1943 Southeastern Conference football season

The 1943 Southeastern Conference football season was the eleventh season of college football played by the member schools of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and was a part of the 1943 college football season.Georgia Tech compiled an 8–3 overall record, with a conference record of 3–0, and was SEC champion. The 1943 season was notable for the suspension of football at Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Tennessee due to Army resrictions during World War II.[2]

1943 Southeastern Conference football season
SportFootball
DurationSeptember 17, 1943 – January 1, 1944 (1943-09-17 – 1944-01-01)
Number of teams5
ChampionGeorgia Tech
SEC seasons
← 1942
1944 →
1943 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 13 Georgia Tech $ 3 0 0 8 3 0
LSU 2 2 0 6 3 0
Tulane 1 1 0 3 3 0
Georgia 0 3 0 6 4 0
Vanderbilt 0 0 0 5 0 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Seven other SEC schools did not field a team due to World War II.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

Results and team statistics

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Conf. rank Team Head coach Overall record Conf. record AP
final
PPG PAG
1 Georgia Tech William Alexander 8–3–0 (.727) 3–0–0 (1.000) No. 13 27.3 12.9
2 LSU Bernie Moore 6–3–0 (.667) 2–2–0 (.500) 18.0 17.6
3 Tulane Claude Simons Jr. 3–3–0 (.500) 1–1–0 (.500) 15.3 15.7
4 Georgia Wally Butts 6–4–0 (.600) 0–3–0 (.000) 26.4 15.3
5 Vanderbilt Ernest Alley 5–0–0 (1.000) 0–0–0 (–) 29.0 6.6

Key
AP final = Rankings from AP sports writers. See 1943 NCAA football rankings
PPG = Average of points scored per game[3]
PAG = Average of points allowed per game[3]

Schedule

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Index to colors and formatting
SEC member won
SEC member lost
SEC member tie
SEC teams in bold

Week One

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
September 17 Presbyterian Georgia Sanford StadiumAthens, GA W 25–7   6,000 [4]

Week Two

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
September 25 North Carolina Georgia Tech Grant FieldAtlanta, GA W 20–7   20,000 [5]
September 25 Georgia LSU Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, LA  LSU 34–27   20,000 [6]

Week Three

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
October 1 Tennessee Tech Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA W 67–0   [7]
October 2 Rice LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 20–7   22,000 [8]
October 2 Georgia Tech Notre Dame Notre Dame StadiumSouth Bend, IN L 13–55   26,497–30,000 [9]
October 2 Memphis NATTC Tulane Tulane StadiumNew Orleans, LA L 7–41   25,000 [10]

Week Four

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
October 8 Wake Forest Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA W 7–0   7,500 [11]
October 9 Georgia Pre-Flight Georgia Tech Grant Field • Atlanta, GA W 35–7   12,000 [12]
October 9 Tulane Rice Rice FieldHouston, TX W 33–0   [13]
October 9 Texas A&M No. 17 LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) L 13–28   25,000 [14]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week Five

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
October 16 300th Infantry Georgia Tech Grant Field • Atlanta, GA W 27–0   10,000 [15]
October 16 Louisiana Army LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 28–7   3,500 [16]
October 16 Vanderbilt Tennessee Tech Overall Field • Cookeville, TN W 20–0   [17]
October 16 Georgia Daniel Field Richmond Academy Stadium • Augusta, GA L 7–18   5,000 [18]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week Six

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
October 23 SMU Tulane Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA W 12–6   22,000 [19]
October 23 Camp Campbell Vanderbilt Dudley FieldNashville, TN W 40–14   6,000 [20]
October 23 Georgia Tech No. 3 Navy Municipal StadiumBaltimore, MD L 14–28   56,223 [21]
October 23 LSU Georgia Memorial StadiumColumbus, GA  LSU 27–6   13,000 [22]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week Seven

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
October 29 Howard (AL) Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA W 39–0   [23]
October 30 TCU LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 14–0   18,000 [24]
October 30 Milligan Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, TN W 26–6   3,000 [25]
October 30 No. 8 Duke Georgia Tech Grant Field • Atlanta, GA L 7–14   30,000 [26]
October 30 Georgia Pre-Flight Tulane Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA L 13–14   18,000 [27]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week Eight

