1905 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

American college football season

1905 Vanderbilt Commodores football

Michigan coach Fielding Yost sits in the center next to coach McGugin.

SIAA champion

Conference| Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record| 7–1 (6–0 SIAA)
Head coach|

* Dan McGugin (2nd season)

Offensive scheme| Short punt
Captain| Innis Brown
Home stadium| Dudley Field

Seasons

<- 1904

1906 ->

1905 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Vanderbilt $  | 5  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 1  | - | 0
Georgia Tech | 5  | - | 0  | - | 1 |  |  | 6  | - | 0  | - | 1
LSU | 2  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 0  | - | 0
Sewanee | 3  | - | 1  | - | 1 |  |  | 4  | - | 2  | - | 1
Clemson | 3  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 3  | - | 2  | - | 1
Cumberland (TN) | 3  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0
Alabama | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Nashville | 0  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 0  | - | 2  | - | 0
Auburn | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0
Mississippi A&M | 1  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 4  | - | 0
Tulane | 0  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 0  | - | 1  | - | 0
Ole Miss | 0  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 0  | - | 2  | - | 0
Tennessee | 0  | - | 4  | - | 1 |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 1
Georgia | 0  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

The 1905 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 1905 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season.[1] The team's head coach was Dan McGugin, who served his second season in that capacity. Members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Commodores played six home games in Nashville, Tennessee and finished the season with a record 7–1 overall and 6–0 in SIAA, outscoring their opponents 372–22 . Vanderbilt played seven home games and won them all including six shutout victories.

Their only loss came on the road to McGugin's old team, Michigan, 18–0. From 1903 to 1905 Vandy won 13 consecutive games and was 22–2–1 in those three seasons. They finish the 1905 season with a 17-game home win streak. The streak reached 26 games before Michigan stopped them on November 2, 1907.

## Before the season

[edit]

The team was captained by Innis Brown, later a prominent sportswriter.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|

September 30| Maryville (TN)*|

* Dudley Field
* Nashville, TN

| W 97–0| | [2]
October 7| Alabama|

* Dudley Field
* Nashville, TN

| W 34–0| 1,500| [3]
October 14| Michigan*|

* Regents Field
* Ann Arbor, MI

| L 0–18| | [4]
October 21| Tennessee|

* Baldwin Park
* Knoxville, TN (rivalry)

| W 45–0| | [5]
October 28| Texas*|

* Dudley Field
* Nashville, TN

| W 33–0| | [6]
November 4| Auburn|

* Dudley Field
* Nashville, TN

| W 54–0| | [7]
November 18| Clemson|

* Dudley Field
* Nashville, TN

| W 41–0| | [8]
November 30| Sewanee|

* Dudley Field
* Nashville, TN (rivalry)

| W 68–4| | [9]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming

[10]

## Game summaries

[edit]

### Maryville (TN)

[edit]

The season opened with a big win, 97–0 over the Maryville Scots. Owsley Manier scored eight touchdowns.[11]

Coach McGugin said "The boys went at it hammer and tongs, and, considering the heat and short halves, they put up a fine game."[11]

The starting lineup was B. Blake (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Stone (left guard), Patterson (center), Brown (right guard), Pritchard (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Kyle (quarterback), D. Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback).[11]

### Alabama

[edit]

Alabama was no match for Vanderbilt, losing 34–0. Honus Craig was the star of the game.[12] Quarterback Frank Kyle was severely injured, knocked unconscious and taken to the hospital.[13]

The starting lineup was Brown (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Stone (left guard), Patterson (center), Sherrell (right guard), Pritchard (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Kyle (quarterback), D. Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback).[13]

### Michigan

[edit]

In the fifth game of the season, Vanderbilt suffered its first loss under coach McGugin, to his mentor and brother in law Fielding H. Yost and his Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor 18–0.[14] Tom Hammond, Joe Curtis, and John Garrels scored Michigan's three touchdowns. The longest was by Hammond, of 20 yards.[15] Vanderbilt did not make a single first down.[15]

The starting lineup was Hamilton (left end), Pritchard (left tackle), Brown (left guard), Patterson (center), Stone (right guard), Taylor (right tackle), B. Blake (right end), Kyle (quarterback), Craig (left halfback), D. Blake (right halfback), Manier (fullback).[15]

### Tennessee

[edit]

Tennessee at Vanderbilt |  | 1 | 2| Total

|
|
|

Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 0
• Vanderbilt | 24 | 21 | 45

* Date: October 21
* Location: Curry Field • Nashville, Tennessee
* Referee: Bachman

Sources:[16]

