1917 Florida Gators football team

American college football season

1917 Florida Gators football

Conference| Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record| 2–4 (1–3 SIAA)
Head coach|

* Alfred L. Buser (1st season)

Captain| Artie Fuller, Rowdy Bill Wilkinson
Home stadium| University Athletic Field

Seasons

<- 1916

1918 ->

1917 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Georgia Tech $  | 4  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 0  | - | 0
Auburn | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 2  | - | 1
Clemson | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0
Centre | 1  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 1  | - | 0
Mississippi A&M | 3  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 1  | - | 0
Alabama | 3  | - | 1  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 2  | - | 1
Sewanee | 4  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 2  | - | 1
Tulane | 2  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 3  | - | 0
Vanderbilt | 3  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 3  | - | 0
LSU | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 0
South Carolina | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 0
Wofford | 1  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0
Furman | 1  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 0
Florida | 1  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0
Ole Miss | 1  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 4  | - | 1
Howard (AL) | 0  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 3  | - | 3  | - | 1
The Citadel | 0  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0
Mississippi College | 0  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 0  | - | 5  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion
* There were several SIAA schools that did not field a team due to World War I.

The 1917 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1917 college football season. The season was Alfred L. Buser's first of three as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The 1917 season was a disappointment; the team completed their football season with an SIAA conference record of 1–3[1] and an overall record of 2–4.[2]

## Before the season

[edit]

Coach Buser was a former All-American lineman for the Wisconsin Badgers, and promised to bring a Midwestern power football style of play to revive the Gators after the winless 1916 season.[3] Captain "Rowdy Bill" Wilkinson was the team's only returning letterman.[4]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Source

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October 13| South Carolina|

* Fleming Field
* Gainesville, FL

| W 21–13| [5]
October 20| Tulane|

* Fleming Field
* Gainesville, FL

| L 0–52| [6]
October 27| Florida Southern*|

* Fleming Field
* Gainesville, FL

| W 19–7| [7]
November 3| at Auburn|

* Drake Field
* Auburn, AL (rivalry)

| L 0–68| [8]
November 17| vs. Clemson|

* Barrs Field
* Jacksonville, FL

| L 7–55| [9]
November 29| at Kentucky*|

* Stoll Field
* Lexington, KY (rivalry)

| L 0–52| [10]

* *Non-conference game

[2]

## Game summaries

[edit]

### South Carolina

[edit]

South Carolina at Florida |  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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South Carolina | 0 | 7| 0| 6 | 13
• Florida | 0 | 0| 21| 0 | 21

* Date: October 13
* Location: Gainesville, FL
* Referee: Street (W&L)

* Sources:[3]

On opening day, Florida came from behind with three touchdowns in the third quarter to beat South Carolina 21-13.[3]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wurtrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Wells (center), Swink (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[3]

### Tulane

[edit]

Tulane at Florida |  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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• Tulane | 7 | 20| 18| 6 | 51
Florida | 0 | 0| 0| 0 | 0

* Date: October 20
* Location: Gainesville, FL
* Referee: John Counselman

* Sources:[11]

Tulane overwhelmed the Gators 52-0,[11] several times skirting the ends for long gains.[12] The Gators were frequently penalized for offsides and hurdling.[12]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wurtrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Wells (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[11]

### Florida Southern

[edit]

Florida Southern at Florida |  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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Southern | 0 | 0| 7| 0 | 7
• Florida | 6 | 0| 6| 7 | 19

* Date: October 27
* Location: Gainesville, FL
* Referee: Ted Arnold

* Sources:[13]

The Gators extended their winning streak over the Florida Southern to four games, winning 19-7.[13] After the first ten minutes, Florida replaced its backfield with second-string men.[13]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Swink (left guard), Dye (center), Cornell (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Marshall (left halfback), Leifeste (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[13]

### Auburn

[edit]

Florida at Auburn |  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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Florida | 0 | 0| 0| 0 | 0
• Auburn | 14 | 19| 21| 14 | 68

* Date: November 6
* Location: Auburn, AL
* Referee: Tom Dutton

* Sources:[14]

Florida endured its sixth-straight loss to coach Mike Donahue's Auburn team. The Plainsmen had their biggest win on the season over Florida, 68-0.[14]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Fernald (fullback).[14]

### Clemson

[edit]

Clemson at Florida |  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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• Clemson | 21 | 7| 20| 7 | 55
Florida | 0 | 0| 0| 7 | 7

* Date: November 17
* Location: Barrs Field
Jacksonville, FL
* Referee: Streit (Auburn)

* Sources:[15][16]

Clemson defeated the Gators 55-7.[15] Florida's only score came on a forward pass, Loomis to Thomas.[15]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Loomis (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).[15]

### Kentucky

[edit]

Florida at Kentucky |  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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Florida | 0 | 0| 0| 0 | 0
• Kentucky | 13 | 13| 20| 6 | 52

