The 1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the college football games played by the member schools of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association as part of the 1908 college football season. The season began on September 26.
LSU won the SIAA championship, but amidst fears of many players being ineligible under SIAA rules most sportswriters did not include them for consideration. Its season was clouded by accusations of professionalism from Grantland Rice and rival school Tulane which was also undefeated in southern play. Despite this, the SIAA eventually cleared LSU of any wrongdoing. LSU featured Hall of Fame quarterback Doc Fenton.
Auburn and Vanderbilt were among those listed as alternative SIAA champions. The newspapers unanimously handed the title to Auburn. Auburn featured first-year halfback Lew Hardage. Vanderbilt had a down year with a wealth of sophomores; guided shrewdly by McGugin to its success.
The Tennessee Volunteers compiled four wins in SIAA play, the most in team history. It was widely considered the best Tennessee football season up to that point. Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin noted "All things considered, Leach was perhaps the best football player of the year in Dixie."
Results and team statistics
Conf. RankTeamHead coachOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAG1 (tie)LSUEdgar Wingard10–02–0 44.31.11 (tie)AuburnMike Donahue6–15–122.6 1.43 VanderbiltDan McGugin 7–2–13–0–1 20.76.14TennesseeGeorge Levene7–23–2 13.83.95Georgia TechJohn Heisman 6–34–316.38.26GeorgiaBranch Bocock5–3–12–2–19.05.67 (tie)AlabamaDoc Pollard6–1–11–1–1 13.53.97 (tie)SewaneeHarry Van Surdam4–1–31–1–1 11.82.59Mississippi A&MFred Furman 3–41–315.416.110Mississippi Frank Kyle3–50–212.415.611Mercer Frank Blake 3–4 0–318.7 8.412HowardJohn Counselman2–4 0–3 12ClemsonStein Stone 1–60–43.714.913 Nashville Key
PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game
Regular season Index to colors and formattingNon-conference matchup; SIAA member wonNon-conference matchup; SIAA member lostNon-conference matchup; tieConference matchup SIAA teams in bold.
Week One Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceSeptember 26 ClemsonBowman Field • Calhoun, SCW 15–0 September 26VanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNW 11–5
Week Two Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceOctober 3Memphis University SchoolOle MissOxford, MSW 30–0 October 3MooneySewaneeHardee Field • Sewanee, TNW 29–0 October 3 Wetumpka Agricultural SchoolAlabama The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL W 27–0 October 3Howard (AL)AuburnWest End Park • Birmingham, ALW 18–0 October 3GeorgiaHerty Field • Athens, GAW 16–0 October 3GordonGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAW 32–0 October 3Locust Grove InstituteMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAW 56–0 October 3North CarolinaTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNW 12–0 October 3New Orleans Gym ClubLSUState Field • Baton Rouge, LAW 41–0 October 3VanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNW 32–0
Week Three Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance Reference October 10Howard (AL)AlabamaWest End Park • Birmingham, ALW 17–0 October 10GordonAuburnDrill Field • Auburn, ALW 42–0 October 10Castle HeightsSewaneeHardee Field • Sewanee, TNW 35–2 October 10FloridaMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAW 24–0 October 10Louisiana IndustrialMississippi A&MHardy Field • Starkville, MSW 47–0 October 10Ole MissArkansasThe Hill • Fayetteville, ARL 33–0 October 10MooneyGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAW 30–0 October 10Maryville (TN)TennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNW 39–5 October 10VPIClemsonBowman Field • Calhoun, SCL 6–0 October 10VanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNW 32–0 October 11Jackson Barracks-New OrleansLSUState Field • Baton Rouge, LAW 81–51,000
