1920 college football season Cal's "Wonder Team"
Number of bowls 2 Champion(s) California Princeton
← 1919 ·
football seasons
· 1921 →
The 1920 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing California , Georgia , Harvard , Notre Dame , and Princeton as national champions.[1] Only California and Princeton claim national championships for the 1920 season. Andy Smith 's Pacific Coast Conference champion California "Wonder Team" was the first national champion from the Pacific Coast.[2] Princeton and Harvard were undefeated and with one tie to each other. Notre Dame was led by its first Walter Camp All-American, George Gipp , who died before the year was over.[3]
In the south, fans of either side in Georgia were happy. Georgia and Georgia Tech were both undefeated in Southern play. Georgia Tech lost to Pitt , which was undefeated with two ties. No team scored through Georgia's line, and its backfield was known as the "ten second backfield".[4] Jimmy Leech of VMI 's "Flying Squadron" led the nation in scoring. One writer claimed "he is one of the greatest broken field runners the country has ever seen."[5]
The Southwest Conference saw an undefeated Texas team with the same 9-0 record as the champions cited above. Texas shut out six of the nine teams they faced and scored 282 points while allowing only 13.[6] The final game of the year for Texas against Texas A&M was cited as the real beginning of the storied rivalry between the two schools, which dates back to 1894 and featured 118 contests, in which Texas won 75 and tied 5.[7] [8]
In the Rose Bowl , Cal defeated Ohio State 28–0. Brick Muller completed a 53-yard touchdown pass to Brodie Stephens after receiving a toss from Pesky Sprott, at the time thought impossible.[9]
Conference and program changes [ ]
Conference establishments [ ]
Two new conferences began play in 1920:
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – an active NCAA Division III conference
Tri-Normal League – active until 1984; later known as the Washington Intercollegiate Conference and Evergreen Conference
Membership changes [ ]
School
1920 Conference
1921 Conference
Indiana State Normal Fightin' Teachers
Program Re-Established
Independent
Kent State Normal Silver Foxes
Program Established
Independent
Oklahoma Sooners
Southwest
Missouri Valley
Phillips Haymakers
Independent
Southwest
UCLA Bruins
Independent
SCIAC
Bowl games [ ]
California defeated Ohio State , 28–0, in the 1921 Rose Bowl . The first and only Fort Worth Classic was held on January 1, 1921, with Centre defeating TCU .
Conference standings [ ]
Major conference standings [ ]
1920 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Ohio State $
5
–
0
–
0
7
–
1
–
0
Wisconsin
4
–
1
–
0
6
–
1
–
0
Indiana
3
–
1
–
0
5
–
2
–
0
Illinois
4
–
2
–
0
5
–
2
–
0
Iowa
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
2
–
0
Michigan
2
–
2
–
0
5
–
2
–
0
Northwestern
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
4
–
0
Chicago
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
4
–
0
Purdue
0
–
4
–
0
2
–
5
–
0
Minnesota
0
–
6
–
0
1
–
6
–
0
1920 Missouri Valley football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Oklahoma $
4
–
