1913 Florida Gators football team

The 1913 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1913 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The season was George Pyle's fifth and last as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Pyle's 1913 Florida Gators completed their eighth varsity football season with an overall record of 4–3[1] and their fourth year in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) with a conference record of 2–2.[2]

1913 Florida Gators football
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1913 record	4–3 (2–2 SIAA)
Head coach	George E. Pyle (5th season)
Captain	Louis Tenney
Home stadium	University Athletic Field

1913 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Auburn $	8	–	0	–	0			8	–	0	–	0
Mississippi A&M	4	–	1	–	1			6	–	1	–	1
Georgia	3	–	1	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Vanderbilt	3	–	1	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Georgia Tech	5	–	2	–	0			7	–	2	–	0
Alabama	4	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
LSU	1	–	1	–	2			6	–	1	–	2
Sewanee	2	–	2	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Florida	2	–	2	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Clemson	2	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	0
Mississippi College	1	–	2	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Tennessee	1	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
The Citadel	0	–	3	–	1			3	–	4	–	2
Mercer	0	–	4	–	1			2	–	5	–	1
Kentucky	0	–	1	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Texas A&M	0	–	1	–	1			3	–	4	–	2
Centre	0	–	2	–	0			2	–	5	–	0
Tulane	0	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The 144–0 defeat of Florida Southern is the largest in school history.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result
October 6	Florida Southern*	University Field Gainesville, FL	W 144–0
October 11	at Auburn	Drake Field Auburn, AL (rivalry)	L 55–0
October 18	Maryville*	University Field Gainesville, FL	W 39–0
October 25	vs. Georgia Tech	Barrs Field Jacksonville, FL	L 13–3
November 8	at South Carolina*	Melton Field Columbia, SC	L 13–0
November 15	The Citadel	University Field Gainesville, FL	W 18–13
November 27	Mercer	University Field Gainesville, FL	W 24–0
*Non-conference game

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[1]

Season summary

Florida Southern

The highlight of the Gators' 1913 campaign was an incredible 144–0 victory over the Florida Southern Moccasins. Back Harvey Hester played under an assumed name and scored 7 touchdowns.[3][4] Former Gator William A. Shands refereed the contest. Louis Tenney scored five touchdowns; Swanson three, Moseley, J. B. Sutton, James Miller, Puss Hancock, Sam Buie, and Rex Farrior had one each.[5] It was freshman Farrior's first game at Florida.

Auburn

Florida at Auburn

1 2 3 4 Total Florida 0 0 0 0 0 • Auburn 13 21 7 14 55 Date: October 11 Location: Drake Field • Auburn, AL Game weather: Hot Referee: John Counselman Sources:[6]

The defeat of Florida Southern was followed five days later by a 0–55 loss to an Auburn Tigers team that would finish its season undefeated and untied. Auburn scored five touchdowns in the first half.[6] Captain Kirk Newell retired in the third period due to the heat.[6]

The starting lineup was Henderson (left end), Coarsey (left tackle), Sutton (left guard), Price (center), Bullock (right guard), Ward (right tackle), Buie (right end), Swanson (quarterback), Lawler (left halfback), Hester (right halfback), Tenney (fullback).[6]

Maryville

In the third week of play, Florida overwhelmed the Maryville Scots 39–0 using several forward passes.[7] Price made two field goals, including one of 40 yards.[7]

Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total • Ga. Tech 0 0 7 6 13 Florida 3 0 0 0 3 Date: October 25 Location: Barrs Field • Jacksonville, FL Referee: Penton Sources:[8]

Coach John Heisman's Georgia Tech team defeated Florida 3–13. Heisman said the Gators played the best football he'd seen a Florida squad play.[9] Florida scored first with a 30-yard placekick field goal from Price.[8] In the third quarter, a 25-yard pass from Homer Cook to Cushman netted a touchdown for the Yellow Jackets.[8] Cook scored again in the final period.[8]

The starting lineup was Buie (left end), Coarsey (left tackle), Sutton (left guard), Price (center), Lotspeich (right guard), Hancock (right tackle), Henderson (right end), Mosley (quarterback), Tenney (left halfback), Hester (right halfback), Swanson (fullback).[8]

South Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks beat Florida 13–0 in a steady rain. The Gamecocks resorted to using trick plays.[10]

The Citadel

The Citadel at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total The Citadel 0 7 0 6 13 • Florida 12 0 6 0 18 Date: November 15 Location: University Field • Gainesville, FL Sources:[8]

The Gators defeated The Citadel 18–13 in a close game.[11] Buie and Hester scored in the first period. Citadel came back in the second quarter with a long pass from Weeks to Bolton.[11] In the third quarter, Buie blocked a Citadel kick, leading to another touchdown.[11] Another pass got Citadel's final touchdown.[11]

Mercer

The Gators also defeated the Mercer Baptists, 24–0, for their first win in six games against the Baptists. Captain Tenney was the feature of the contest.[12]

Postseason

George Pyle finished his five-year tenure as the coach of the Florida Gators with an overall record of 26–7–3.[13] After leaving Florida, Pyle became the athletic director of the West Virginia Mountaineers.[14] John Sutton was elected captain for next season.

Personnel

Line

Player	Position	Games started	High school	Height	Weight	Age
Sam Buie	end
Cappleman	guard
James Coarsey	tackle
W. H. Crom	guard
Rex Farrior	guard		Hillsborough	5'9"	168	17
Henry Freeman	end
Roy Hancock	tackle
W. B. Henderson	end
Daddy Lotspiech	guard			5'10"	165	22
J. A. Miller	end
T. E. Price	center
John Sutton	tackle			6'0"	185	22
F. M. Swanson	center

Backfield

Player	Position	Games started	High school	Height	Weight	Age
Trux Bullock	fullback
Paul Burnett	halfback
Harvey Hester	halfback
Jack Lawless	fullback
George Moseley	quarterback
Rammy Ramsdell	quarterback		Hillsborough	5'10"	148	19
Alex Shaw	halfback
Joe Swanson	fullback			6'0"	165	20
Louis E. Tenny	halfback

References

1. 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 2011-05-26 at WebCite," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
3. "In 1913 game, Gator star had an assumed name". The Evening Independent. November 16, 1984.
4. Robbie Andreu. "No. 74 FLORIDA 144, FLORIDA SOUTHERN 0".
5. McEwen 1974, p. 56
6. "Florida Is Easy For Auburn Team". The Atlanta Constitution. October 12, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Florida 39, Maryville 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 19, 1913. p. 10. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Playing a Defensive Battle, Jackets Are Content To Win, By Two Touchdowns Margin". The Atlanta Constitution. October 26, 1913. p. 9. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Whiffs". The Atlanta Constitution. October 28, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved July 11, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "South Carolina 13, Florida 0". The Atlanta Constitution. November 9, 1913. p. 13. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Florida 18, Citadel 13". The Atlanta Constitution. November 16, 1913. p. 10. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Florida 24, Mercer 0". The Atlanta Constitution. November 28, 1913. p. 9. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Horne 2012, p. 105
14. "West Virginia Is Coming Along Well," The Pittsburg Press, Sporting Section, p. 3 (September 20, 1914). Retrieved March 23, 2010.

Bibliography

• Horne, Larry E. (2012). Florida Gators IQ. ISBN 1-4499-8947-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• McEwen, Tom (1974). The Gators: A Story of Florida Football. Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publishers. ISBN 0-87397-025-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)