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
November 5 Presbyterian Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA W 39–0   4,000 [28]
November 5 Carson–Newman Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, TN W 12–6   [29]
November 6 No. 10 LSU Georgia Tech Grant Field • Atlanta, GA  GT 42–7   20,000 [30]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week Nine

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
November 13 VMI Georgia Grant Field • Atlanta, GA W 46–7   5,000 [31]
November 13 No. 19 Georgia Tech Tulane Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA  GT 33–0   38,000 [32]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week Ten

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
November 20 Clemson No. 15 Georgia Tech Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) W 41–6   10,000 [33]
November 20 LSU Tulane Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (rivalry)  TUL 27–0   40,000 [34]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Week Eleven

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
November 25 Tennessee Tech Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, TN W 47–7   7,000 [35]
November 27 Georgia No. 14 Georgia Tech Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry)  GT 48–0   28,000 [36]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Postseason

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Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Ref.
January 1, 1944 No. 15 Tulsa No. 13 Georgia Tech Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) W 20–18   69,134 [37]
January 1, 1944 Texas A&M LSU Burdine StadiumMiami, FL (Orange Bowl / rivalry) W 19–14   30,000 [38]
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

All-Americans

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SEC players receiving All-American honors from at least one selector on the 1943 College Football All-America Team were:[39]

Head coaches

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Records through the completion of the 1943 season

Team Head coach Years at school Overall record Record at school SEC record
Georgia Wally Butts 5 36–16–2 (.685) 36–16–2 (.685) 11–8–2 (.571)
Georgia Tech William Alexander 24 126–92–15 (.573) 126–92–15 (.573) 29–31–5 (.485)
LSU Bernie Moore 9 72–40–6 (.636) 60–28–3 (.676) 29–19–2 (.600)
Tulane Claude Simons Jr. 2 18–20–1 (.474) 7–8–0 (.467) 2–5–0 (.286)
Vanderbilt Ernest Alley 1 5–0–0 (1.000) 5–0–0 (1.000) 0–0–0 (–)

1944 NFL draft

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The following SEC players were selected in the 1944 NFL draft:[40]

Round Overall Pick Player name School Position NFL team
1 5 Steve Van Buren LSU Halfback Philadelphia Eagles
2 14 Bob Cifers Tennessee Back Detroit Lions
2 16 Lamar Blount Mississippi State Back New York Giants
5 43 Larry Rice Tulane Center Boston Yanks
6 52 Hillary Horne Mississippi State Tackle Philadelphia Eagles
9 78 Mitchell Olenski Alabama Tackle Brooklyn Tigers
9 87 Tex Warrington Auburn Center Boston Yanks
11 103 Carl Grate Georgia Guard New York Giants
12 117 J. P. Moore Vanderbilt Back Chicago Bears
13 125 Ray Poole Ole Miss End New York Giants
13 126 Bill Baughman Alabama Center Green Bay Packers
13 127 Charley Walker Kentucky Center Washington Redskins
14 136 Bert Corley Mississippi State Center New York Giants
14 139 Joe Hartley LSU Tackle Chicago Bears
14 140 Jim Talley LSU Center Philadelphia Eagles
15 144 Billy J. Murphy Mississippi State Back Brooklyn Tigers
15 147 Ollie Poole Ole Miss End New York Giants
15 149 Jim Gaffney Tennessee Back Washington Redskins
15 151 Jim Myers Tennessee Guard Card-Pitt
15 152 Bud Hubbell Tennessee End Cleveland Rams
17 167 Jack Helms Georgia Tech Tackle Detroit Lions
17 172 Ed Ryckeley Georgia Tech End Chicago Bears
17 174 Aubrey Clayton Auburn Back Cleveland Rams
18 186 Reldon Bennett LSU Tackle Boston Yanks
19 189 Bill Eubank Mississippi State End Detroit Lions
19 192 Kermit Davis Mississippi State End Green Bay Packers
19 193 Clyde Ehrhardt Georgia Center Washington Redskins
21 210 Mike Mihalic Mississippi State Guard Brooklyn Tigers
22 221 Ted Cook Alabama End Brooklyn Tigers
23 240 Jim Pharr Auburn Center Cleveland Rams
23 241 Dilton Richmond LSU End Boston Yanks
24 251 Joe Warlick Mississippi State Back Cleveland Rams
26 273 Charley Kuhn Kentucky Back Cleveland Rams
26 274 Bill Portwood Kentucky End Boston Yanks
27 279 Andy Bires Alabama End New York Giants
27 282 Jack McKewan Alabama End Chicago Bears
28 291 A. B. Howard Mississippi State End Green Bay Packers
29 298 Marty Frohm Mississippi State Tackle Brooklyn Tigers
29 306 John Hughes Mississippi State End Cleveland Rams
30 317 Dick McPhee Georgia Back Cleveland Rams
30 318 Gus Letchas Georgia Back Boston Yanks
31 323 Jim McLeod LSU End Cleveland Rams