* Date: November 29
* Location: Stoll Field
Lexington, KY
* Referee: Swain (Dickerson)

* Sources:[17]

On Thanksgiving, in the school's first-ever game against the Kentucky Wildcats, Florida lost 52-0.[17] Kentucky used its substitutes by the second half.[18]

The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wuthrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Gunn (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Loomis (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Fernald (fullback).[17]

## Personnel

[edit]

### Line

[edit]

Player  | Position  | Games
started  | Hometown  | Prep school  | Height  | Weight  | Age

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Cutie Brannon | Tackle | 6 | Gainesville |  | 5'7" | 170 | 21
Gordon Clemmons | End | 6 | Plant City |  | 5'10" | 140 | 19
Harvey Connell | Guard | 6 | Orlando |  | 6'0" | 180 | 19
Colonel Dye | Center | 4 | Bradentown |  | 5'11" | 170 | 19
Rat Paul Hayman | End |  | Punta Gorda |  | 5'7" | 150 | 21
P. C. Swink | Guard, tackle | 2 | Spartanburg, SC |  | 5'10" | 155 | 20
Clarence Thomas | End | 6 | Gainesville |  | 5'11" | 160 | 18
Fats Wuthrich | Tackle | 6 | Brewster |  | 5'8" | 170 | 20

### Backfield

[edit]

Player  | Position  | Games
started  | Hometown  | Prep school  | Height  | Weight  | Age

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Heinie Ball | Halfback | 5 | Sanford |  | 5'5" | 155 | 20
Billy Canova | Quarterback |  | Lake City |  | 5'6" | 150 | 19
Fernie Fernald | Fullback | 2 | Tarpon Springs |  | 5'9" | 155 | 18
Horace Loomis | Quarterback | 2 | Plant City |  | 5'9" | 135 | 19
Alf Marshall | Halfback | 1 | Clearwater |  | 5'7" | 145 | 21
Rowdy Bill Wilkinson | Halfback | 5 | Gainesville |  | 5'8" | 145 | 25

### Coaching staff

[edit]

* Head coach: Al Buser
* Manager: W. E. Stone
* Assistant managers: E. B. Casler, J. W. Dalton[19]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Roger Saylor, "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Archived 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
2. ^ a b 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
3. ^ a b c d "Gators Smash Carolina Defense And Win Brilliant 21-13 Victory". The Florida Alligator. October 17, 1917.
4. ^ University of Florida 1918, p. 73
5. ^ "South Carolina defense swept away for Florida victory". The Tampa Tribune. October 14, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Tulane swamps the Alligators". The Tampa Sunday Tribune. October 21, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Southern fights 'Gators to finish". The Tampa Sunday Tribune. October 28, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Florida downed by Auburn Tigers by score of 68 to 0". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 4, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Too much Clemson for Florida team". The Columbia Record. November 18, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Kentucky romps". The Commercial Appeal. November 30, 1917. Retrieved June 2, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ a b c "Tulane Swamps The Alligators". The Florida Alligator. October 24, 1917.
12. ^ a b "Tulane 52, Florida 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 21, 1917. p. 4. Retrieved July 26, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ a b c d "Southern Puts Up A Stiff Fight But Gators Prove Too Strong". The Florida Alligator. October 31, 1917.
14. ^ a b c "Auburn Had Little Trouble Defeating The Light Gator Eleven". The Florida Alligator. November 7, 1917.
15. ^ a b c d Roy L. Bishop (November 21, 1917). "Superior Weight of Clemson Eleven Enabled Them To Defeat Florida Team". The Florida Alligator.
16. ^ "Clemson Defeats Florida's Eleven". Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. November 18, 1917. p. 8. Retrieved April 12, 2022 - via Newspapers.com .
17. ^ a b c "Florida Loses To Kentucky 52-0". The Florida Alligator. December 5, 1917.
18. ^ "State Wins Final Game". The Courier Journal. November 30, 1917. p. 7. Retrieved July 26, 2016 - via Newspapers.com.
19. ^ University of Florida 1918, pp. 72–77

## Bibliography

[edit]

* University of Florida (1918). The Seminole. Vol. 9.

* v
* t
* e

Florida Gators football

Venues|

* The Baseball Park (1906–1910)
* University Athletic Field / Fleming Field (1911–1930)
* Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (1930–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Alabama
* Auburn
* Florida State (Florida Cup)
* Georgia
* Kentucky
* LSU
* Miami (Florida Cup)
* Tennessee

Culture & lore|

* History
* The Pride of the Sunshine
* Gator Chomp
* Mr. Two Bits
* Gatorade
* 1961 gambling scandal
* 1992 SEC Championship Game
* 2009 SEC Championship Game

People|

* Head coaches
* Ring of Honor
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* UF Athletic Hall of Fame
* Starting quarterbacks
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Seasons|

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National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
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*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties