The 1922 Michigan vs. Vanderbilt football game, played October 14, 1922, was a college football game between the Michigan Wolverines and Vanderbilt Commodores. The game ended as a scoreless tie. It was the inaugural game at Dudley Field (now known as Vanderbilt Stadium), the first dedicated football stadium in the South.
Prior meetings The game matched Michigan head coach Fielding H. Yost against his former player and brother-in-law Dan McGugin. Owing to the relationship between Yost and McGugin, the two teams played nine times between 1905 and 1923, with Michigan winning eight times. This 1922 meeting between the schools was the first since 1914. "It's All In The Slant." Ironwood Daily Globe 18 Sept. 1922: 6. McGugin learned what he knew of the game of football while playing under Yost as a guard on Michigan's "point-a-minute" offense, and it was Yost who recommended McGugin for the Vanderbilt job in 1904. "Vandy Opens South's First College Athletic Stadium on Saturday." The Macon Daily Telegraph 8 Oct. 1922Campbell, Judith D. "Vanderbilt Football: The Glory Years." Nashville Business and Lifestyle 15.8 (1992): 58
Between 1905 and 1907, Vanderbilt lost only three games – all three of them to Michigan. The loss in 1907 stopped a 26-game home win streak.
For the first ever meeting in 1905, Vanderbilt traveled to Ann Arbor and suffered its only loss, 18 to 0. On the even of the 1906 game, 4,200 students attended a mass meeting at University Hall. McGugin and Yost both spoke to the crowd and agreed that the game would be one of the closest played in Ann Arbor in many years. D. G. Fite, father-in-law of both McGugin and Yost, traveled from his home in Tennessee to watch the game. John Garrels put Michigan ahead with a field goal from the 25-yard line. On the preceding drive, Garrels had completed a 15-yard forward pass to Bishop, the first legal forward pass completed by Michigan under the new rules. Michigan led, 4–0, at halftime. Early in the second half, Vanderbilt tied the score with a field goal by Dan Blake from the 30-yard line. With two minutes left in the game, Garrels ran 68 yards for a touchdown. The Chicago Daily Tribune wrote: "Garrels, on a fake kick, with splendid interference by Hammond, Curtis, and Workman, ran Vanderbilt's left end at lightning speed for sixty-eight yards and a touchdown." Michigan won 10 to 4.
Despite the loss, Innis Brown rated the 1906 Vanderbilt team as the best the South ever had. For some, Vanderbilt's eleven was the entire All-Southern team. On November 2, 1907, Michigan defeated Vanderbilt 8–0, in front of 8,000 at the Old Dudley Field (referred to as Curry Field following the building of the new stadium in 1922) in Nashville. The crowd was the largest up to that date to see a football game south of the Mason–Dixon line. ("Had there been another minute to play, though, the Michiganders would have negotiated a touchdown, for the ball was on Vanderbilt's one yard line when the last whistle blew.") Bradley Walker officiated his first Michigan–Vanderbilt game. The game was "a big society event in the south", and the elite of Nashville, Chattanooga, and Memphis were in attendance. Students from every college and preparatory school in Tennessee, including Belmont College and "other seminaries", also attended the game. Vanderbilt was hampered by sophomores in 1908 and Michigan won the game at Ferry Field 24–6.
Before the 1911 game, Coach Yost reminded reporters that Vanderbilt's 1911 team included the same veteran line that had held Yale scoreless in 1910. Yost predicted a hard game.
Thomas A. Bogle, Jr. of Michigan attempted two field goals in the first half, but both kicks were blocked. After a scoreless first half, each team kicked a field goal in the third quarter. Zach Curlin kicked Vanderbilt's field goal after Shorty McMillan fumbled a punt, and Vanderbilt recovered the ball at Michigan's 27-yard line. Later in the quarter, McMillan carried the ball 33 yards to the Vanderbilt 10-yard line on a quarterback run. Frederick L. Conklin then place-kicked a field goal from the 19-yard line. In the fourth quarter, Stanfield Wells ran five yards for a touchdown, and Conklin kicked the extra point to give Michigan a 9-3 lead. Vanderbilt responded with a Ray Morrison touchdown, but the extra point failed due to a high kickout by Morrison. In the Detroit Free Press, E. A. Batchelor wrote: "Vanderbilt's failure to execute properly one of the simplest plays in the football catalogue was all that saved Michigan from the humiliation of a tie score with Dan McGugin's peppery Dixie lads this afternoon." Michigan had its greatest victory over Vanderbilt in 1913, 33–2. Batchelor wrote: "Vanderbilt fairly gasped in amazement as the Wolverines shot the ball from one to another with the precision of baseball players." Michigan won 23–3 in 1914.
Dudley Field This was Vanderbilt's first game in its new steel and concrete stadium, Dudley Field. The field was named after William Lofland Dudley, once Chair of Chemistry at Vanderbilt University, and an instrumental figure in the organization of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association; as well as a member of the Executive Committee of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Football Rules Committee. He was known as the 'father of Vanderbilt football.'"Vanderbilt's Stadium Will Be Full, Saturday." The Daily Northwestern [Oshkosh, Wisconsin] 12 Oct. 1922: 12. The eponymous stadium cost some $200,000 and could seat up to 22,600 people."Commodores to Dedicate New Stadium Saturday." Dallas Morning News 13 Oct. 1922: 18."Vanderbilt Stad Will Seat 22,600." Kalamazoo Gazette 12 Oct. 1922
The first of its kind in the South, the dedication of Dudley Field saw much fanfare. A parade of floats and bands marched through the streets, and Cornelius Vanderbilt IV, the great-great grandson of the university's namesake, made an appearance. Three airplanes flew over the stadium as the Vanderbilt band played 'America.'Traughber, William L. Vanderbilt Football: Tales of Commodore Gridiron History. Charleston, South Carolina: History, 2011, p.33 and p. 77–80 Governor Alf Taylor welcomed the visiting Wolverines, with a response in turn from Michigan coach Fielding H. Yost. The dedication of the stadium followed:
Lt. Herbert Fox of the 136th Air Squadron circled back, flying over the northern goal posts, and dropped a decorated football onto the field which Coach McGugin caught off a single bounce. He then handed the ball to Yost. This was just the second time Vanderbilt played Michigan at home.
The more optimistic Vanderbilt faithful were excited at the prospect of end Scotty Neill reporting after a year's layoff. "Vandy Coaches Working Hard." Columbus Ledger 10 Oct. 1922: 6. His ability at punting the ball was especially noted. The Commodores' lone advantage going into the game was their speed, "Wolverines Worry Over Vanderbilt." The Kalamazoo Gazette 11 Oct. 1922: 20. perhaps not unlike today when teams play Southern schools.for the meme that the South has faster players, see, for instance During the pregame talk in his dressing room, Coach McGugin famously said "You are going against Yankees, some of whose grandfathers killed your grandfathers in the Civil War." Also reported, probably more accurately,Scott, Richard. SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion. Minneapolis: Voyageur, 2008; p. 24–25, 30 as "Out there lie the bones of your grandfathers;" referring to a nearby military cemetery, "And down on that field are the grandsons of the Yankee soldiers who put them there." One may add the often cited, humorous addendum that McGugin's father was an officer in the Union Army.
Background
The Wolverines were a national power, and the heavy favorite to win the game.e.g. see "No Change Is Made In Lineup of Team." Ironwood Daily Globe 20 Oct. 1922: 10. Michigan had beaten Vanderbilt in all prior meetings, "Seven Times Has Michigan Beaten Vanderbilt Team." The Grand Rapids Press 11 Oct. 1922: 24. and were to have the much healthier lineup. "Wolverines Are Ready For Game With Vanderbilt." The Kalamazoo Gazette 9 Oct. 1922: 8. Michigan captain Paul Goebel rested his hurt knee by not playing against Case Scientific School. Only one spot in the lineup could be said to give Michigan trouble, guard Eddie Johns was forced to sit out due to academic probation. Harold Steele was to replace him.
Vanderbilt, however, felt its lineup was not at full strength. "Commodores, Shy Two Stars, to Meet Wolverines." Dallas Morning News 14 Oct. 1922: 12. "Vanderbilt Opens $200,000 Stadium." Miami Herald 14 Oct. 1922: 5. Vanderbilt end Percy Conyers had a rather badly hurt knee, and center Alf Sharpe had just hurt his shoulder. End Lynn Bomar was fighting through a pulled tendon, and end Tot McCullough had some kind of strain in his arm leading to noticeable swelling. Quarterback Doc Kuhn was trying to overcome a sickness, including fevers which kept him from practice. Captain Jess Neely also had an injured left arm. Conyers and Sharpe were expected to start the game on the sidelines. Last year's starting end Thomas Ryan not returning for the Michigan game was also taken bitterly by Vanderbilt's fans. Vanderbilt was also working to remedy problems seen in earlier weeks with its line.
Game summary The game saw little offense, featuring the season's top two defenses as measured by points against per game. Vanderbilt punted 17 times, and Michigan punted 10 times. Some were surprised with Michigan's lack of an offense, citing it as Michigan's best feature. For the entire game, Michigan made only six first downs, with two off of penalties, while Vanderbilt made just one. Michigan's consensus All-American halfback Harry Kipke, had been rendered moot for most of the game. Fullback Franklin Cappon seemed the only Michigan player able to gain much for his offense. "Powerful Wolverine Eleven Held To Scoreless Tie By Commodores." Augusta Chronicle 1922 Oct. 15
First half:
Michigan captain Paul Goebel won the toss and chose the south goal. Vanderbilt decided to kick. Kipke made a first down on the first drive, which started from his own 30-yard line, but Michigan punted the ball away soon after. Vanderbilt kicked back and Michigan punted again after three unsuccessful pass attempts. The best chance to break the tie came early in the first quarter when Vanderbilt was forced to punt from its own 7-yard line. The Wolverines completed their first pass, Doug Roby to Goebel, setting in motion the change in field position which led to their being poised to score inside the 5-yard line. The Commodore punt was partially blocked, giving Michigan the ball at Vanderbilt's 25-yard line. Two end runs, two line bucks, and a forward pass brought them there, first and goal. Some six minutes had gone by at this point. The Commodores' defense stiffened and repelled four attempts at a touchdown. Three runs straight up the middle were stopped before the goal line. Cappon made a yard, Kipke lost one, and Cappon then drove to within a foot of the goal. Vanderbilt captain Jess Neely was heard shouting 'Stop em!'Russell, Fred, and Maxwell Edward Benson. Fifty Years of Vanderbilt Football. Nashville, Tennessee, 1938, p. 40–41 On fourth down, Michigan faked a field goal and ran with Harry Kipke off tackle to the right. Kipke was stood up just inches from the end zone. One Vanderbilt player even pushed himself off of the goal post, in an attempt to generate a greater backwards push, as the crowd cheered.