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Scott, Richard (2008). SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion. MVP Books. p. 58. ISBN 1616731338. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  2. ^ Brown, Matt (May 25, 2020). "The season when some college football teams could play and others could not". The New York Times. The Athletic. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "1943 Southeastern Conference Year Summary". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "Georgia soars over P.C. team, 25–7". The Greenville News. September 18, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Georgia Tech topples powerful Carolina eleven, 20–7". Asheville Citizen-Times. September 26, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "LSU Tigers beat Georgia, 34 to 27, in free scoring game". The Macon Telegraph and News. September 26, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Tenn. Tech loses, 67–0, to Georgia". Nashville Banner. October 2, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Owls fall as LSU opens up". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. October 3, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Bertelli dazzles Tech for Irish, 53 to 13". The Chattanooga Times. October 3, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Tulane's Green Wave unable to handle Memphis' powerful Sailors, lose 41–7". Johnson City Press. Associated Press. October 3, 1943. p. 9. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Georgia beats Wake in close contest, 7 to 0". Winston-Salem Journal. October 9, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Georgia Tech Engineers give Navy Pre-Flight fancy licking". The Shreveport Times. October 10, 1943. p. 19. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Tulane team manhandles weak Rice eleven, 33–0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 10, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Texas A&M licks LSU by 28 to 13". San Angelo Standard-Times. October 10, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Wheeler, Romney (October 17, 1943). "Georgia Tech beats Soldiers". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Associated Press. p. 4S. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "L.S.U. Tigers romp to victory over Army special students". The Shreveport Times. October 17, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Vanderbilt defeats Tennessee Tech, 20–0". The Chattanooga Times. October 17, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Williams, F. M. (October 17, 1943). "Georgia Bulldogs fall before Daniel Field, 18–7". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 13C. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Tulane strikes twice for victory over SMU, 12 to 6". San Angelo Standard-Times. October 24, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Commodores trample Camp Campbell Bombers 40 to 14". The Nashville Tennessean. October 24, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Navy wrecks Georgia Tech with passes". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 24, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Louisiana State Tigers hang up 27–6 triumph over Georgia". The Knoxville Journal. October 24, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Georgia whips Howard team by 39–0 score". The Birmingham News. October 30, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "LSU Tigers claw Texas' Frogs, 14–0". Austin American-Statesman. October 31, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Milligan gridders bow to Vanderbilt". Johnson City Press. October 31, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Duke Blue Devils defeat Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 14 to 7". The Birmingham News. October 31, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Tulane misses try for point and loses to Georgia Sailors". The Shreveport Times. October 31, 1943. p. 19. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Georgia wins over fighting Presbyterians, 40 to 12". The Macon Telegraph. November 6, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Vandy holds off late C–N rally to win, 12–6". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. November 7, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Georgia Tech's lend-lease punch devastates LSU civilians". The State. November 7, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Cook runs wild as Bulldogs triumph, 46 to 7". The Atlanta Constitution. November 14, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Prokop's passes stun Tulane 33–0". The Courier-Journal. November 14, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Georgia Tech wins easily over Clemson, 41 to 6". The Atlanta Constitution. November 21, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "40,000 watch Tulane rout L.S.U., 27 to 0". The Atlanta Constitution. November 21, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "Commodores smash Tennessee Tech, 47–7, in finale". The Nashville Tennessean. November 26, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "Jackets smash Georgia, 48–0". The Atlanta Journal. November 28, 1943. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "Georgia Tech edges Tulsa, 20 to 18". Tulsa World. January 2, 1944. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "Van Buren turns tables on Aggies, 19–14". The Miami News. January 2, 1944. Retrieved August 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ "2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2014. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  40. ^ "1944 NFL Draft". SR/Pro Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 10, 2024.