Vanderbilt beat the rival Tennessee Volunteers by a score of 45–0. The Vols were coached by fellow Michigan alum James DePree. Coach McGugin remarked: "Depree was a very valuable man to Michigan athletics and has lots of friends there who are watching his work."[16] Sam Y. Parker sat out the game with injury.[16] Dan Blake made the first three touchdowns.[16]

The starting lineup was Brown (left end), Taylor (left tackle), McLain (left guard), Patterson (center), Sherrell (right guard), Pritchard (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Kyle (quarterback), D. Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback).[16]

### Texas

[edit]

The Commodores defeated the Texas Longhorns, seen as the strongest of the other contenders for the SIAA, by a score of 33–0.[17] ""Honus" Craig, whom no one has ever yet stopped, played probably the greatest game ever put up by a Commodore."[18]

The starting lineup was B. Blake (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Brown (left guard), Patterson (center), Stone (right guard), Pritchard (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Kyle (quarterback), D. Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback).[18]

### Auburn

[edit]

The Commodores dominated the Auburn Tigers 54–0, playing the whole game in their territory.[19] Last season, Auburn and Vanderbilt disputed the SIAA title.[20]

The starting lineup was B. Blake (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Brown (left guard), Patterson (center), Stone (right guard), Pritchard (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Haygood (quarterback), D. Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback).[19]

### Clemson

[edit]

Clemson at Vanderbilt |  | 1 | 2| Total

|
|
|

Clemson | 0 | 0 | 0
• Vanderbilt | 17 | 24 | 41

* Date: November 19
* Location: Curry Field • Nashville, Tennessee
* Referee: Bradley Walker

Sources:[21]

The Commodores beat the Clemson Tigers 41–0. Owsley Manier went through for the first two touchdowns. The third was scored by Taylor, a 12-yard run just before the end of the first half.[21]

The starting lineup was B. Blake (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Stone (left guard), Patterson (center), Brown (right guard), Pritchard (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Kyle (quarterback), D. Blake (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback).[21]

### Sewanee

[edit]

Vanderbilt crushed a strong Sewanee squad 68–4. One publication claims "The first scouting done in the South was in 1905, when Dan McGugin and Captain Innis Brown, of Vanderbilt went to Atlanta to see Sewanee play Georgia Tech."[22] John Scarbrough made Sewanee's only points on a 35-yard field goal.[23] On the dedication of Harris Stadium, one writer noted "The University of the South has numbered among its athletes some of the greatest. Anyone who played against giant Henry Phillips in 1901–1903 felt that he was nothing less than the best as guard and fullback. Anyone who ever saw a punt from the foot of J. W. Scarbrough."[24] Honus Craig once ran 60 yards for a touchdown.[23]

The starting lineup was B. Blake (left end), Taylor (left tackle), Brown (left guard), Patterson (center), Stone (right guard), Pritchard (right tackle), Hamilton (right end), Kyle (quarterback), Noel (left halfback), Craig (right halfback), Manier (fullback).[23]

## Players

[edit]

### Depth chart

[edit]

The following chart provides a visual depiction of Vanderbilt's lineup during the 1905 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses. The chart mimics a short punt formation while on offense, with the quarterback under center.

|  | LE

Bob Blake (5)
Innis Brown (2)
Ed Hamilton (1)
| LT | LG | C | RG | RT

|
|
|
|

Hillsman Taylor (7) | Innis Brown (4) | Emma Patterson (8) | Stein Stone (4) | Joe Pritchard (7)
Joe Pritchard (1) | Stein Stone (3) | Fatty Hobbs (0) | Innis Brown (2) | Hillsman Taylor (1)
Clarence Fugler (0) | Fatty McLain (1) | Stein Stone (0) | Horace Sherrell (2) |
| RE

Ed Hamilton (7)
Bob Blake (1)
Vaughn Blake (0)
|  | QB

Frank Kyle (7)
Jimmy R. Haygood (1)
|  | LHB | RHB

|

Dan Blake (6) | Honus Craig (7)
Honus Craig (1) | Dan Blake (1)
Oscar Noel (1) | Guy Crawford (0)
|  | FB