Week Four Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceOctober 17AuburnMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAAUB 23–0 October 17CincinnatiAlabamaState Fairgrounds • Birmingham, ALW 16–0 October 17Mississippi A&MGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAGT 23–0 October 17South CarolinaGeorgiaHerty Field • Athens, GAW 29–6 October 17SewaneeVirginiaLafayette Field • Norfolk, VAT 0–05,000October 17Texas A&MLSUPelican Park • New Orleans, LAW 26–0 October 17Kentucky State CollegeTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNW 7–0 October 17ClemsonVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNVAN 41–0 October 17Ole MissEdgewood Park • Memphis, TNW 17–0
Week Five Date Time Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceOctober 23 Southwestern PresbyterianMississippi A&MColumbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MSW 6–04,000 October 2412:00 p. m.SewaneeAuburnWest End Park • Birmingham, ALAUB 6–03,000 October 24 GeorgiaTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNTENN 10–0 October 24 AlabamaGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAGT 11–6 October 24 Ole MissVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNVAN 29–0 October 26 Southwestern PresbyterianLSUState Field • Baton Rouge, LAW 55–0
Week Six Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceOctober 28DavidsonClemsonState Fair Grounds • Columbia, SCL 0–13 October 29Mississippi CollegeOle MissState Fairgrounds • Jackson, MSW 41–0 October 31ChattanoogaAlabamaThe Quad • Tuscaloosa, ALW 23–6 October 31GeorgisMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAUGA 11–0 October 31LSUAuburnDrill Field • Auburn, ALLSU 10–2 October 31VanderbiltMichiganAnn Arbor, MIL 6–24 October 31Mississippi A&MHardy Field • Starkville, MSW 12–5 October 31SewaneeKentucky State CollegeState Athletic Field • Lexington, KYW 12–0 October 31TennesseeGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GATENN 6–5 October 31Ole MissTulanePelican Park • New Orleans, LAL 0–10
Week Seven Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceNovember 5ClemsonGeorgiaAugusta, GAUGA 8–0 November 7AuburnGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAAUB 44–0 November 7Mississippi A&MLSUState Field • Baton Rouge, LALSU 50–0 November 7SewaneeSaint LouisSportsman's Park • St. Louis, MOT 6–6 November 7TennesseeVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNVAN 16–9
Week Eight Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceNovember 10BaylorLSU State Field • Baton Rouge, LAW 89–0 November 10Southwestern PresbyterianOle MissOxford, MSL 5–9 November 14GeorgiaAlabama State Fairgrounds • Birmingham, ALT 6–6 November 14SewaneeGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GASEW 6–0 November 14Mississippi A&MTulanePelican Park • New Orleans, LA L 23–0 November 14Ohio StateVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNL 6–17 November 14ClemsonTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNTENN 6–5 November 16HaskellLSUPelican Park • New Orleans, LAW 33–0
Week Nine Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceNovember 17MercerThe CitadelCharleston, SCL5–10 November 19Georgia TechMercerCentral City Park • Macon, GAGT 16–6 November 20HaskellAlabamaThe Quad • Tuscaloosa, ALW 9–8 November 21DavidsonGeorgiaHerty Field • Athens, GAW 2–0 November 21ChattanoogaTennesseeWaite Field • Knoxville, TNW 35–0 November 21VanderbiltWashington UniversityFrancis Field • St. Louis, MOW 28–06,000November 23LSULouisiana IndustrialRuston, LAW 22–0
Week Ten Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance ReferenceNovember 26TennesseeAlabamaState Fairgrounds • Birmingham, ALALA 4–0 November 26ClemsonGeorgia TechPonce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GAGT 30–6 November 26GeorgiaAuburnMontgomery Baseball Park • Montgomery, ALAUB 23–0 November 26LSUArkansasWest End Park • Little Rock, ARW 36–45,000November 26Howard (AL)MercerCentral City Park • Macon, GeorgiaW 45–0 November 26Ole MissMississippi A&MState Fairgrounds • Jackson, MSMSA&M 44–6 November 26SewaneeVanderbiltDudley Field • Nashville, TNT 6–6
Awards and honors All-Southern team
The consensus All-Southern team: PositionNameFirst-team SelectorsTeamQBRay MorrisonNBVanderbiltHBWalker LeachH, DM, NBTennesseeHBLew HardageDMAuburnFBLawrence MarkleyH, DM, NBSewaneeEVaughn BlakeH, DM, NBVanderbiltTFrank FaulkinberryH, DM, NBSewaneeGLouis HasslockH, DM, NBVanderbiltCC. C. CountessAlabamaGJames L. HarrisSewaneeTJ. R. DavisH, DMGeorgia TechEWalker ReynoldsAuburn Selectors include John Heisman (H), Dan McGugin (DM), and Nash Buckingham (NB).
Notes
References