1913 Auburn Tigers football team

The 1913 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1913 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The team was coached by Mike Donahue and was undefeated at 8–0, outscoring opponents 224–13. Auburn was the champion of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The team played just two games at home.[1][2]

1913 Auburn Tigers football
National champion (Billingsley MOV)
SIAA champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1913 record8–0 (8–0 SIAA)
Head coachMike Donahue (9th season)
Assistant coachGeorge Penton
Base defense7–2–2
CaptainKirk Newell
Uniform
1913 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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 Tigers were retroactively recognized as a national champion by the Billingsley Report's alternative calculation which considers teams' margin of victory. Under Billingsley's primary methodology, Chicago was recognized as the national champion.[3][4] Although it is a recognized national championship,[5] Auburn does not claim the title, but does acknowledge it in its official media guide.

Before the season

Since Auburn's tie with Vanderbilt last year, teams other than Vanderbilt had a chance to win a title, and newspapers covered football more than the World Series for the first time.[6]

Coach Donahue built his team around his defense, which played out of a 7–2–2 scheme. The team was led by senior captain Kirk Newell. One source reads "Coach Donahue loved the fullback dive and would run the play over and over again before sending the elusive Newell wide on a sweep."[7]

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendance
October 4Mercer
W 53–0
October 11Florida
  • Drake Field
  • Auburn, Alabama
W 55–0
October 18Mississippi A&M
W 34–0
October 25at Clemson
W 20–0
November 12:30 p. m.vs. LSUMobile, AlabamaW 7–0
November 8at Georgia Tech
W 20–0
November 15Vanderbilt
W 14–6
November 22at Georgia
W 21–712,000

Season summary

Mercer

A.P.I. began its season with a 53-0 blowout against visiting Mercer on Drake Field.[2]

Florida
Florida at Auburn
1 234Total
Florida 0 000 0
• Auburn 13 21714 55

The week before, the Florida Gators had the largest win in their history, a 144–0 win over Florida Southern. Auburn crushed the Gators 55–0. Auburn scored five touchdowns in the first half.[8] Captain Kirk Newell retired in the third period due to the heat.[8]

The starting lineup was Wynne (left end), Esslinger (left tackle), Lockwood (left guard), Pitts (center), Thigpen (right guard), Louisell (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Newell (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[8]

Mississippi A&M

The second place Mississippi A&M Aggies fell to Auburn 34–0 after years of close games between the two schools.[9]

Clemson

Clemson was defeated 20–0 with coach Donahue using his fullback.[10]

The starting lineup was Wynne (left end), Esslinger (left tackle), Lockwood (left guard), Pitts (center), Thigpen (right guard), Louisell (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Newell (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[10]

LSU
LSU at Auburn
1 234Total
LSU 0 000 0
• Auburn 0 070 7

Sources:[11]

In a close game of conventional football, Auburn beat the LSU Tigers 7–0, with Tom Dutton standing out at center of defense.[12] Kirk Newell starred with end runs, and in the third quarter brought the ball to the 12-yard line with a 40-yard run.[11] Red Harris eventually made the deciding score.[11]

The starting lineup was Taylor (left end), Louisell (left tackle), Thigpen (left guard), Pitts (center), Lockwood (right guard), Esslinger (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Newell (left halfback), Kearley (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[11]

Georgia Tech

Auburn beat Georgia Tech 20–0, Auburn's sixth straight shutout. After the first half, Tech's line was beaten down by Auburn's.[13]

Vanderbilt
Auburn at Vanderbilt
1 234Total
• Auburn 7 007 14
Vanderbilt 6 000 6

Sources:

In "one of the most spectacular games the South ever saw",[14] Auburn beat Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores 14–6. Auburn scored with fullback Hart. Vanderbilt responded quickly with a 30-yard pass from Ammie Sikes to Hord Boensch. Using four different fullbacks on one drive, Auburn drove 80 yards to win.[15]

Georgia
Auburn at Georgia
1 234Total
• Auburn 0 777 21
Georgia 7 000 7

Sources:[16]

The Tigers defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 21–7 to claim the SIAA title. Many prominent persons, including the governor, saw the contest.[17]