0
–
1
6
–
0
–
1
Missouri
5
–
1
–
0
7
–
1
–
0
Kansas
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
2
–
1
Iowa State
3
–
2
–
0
4
–
4
–
0
Drake
1
–
3
–
1
4
–
5
–
1
Washington University
1
–
4
–
0
4
–
4
–
0
Grinnell
0
–
2
–
1
3
–
3
–
1
Kansas State
0
–
3
–
1
3
–
3
–
3
1920 Pacific Coast Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
California $
3
–
0
–
0
9
–
0
–
0
Stanford
2
–
1
–
0
4
–
3
–
0
Oregon
1
–
1
–
1
3
–
2
–
1
Washington State
1
–
1
–
0
5
–
1
–
0
Oregon Agricultural
1
–
2
–
1
2
–
2
–
2
Washington
0
–
3
–
0
1
–
5
–
0
1920 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Colorado Agricultural $
6
–
0
–
1
6
–
1
–
1
Colorado College
4
–
1
–
1
5
–
1
–
1
Colorado
3
–
1
–
2
4
–
1
–
2
Utah Agricultural
2
–
1
–
1
4
–
2
–
1
Denver
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
4
–
0
Montana State
0
–
0
–
1
4
–
1
–
1
Utah
1
–
2
–
1
1
–
5
–
1
Wyoming
2
–
5
–
1
4
–
5
–
1
Colorado Mines
0
–
6
–
0
0
–
6
–
0
1920 South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
VMI $
5
–
0
–
0
9
–
0
–
0
Maryland
4
–
0
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Washington and Lee
3
–
0
–
0
5
–
3
–
0
Georgetown
3
–
1
–
0
6
–
4
–
0
Virginia
3
–
1
–
0
5
–
2
–
2
NC State
4
–
2
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Richmond
2
–
2
–
0
6
–
2
–
0
Davidson
2
–
2
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
VPI
2
–
4
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
Catholic University
1
–
3
–
0
3
–
5
–
0
George Washington
0
–
1
–
0
1
–
6
–
1
St. John's (MD)
0
–
1
–
0
0
–
1
–
0
Johns Hopkins
0
–
2
–
0
0
–
3
–
0
William & Mary
0
–
4
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
North Carolina
0
–
5
–
0
2
–
6
–
0
1920 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Georgia +
7
–
0
–
0
8
–
0
–
1
Tulane +
5
–
0
–
0
6
–
2
–
1
Georgia Tech +
4
–
0
–
0
8
–
1
–
0
Alabama
6
–
1
–
0
10
–
1
–
0
Centre
4
–
1
–
0
8
–
2
–
0
Furman
3
–
1
–
0
9
–
1
–
0
South Carolina
3
–
1
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Tennessee
5
–
2
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Auburn
4
–
2
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Mississippi A&M
4
–
2
–
0
5
–
3
–
0
Sewanee
3
–
3
–
1
4
–
3
–
1
Vanderbilt
3
–
3
–
0
4
–
3
–
1
Transylvania
2
–
2
–
0
3
–
4
–
0
Howard (AL)
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
5
–
1
Mississippi College
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
5
–
0
Florida
1
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Clemson
2
–
6
–
0
4
–
6
–
1
LSU
1
–
3
–
0
5
–
3
–
1
Chattanooga
1
–
3
–
0
3
–
4
–
1
The Citadel
1
–
4
–
0
2
–
6
–
0
Ole Miss
0
–
2
–
0
4
–
3
–
0
Kentucky
0
–
3
–
1
3
–
4
–
1
Georgetown (KY)
0
–
2
–
0
0
–
3
–
0
Millsaps
0
–
3
–
0
0
–
3
–
0
Mercer
0
–
4
–
0
2
–
7
–
0
Wofford
0
–
4
–
0
0
–
8
–
1
+ – Conference co-champions
1920 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Texas $
5
–
0
–
0
9
–
0
–
0
Texas A&M
5
–
1
–
0
6
–
1
–
1
Arkansas
2
–
0
–
1
3
–
2
–
2
Rice
2
–
2
–
1
4
–
2
–
2
Baylor
1
–
2
–
1
4
–
4
–
1
SMU
0
–
4
–
1
3
–
5
–
2
Phillips
0
–
3
–
0
4
–
4
–
2
Oklahoma A&M
0
–
3
–
0
0
–
7
–
1
Independents [ ]
1920 Eastern college football independents records
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Boston College