Owsley Manier (8)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Official Foot Ball Rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. American Sports Publishing Company. January 1, 1906.
2. ^ "Maryville lost, 97 to 0". The Journal and Tribune. October 1, 1905. Retrieved May 5, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Vanderbilt beat Alabama by a score of 34 to 0". The Nashville American. October 8, 1905. Retrieved February 16, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Michigan in good gamr; Vanderbilt displays great strength but loses, 18–0". Chicago Tribune. October 15, 1905. Retrieved May 5, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "U. of T. overwhelmed, Vanderbilt plays horse with state university boys". The Chattanooga Sunday Times. October 22, 1905. Retrieved August 1, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Vanderbilt adds another victim". The Commercial Appeal. October 29, 1905. Retrieved May 5, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Vanderbilt trims Auburn by score of 54 to 0". The Atlanta Journal. November 5, 1905. Retrieved May 5, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Vanderbilt is too much for Clemson". The Birmingham Age-Herald. November 19, 1905. Retrieved May 5, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Crushing defeat for gritty Sewanee team". Nashville Banner. December 1, 1905. Retrieved May 5, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Coaching Records Game by Game: Dan McGugin 1905". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
11. ^ a b c "Gold and Black". The Nashville American. October 1, 1905. p. 7. Retrieved June 19, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2016.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
13. ^ a b "Vanderbilt". The Nashville American. October 8, 1905. p. 7. Retrieved June 19, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
14. ^ "Michigan 28 – Vanderbilt 0". The Michigan Alumnus. November 1905. p. 79.
15. ^ a b c "Wolverines Heavy Pounders". Pittsburgh Daily Post. October 15, 1905. p. 15. Retrieved May 10, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
16. ^ a b c d e "Can't Stop 'Em". The Tennessean. October 22, 1905. p. 6. Retrieved June 19, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
17. ^ "Vanderbilt 33; Texas 0". The Wilmington Messenger. October 29, 1905. p. 1. Retrieved May 10, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
18. ^ a b W. J. Ewing Jr. (October 29, 1905). "Brilliant". The Nashville American. p. 7. Retrieved June 19, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
19. ^ a b "Vanderbilt 54, Auburn 0". The Courier-Journal. November 5, 1905. p. 30. Retrieved May 10, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
20. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 173
21. ^ a b c "Clemson Beaten By Vanderbilt". The Atlanta Constitution. November 19, 1905. p. 2. Retrieved May 10, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
22. ^ George Allen (February 2009). How to Scout Football. p. 3\. ISBN 9781578987290.
23. ^ a b c "Vanderbilt 68, Sewanee 4". The Courier-Journal. December 1, 1905. p. 7. Retrieved May 10, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
24. ^ "Stadium Has Harris Name" (PDF). The Sewanee Purple. November 6, 1957.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 1.

* v
* t
* e

Vanderbilt Commodores football

Venues|

* Old Dudley Field (1892–1921)
* Curry Field (1922)
* Dudley Field (1922–1980)
* FirstBank Stadium (1980–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Georgia
* Georgia Tech
* Kentucky
* Ole Miss
* Sewanee
* Tennessee

Culture & lore|

* History
* Origin of "Commodores"
* "Dynamite"
* Marching band
* Porter Cup
* Vanderbilt rape case
* 1906 Carlisle game
* 1910 Yale game
* 1922 Michigan game
* 2024 Alabama game
* IMG Sports Newtork

People|

* Head coaches
* Starting quarterbacks
* All-Americans
* All-Southerns
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders
* William Lofland Dudley

Seasons|

* 1890
* 1891
* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

National championships in bold

* v
* t
* e

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football champions

Pre-SoCon|

* Georgia & LSU (1896)
* Vanderbilt (1897)
* Sewanee (1898)
* Sewanee (1899)
* Clemson (1900)
* Vanderbilt (1901)
* Clemson & LSU (1902)
* Clemson & Cumberland (1903)
* Auburn & Vanderbilt (1904)
* Vanderbilt (1905)
* Clemson & Vanderbilt (1906)
* Vanderbilt (1907)
* Auburn or LSU (1908)
* Sewanee (1909)
* Auburn & Vanderbilt (1910)
* Vanderbilt (1911)
* Vanderbilt (1912)
* Auburn (1913)
* Auburn & Tennessee (1914)
* Vanderbilt (1915)
* Georgia Tech & Tennessee (1916)
* Georgia Tech (1917)
* Georgia Tech (1918)
* Auburn (1919)
* Georgia, Georgia Tech & Tulane (1920)
* Centre, Georgia, Georgia Tech & Vanderbilt (1921)

Post-SoCon|

* Furman (1922)
* Furman (1923)
* Centre & Oglethorpe (1924)
* Oglethorpe (1925)
* Centenary & Chattanooga (1926)
* Centenary, Furman, Chattanooga & Mississippi College (1927)
* Chattanooga (1928)
* Chattanooga (1929)
* Presbyterian (1930)
* Chattanooga (1931)
* Western Kentucky State Teachers (1932)
* Murray State (1933)
* Furman (1934)
* Middle Tennessee State Teachers (1935)
* Middle Tennessee State Teachers (1936)
* Murray State (1937)
* West Tennessee State Teachers (1938)
* Louisiana Normal (1939)
* Rollins (1940)
* Presbyterian (1941)

National championships in bold
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties