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
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record4–3 (2–2 SIAA)
Head coach
CaptainLouis Tenney
Home stadiumUniversity Athletic Field
Seasons
← 1912
1914 →
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 5 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
Central University 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

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
October 6Florida Southern*W 144–0[3]
October 11at AuburnL 0–55[4]
October 18Maryville (TN)*
  • University Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 39–0[5]
October 25vs. Georgia TechL 3–13[6]
November 8at South Carolina*L 0–13[7]
November 15The Citadel
  • University Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 18–13[8]
November 27Mercer
  • University Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 24–0[9]
  • *Non-conference game

[1]

Game summaries

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Florida Southern

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The highlight of the Gators' 1913 campaign was an incredible 144–0 victory over Florida Southern. Back Harvey Hester played under an assumed name and scored 7 touchdowns.[10][11] 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.[12] It was freshman Farrior's first game at Florida.

Auburn

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

The defeat of Florida Southern was followed five days later by a 55–0 loss to an Auburn Tigers team that finished its season undefeated and untied. Auburn scored five touchdowns in the first half.[13] Captain Kirk Newell retired in the third period due to the heat.[13]

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).[13]

Maryville

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In the third week of play, Florida overwhelmed Maryville, 39–0, using several forward passes.[14] Price made two field goals, including one of 40 yards.[14]

Georgia Tech

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Georgia Tech at Florida
1 234Total
Ga. Tech 0 076 13
Florida 3 000 3

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.[16] Florida scored first with a 30-yard placekick field goal from Price.[15] In the third quarter, a 25-yard pass from Homer Cook to Cushman netted a touchdown for the Yellow Jackets.[15] Cook scored again in the final period.[15]

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).[15]

South Carolina

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The South Carolina Gamecocks beat Florida 13–0 in a steady rain. The Gamecocks resorted to using trick plays.[17]

The Citadel

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The Citadel at Florida
1 234Total
The Citadel 0 706 13
Florida 12 060 18

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

Mercer

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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.[19]

Postseason

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George Pyle finished his five-year tenure as the coach of the Florida Gators with an overall record of 26–7–3.[20] After leaving Florida, Pyle became the athletic director of the West Virginia Mountaineers.[21] John Sutton was elected captain for next season.

Personnel

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Line

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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

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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

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  1. ^ a b 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 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  3. ^ "Florida romps on Southern College". The Tampa Morning Tribune. October 7, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Auburn swamps Florida team". The Atlanta Journal. October 12, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Florida massacres Maryville". The Chattanooga Sunday Times. October 19, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Florida surprises Ga. Tech". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 26, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Carolina wins from Florida". The State. November 9, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Florida triumphs over Citadel, 18–13". Atlanta Georgian. November 16, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Mercer game but bows to Florida". The Macon News. November 28, 1913. Retrieved May 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "In 1913 game, Gator star had an assumed name". The Evening Independent. November 16, 1984.
  11. ^ Robbie Andreu. "No. 74 Florida 144, Florida Southern 0".
  12. ^ McEwen 1974, p. 56
  13. ^ a b c d "Florida Is Easy For Auburn Team". The Atlanta Constitution. October 12, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  14. ^ a b "Florida 39, Maryville 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 19, 1913. p. 10. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  15. ^ a b c d e f "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.  
  16. ^ "Whiffs". The Atlanta Constitution. October 28, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved July 11, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  17. ^ "South Carolina 13, Florida 0". The Atlanta Constitution. November 9, 1913. p. 13. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  18. ^ a b c d "Florida 18, Citadel 13". The Atlanta Constitution. November 16, 1913. p. 10. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  19. ^ "Florida 24, Mercer 0". The Atlanta Constitution. November 28, 1913. p. 9. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.  
  20. ^ Horne 2012, p. 105
  21. ^ "West Virginia Is Coming Along Well," The Pittsburg Press, Sporting Section, p. 3 (September 20, 1914). Retrieved March 23, 2010.

Bibliography

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