–
8
–
0
–
0
Harvard
–
8
–
0
–
1
Princeton
–
6
–
0
–
1
Penn State
–
7
–
0
–
2
Pittsburgh
–
6
–
0
–
2
Army
–
7
–
2
–
0
Dartmouth
–
7
–
2
–
0
Cornell
–
6
–
2
–
0
Syracuse
–
6
–
2
–
1
Geneva
–
5
–
2
–
1
New Hampshire
–
5
–
2
–
1
Brown
–
6
–
3
–
0
Bucknell
–
6
–
3
–
0
Washington & Jefferson
–
6
–
3
–
1
Penn
–
6
–
4
–
0
Carnegie Tech
–
5
–
3
–
0
Lafayette
–
5
–
3
–
0
Holy Cross
–
5
–
3
–
0
Williams
–
5
–
3
–
0
Yale
–
5
–
3
–
0
Fordham
–
4
–
3
–
0
Franklin & Marshall
–
3
–
2
–
2
Boston University
–
4
–
3
–
1
Columbia
–
4
–
4
–
0
Duquesne
–
3
–
3
–
1
Vermont
–
3
–
5
–
0
NYU
–
2
–
5
–
1
Rhode Island State
–
0
–
4
–
4
Tufts
–
2
–
6
–
0
Rutgers
–
2
–
7
–
0
Colgate
–
1
–
5
–
2
Villanova
–
1
–
5
–
1
Drexel
–
0
–
6
–
0
1920 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Notre Dame
–
9
–
0
–
0
Butler
–
7
–
1
–
0
St. Xavier
–
7
–
1
–
0
Detroit
–
8
–
2
–
0
Marquette
–
7
–
2
–
0
Haskell
–
7
–
2
–
1
St. Ignatius (OH)
–
4
–
2
–
0
Iowa State Teachers
–
4
–
2
–
1
Valparaiso
–
5
–
3
–
0
Nebraska
–
5
–
3
–
1
Central Michigan
–
4
–
3
–
1
Akron
–
4
–
4
–
0
Wabash
–
3
–
4
–
0
Western State Normal (MI)
–
3
–
4
–
0
North Dakota Agricultural
–
2
–
3
–
1
Michigan Agricultural
–
4
–
6
–
0
Earlham
–
2
–
3
–
0
Northern Illinois State
–
3
–
5
–
0
Dayton
–
2
–
4
–
0
Kent State
–
1
–
2
–
0
Saint Louis
–
3
–
6
–
0
Bowling Green
–
1
–
4
–
0
Toledo
–
0
–
3
–
0
1920 Western college football independents records
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Nevada
–
7
–
3
–
1
USC
–
6
–
0
–
0
Arizona
–
6
–
1
–
0
Hawaii
–
6
–
2
–
0
New Mexico A&M
–
5
–
1
–
1
Santa Clara
–
5
–
1
–
0
Idaho
–
4
–
2
–
0
Gonzaga
–
4
–
3
–
0
Montana
–
4
–
3
–
0
New Mexico
–
3
–
3
–
0
University Farm
–
3
–
4
–
0
Pacific (CA)
–
1
–
2
–
1
Saint Mary's
–
0
–
3
–
0
Minor conferences [ ]
Conference
Champion(s)
Record
Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association
No champion
—
Inter-Normal Athletic Conference of Wisconsin
Oshkosh Normal
4–0–1
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Friends (KS)
—
Louisiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Unknown
—
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Albion
4–0
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Hamline
2–1–1
Nebraska Intercollegiate Conference
Unknown
—
Ohio Athletic Conference
Wooster
7–0
Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference
Tulsa
6–0–1
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Pomona
5–0
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Morehouse
—
Tri-Normal League
Spokane
—
Minor conference standings [ ]
1920 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Howard
5
–
0
–
0
7
–
0
–
0
Virginia Union
1
–
1
–
0
6
–
2
–
0
Shaw
2
–
2
–
0
2
–
2
–
1
Hampton
2
–
3
–
0
4
–
3
–
1
Lincoln (PA)
1
–
2
–
0
3
–
2
–
0
Virginia Normal
0
–
3
–
0
3
–
4
–
0
1920 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Southern Illinois
–
4
–
5
–
0
Carthage
0
–
4
–
1
1
–
5
–
1
1920 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Washburn +
4
–
0
–
2
4
–
2
–
3
Friends +
7
–
1
–
0
7
–
1
–
0
College of Emporia
6
–
1
–
1
6
–
1
–
1
St. Mary's (KS)
4
–
2
–
0
6
–
2
–
0
Baker
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Bethany (KS)
