Sports season
1897 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season League NCAA Sport College football Duration October 2, 1897 through January 8, 1898 Number of teams 16 Season champions Vanderbilt
The 1897 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the college football games played by the members schools of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association as part of the 1897 college football season
The season began on October 2. Conference play began on October 9 with Georgia shutting out Clemson 24–0 in Athens .
After the Sewanee game, Coach R. G. Acton 's Vanderbilt Commodores claimed the program's first ever conference title.[1] This was followed by a challenge met by the other southern team to claim a championship, South Atlantic school Virginia ; which claims seven prior championships of the South. The game ended a 0–0 tie. Said Coach Acton, "It was the best game ever played in the South." Vanderbilt held all opponents scoreless.[2]
The Texas Longhorns averaged the most points per game in the conference.[3]
The 1897 season was one in which a member school, Tulane University , was barred from intercollegiate football participation by SIAA President, Dr. Dudley . This was part of a sanction handed down in response to the LSU game the previous season in which Tulane was forced to forfeit for having fielded an ineligible player.[4] [5]
The season was also notable for the game Virginia played against Georgia, featuring the death of Richard Von Albade Gammon .[6]
Season overview [ ]
Results and team statistics [ ]
Key
PPG = Average of points scored per game
PAG = Average of points allowed per game
Regular season [ ]
Index to colors and formatting
Non-conference matchup; SIAA member won
Non-conference matchup; SIAA member lost
Non-conference matchup; tie
Conference matchup
SIAA teams in bold .
Week One [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
October 2
Kentucky University
Kentucky State
Lexington, KY
W 8–6
Week Two [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
October 9
Kentucky University
Vanderbilt
Dudley Field • Nashville, TN
W 22–0
October 9
Clemson
Georgia
Herty Field • Athens, GA
UGA 24–0
October 11
Kentucky State
Kentucky Wesleyan
Owensboro, KY
L 4–0
October 15
King
Tennessee
Waite Field • Knoxville, TN
W 28–0
Week Three [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
October 16
Sewanee
Nashville
Nashville, TN
NASH 6–5
October 18
Central
Sewanee
McGee Field • Sewanee, TN
SEW 4–0
Week Four [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
October 23
San Antonio
Texas
Clark Field • Austin, TX
W 10–0
October 23
Georgia Tech
Georgia
Herty Field • Athens, GA
UGA 24–0
October 23
Auburn
Mercer
Macon, GA
AUB 26–0
October 23
Cumberland
Tennessee
Waite Field • Knoxville, TN
TENN 6–0
October 23
Georgetown (KY)
Kentucky State
Lexington, KY
W 20–4
October 23
Clemson
Charlotte YMCA
Charlotte, NC
W 10–0
October 23
VMI
Vanderbilt
Dudley Field • Nashville, TN
W 12–0
October 25
Clemson
North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
L 28–0
October 29
Auburn
Nashville
Nashville, TN
AUB 14–4
Week Five [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
October 30
Auburn
Sewanee
McGee Field • Sewanee, TN
T 0–0
October 30
Washington & Lee
Central
Lexington, KY
L 22–0
October 30
Virginia
Georgia
Piedmont Park • Atlanta, GA
L 17–4
October 30
Vanderbilt
Kentucky State
Stoll Field • Lexington, KY
VAN 50–0
October 30
Texas
Dallas
Dallas, TX
L 18–4
November 1
Texas
Fort Worth
Fort Worth, TX
L 6–0
November 3
Texas
TCU
Waco, TX
W 18–10
Week Six [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
November 5
North Carolina
Sewanee
McGee Field • Sewanee, TN
L 12–6
November 6
North Carolina
Vanderbilt
Dudley Field • Nashville, TN
W 31–0
November 6
Central
Kentucky State
Lexington, KY
CENT 18–0
November 8
North Carolina
Tennessee
Waite Field • Knoxville, TN
L 16–0
November 10
Clemson
South Carolina
Columbia, SC
W 18–6
Week Seven [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
November 13
Tuscaloosa A. C.
Alabama
The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL
W 6–0
November 13
Houston Town Team
Texas
Clark Field • Austin, TX
W 42–6
Week Eight [ ]
Date
Time
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
November 20
Texas
San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
W 12–0
November 25
Fort Worth
Texas
Clark Field • Austin, TX
W 38–0
November 25
Centre
Kentucky State
Lexington, KY
L 36–0
November 25
Sewanee
Vanderbilt
Dudley Field • Nashville, TN
VAN 10–0
November 25
Virginia Tech
Tennessee
Waite Field • Knoxville, TN
W 18–0
Week Nine [ ]
Date
Time
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
November 26
Tennessee
Bristol A. C.
Bristol, TN
W 12–0
Week Ten [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
December 7
Virginia
Vanderbilt
Dudley Field • Nashville, TN
T 0–0
2,400
[7]
Week Eleven [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
December 11
Dallas
Texas
Clark Field • Austin, TX
W 20–16
Week Twelve [ ]
Week Thirteen [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
December 20
Montgomery A. C.
LSU
State Field • Baton Rouge, LA
W 28–6
Week Fourteen [ ]
Week Fifteen [ ]
Week Sixteen [ ]
Date
Visiting team
Home team
Site
Result
Attendance
Reference
January 8
Cincinnati
LSU
State Field • Baton Rouge, LA
L 26–0
References [ ]
Championships & awards Seasons