW 25–0 November 3DavidsonThe CitadelFairgrounds • Columbia, SCT 0–0 November 4ClemsonSouth CarolinaFairgrounds • Columbia, SCW 6–0 November 4Louisiana IndustrialLSUBall Park • Alexandria, LAW 23–01,200November 6ChattanoogaMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAW 10–2 November 6AuburnGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAAUB 9–0 November 6TennesseeVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNVAN 51–0 November 8Mississippi A&MHoward (AL)West End Park • Birmingham, ALHOW 6–0 November 8Castle HeightsSewaneeHardee Field • Sewanee, TNW 38–0
Week Eight Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceNovember 10ClemsonGeorgiaAugusta, GACLEM 5–0 November 12Ole MissArkadelphia, ART 12–12 November 13AlabamaTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNTENN 10–0 November 13ArkansasLSURed Elm Park • Memphis, TNL 0–16 November 13ClemsonThe CitadelCollege Park Stadium • Charleston, SCCLEM 17–0 November 13Georgia TechMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAGT 35–0 November 13ChattanoogaMississippi A&MHardy Field • Starkville, MSW 37–6 November 13SewaneeAuburnWest End Park • Birmingham, ALSEW 12–11 November 13VanderbiltOhio StateUniversity Park • Columbus, OHL 0–5
Week Nine Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceNovember 17Union (TN)Ole MissOxford, MSW 45–0 November 18LSUState Field • Baton Rouge, LAW 52–0 November 20GeorgiaGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAGT 12–6 November 20AlabamaTulaneTulane Stadium • New Orleans, LAT 5–5 November 20The CitadelCollege of CharlestonCharleston, SCW 21–6 November 20South CarolinaMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAW 5–3 November 20BirminghamHoward (AL)West End Park • Birmingham, ALW 26–0 November 20TennesseeChattanoogaChamberlain Field • Chattanooga, TNT 0–0 November 20VanderbiltWashington UniversityFrancis Field • St. Louis, MOW 12–05,000
Week Ten Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceNovember 25LSUAlabamaBirmingham Fairgrounds • Birmingham, ALLSU 12–6 November 25ClemsonGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAGT 29–3 November 25GeorgiaAuburnMontgomery, ALAUB 17–5 November 25Ole MissMississippi A&MMississippi State Fairgrounds • Jackson, MSMISS 9–5 November 25SewaneeVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNSEW 16–5 November 25South CarolinaThe CitadelCollege Park Stadium • Charleston, SCL 5–111,600November 25TransylvaniaTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNW 11–0 November 25HowardWest End Park • Birmingham, ALW 11–0 November 25Norman ParkMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAW 26–0
Awards and honors
All-Southern team
John Heisman's All-Southern team included: PositionNameTeamQBDoc FentonLSUHBAubrey LanierSewaneeHBRay MorrisonVanderbiltFBWill MetzgerVanderbiltESilas WilliamsSewaneeTHarry EsslingerAuburnGEric CheapeSewaneeCJ. E. LucasGeorgiaGT. C. LockeAuburnTMalvern GriffinVanderbiltEEwing Y. FreelandVanderbilt
References