The 1908 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The team's head coach was Dan McGugin, who served his fifth season in that capacity. Members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA), the Commodores played eight home games in Nashville, Tennessee and finished the season with a record of 7–2–1 overall and 3–0–1 in SIAA.

On October 17, 1908, Vanderbilt played the school's 137th game, against Clemson, winning the contest 41–0 for the schools' 100th victory. Edwin Pope notes that 1908 was not a successful year for Vanderbilt, due to an inexperienced team, made up of many sophomores.

Schedule

Game summaries Michigan Before Vanderbilt played Michigan, Louis Hasslock had been on duty at Reelfoot Lake with a militia who were to guard against night riders. When he learned he could be granted a leave of absence if he were to join his football team, he walked a distance of twenty miles through a country infested with night riders, and caught a train at Union City.

Tennessee

The Volunteers had compiled four wins in conference play. It was widely considered the best Tennessee football season up to that point. Vanderbilt won the match between the two schools 16 to 9.

Walker Leach made a 41-yard field goal to put the Vols up 4 to 0. "This seemed to arouse the local team" and Vanderbilt drove down the field for a touchdown. On a fake kick, Leach circled Vanderbilt's left end for 60 yards. Ray Morrison stopped him short of the goal. Nathan Dougherty was on Tennessee's squad.

Players Varsity letterwinners "Wearers of the V."

Line Vaughn Blake end Cuero, Texas Bowen School 160 20Cecil Covington end Ewing Y. Freelandtackle Turnersville, Texas 21R. B. Hager tackle Louis Hasslockguard Nashville, TennesseeMontgomery Bell Academy 173 20Bruce McGehee end Fatty McLain center 196 23Andrew Powell guard E. B. Ross guard

Backfield Guy Crawfordhalfback Will Metzgerhalfback Nashville, Tennessee 6'1" 175 18Ray Morrison quarterback Sugar Branch, Indiana McTyiere School for Boys 23David Morton fullback Louisville, Kentucky Branham & Hughes School Henry Williams halfback

References