Kirk Newell of Auburn and Bob McWhorter of Georgia played their last games. At the 25-yard line, from a freak formation, Georgia's David Paddock pass the ball to Logan who caught it on the run and into the endzone for the first score of the game.[16] Red Harris got over a score in the second period. In the third quarter, Auburn had driven to the 11-yard line, and Donahue pulled Harris for Christopher. The Georgia team expected a buck, and committed to stopping it.[16] Newell skirted around right end for 7 yards. Christopher eventually plunged in from the 4-yard line. Later, from the 35-yard line, Newell had a run to the 7-yard line, chased out of bounds by McWhorter.[16] Christopher again got the touchdown.[16]

The starting lineup was Kearley (left end), Louisell (left tackle), Thigpen (left guard), Pitts (center), Lockwood (right guard), Esslinger (right tackle), Robinson (right end), Arnold (quarterback), Newell (left halfback), Prendergast (right halfback), Harris (fullback).[16]

Postseason

Newell gained 1,707 yards that year, 46% of the team's entire offensive output;[18] and 5,800 yards rushing, 350 yards receiving, and 1,200 yards on punt returns for his career.[19] One writer claims "Auburn had a lot of great football teams, but there may not have been one greater than the 1913–1914 team."[20] Newell went on to be a World War I hero and member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.[21]

The Champions of the South

Roster

Starters

Line
Player Position Games
started		 Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
M. S. EsslingerTackle4
Bull KearleyEnd2Franklin, Alabama18022
Tubby LockwoodGuard4Montgomery, Alabama22023
Lou LouisellTackle418
Boozer PittsCenter4Pittsview, Alabama19019
Robbie RobinsonEnd4170
Baby TaylorEnd1Birmingham, Alabama6'2"19421
Big ThigpenGuard4200
Jack WynneEnd2

Backfield
Player Position Games
started		 Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
Ted ArnoldQuarterback4156
Red HarrisFullback4148
Kirk NewellHalfback4Dadeville, Alabama15022
Homer PrendergastHalfback1
S. S. SparkmanHalfback3

Subs
Player Position Games
started		 Hometown Prep school Height Weight Age
E. C. AdkinsHalfback
Bedie BidezFullback
Chris ChristopherFullback
ClevelandHalfback
C. W. CulpepperTackle
Roland FricksGuard
Lucy HairstonEnd/backCrawford, Mississippi
Frank HartFullbackEufaula, Alabama19
C. B. MartinTackle
C. S. NobleQuarterback
George SteedTackle

Staff

References
  1. "AUBURNTIGERS.COM :: Auburn University Official Athletic Site Auburn University Official Athletic Site :: Football".
  2. http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/aub/genrel/auto_pdf/2013-14/misc_non_event/1913_team.pdf
  3. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2015). "National Poll Rankings" (PDF). NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA. p. 108. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  4. "Billingsley's National Champions by Year". College Football Research Center. 2008. Archived from the original on 2002-10-11. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2013-11-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Woodruff 1928, p. 276
  7. "100 Year Anniversary: The Top 10 Players on Auburn's 1913 National Championship Team". June 28, 2013.
  8. "Florida Is Easy For Auburn Team". The Atlanta Constitution. October 12, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Woodruff 1928, p. 280
  10. Woodruff 1928, p. 278
  11. G. J. Flournoy (November 2, 1913). "Auburn's Line Plunging Wins From Louisiana State Team; Kirk Newell Stars Again". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 7. Retrieved May 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Woodruff 1928, p. 281
  13. Woodruff 1928, p. 282
  14. Woodruff 1928, p. 283
  15. Woodruff 1928, p. 284
  16. Dick Jemison (November 23, 1913). "Auburn Wins Southern Title; Georgia Beaten Decisively; Harris Star of Fierce Game". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 7. Retrieved May 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Thousands Of Enthusiasts See Auburn Football Team Win South's Championship". The Atlanta Constitution. November 23, 1913. p. 6. Retrieved May 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. Henderson, Jeremy (August 21, 2013). "Football rankings guru Richard Billingsley says Auburn should claim century-old crown: 'My national championship for Auburn in 1913 is a very valid national championship'".
  19. Kelly Kazek (2011). Hidden History of Auburn. The History Press. pp. 58–61. ISBN 9781609492922.
  20. Ethan Brady. "Auburn's 1913 Undefeated Team" (PDF).
  21. "Alabama Sports Hall of Fame – Birmingham, Alabama – Where Heroes Live Forever – Newell".
  • Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. 1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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