4
–
3
–
1
4
–
3
–
1
Fairmount
4
–
3
–
2
4
–
3
–
2
Pittsburg Normal
3
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
1
Kansas State Normal
2
–
3
–
1
2
–
4
–
2
Hays Normal
2
–
3
–
1
2
–
5
–
1
Southwestern (KS)
2
–
5
–
1
2
–
5
–
2
Ottawa
1
–
6
–
0
1
–
6
–
0
Kansas Wesleyan
0
–
3
–
2
0
–
5
–
3
Sterling
0
–
7
–
1
0
–
7
–
1
+ – Conference co-champions
1920 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Albion $
4
–
0
–
1
4
–
2
–
2
Kalamazoo
3
–
1
–
0
5
–
3
–
1
Hillsdale
2
–
1
–
1
6
–
1
–
1
Michigan State Normal
1
–
2
–
0
6
–
2
–
0
Olivet
1
–
2
–
0
1
–
5
–
0
Alma
0
–
5
–
0
0
–
7
–
0
1920 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Carleton
3
–
1
–
0
4
–
1
–
2
Hamline $
2
–
1
–
1
4
–
3
–
1
Macalester
2
–
1
–
1
3
–
2
–
2
St. Olaf
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
2
–
0
St. Thomas (MN)
1
–
3
–
0
2
–
5
–
1
Gustavus Adolphus
0
–
3
–
0
1
–
3
–
0
1920 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Kirksville +
6
–
0
–
0
8
–
0
–
0
William Jewell +
5
–
0
–
2
5
–
1
–
2
Missouri Mines +
4
–
0
–
0
4
–
4
–
0
Missouri Wesleyan *
3
–
1
–
2
4
–
2
–
2
Warrensburg
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
3
–
1
Springfield (MO)
2
–
4
–
0
2
–
6
–
0
Tarkio
1
–
2
–
1
3
–
3
–
1
Missouri Valley
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
4
–
0
Drury †
1
–
3
–
0
1
–
5
–
0
Westminster (MO)
1
–
4
–
1
1
–
4
–
2
Central (MO)
1
–
5
–
0
1
–
6
–
0
Maryville (MO)
0
–
2
–
0
0
–
3
–
0
Cape Girardeau
0
–
2
–
0
0
–
5
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions * – Missouri Wesleyan forfeited a win over Kirksville † – Drury forfeited wins over William Jewell and Missouri Mines
1920 Nebraska Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Grand Island
6
–
0
–
1
6
–
0
–
2
Doane
5
–
0
–
1
5
–
1
–
1
Nebraska Wesleyan
4
–
0
–
1
6
–
2
–
2
Omaha
5
–
0
–
0
7
–
1
–
0
Hastings
5
–
2
–
1
5
–
2
–
1
Peru Normal
5
–
4
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Midland
3
–
6
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
York (NE)
2
–
5
–
0
2
–
5
–
0
Wayne Normal
1
–
3
–
0
1
–
4
–
1
Cotner
1
–
6
–
0
1
–
6
–
0
Kearney Normal
1
–
7
–
0
1
–
7
–
0
Nebraska Central
0
–
6
–
0
0
–
6
–
0
Championship: Grand Island 0, Nebraska Wesleyan 0
1920 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Wooster $
7
–
0
–
0
9
–
0
–
0
Wittenberg
5
–
0
–
0
8
–
0
–
0
Ohio State
2
–
0
–
0
7
–
1
–
0
Denison
5
–
1
–
1
6
–
1
–
1
Oberlin
5
–
2
–
0
5
–
2
–
0
Heidelberg
3
–
2
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Cincinnati
3
–
2
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Miami (OH)
3
–
2
–
1
5
–
2
–
1
Mount Union
3
–
3
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Ohio Wesleyan
3
–
3
–
0
4
–
3
–
0
Ohio Northern
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
4
–
0
Akron
2
–
4
–
0
4
–
4
–
0
Case
2
–
5
–
1
2
–
8
–
1
Ohio
1
–
3
–
0
4
–
3
–
0
Kenyon
1
–
6
–
1
2
–
5
–
1
Western Reserve
1
–
6
–
0
2
–
8
–
0
Hiram
0
–
6
–
0
0
–
9
–
0
1920 Southern California Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Pomona $
5
–
0
–
0
6
–
1
–
0
Occidental
3
–
2
–
0
4
–
3
–
0
Whittier
3
–
2
–
0
3
–
2
–
0
Caltech
2
–
2
–
1
3
–
3
–
1
Redlands
1
–
3
–
1
2
–
4
–
1
Southern Branch
0
–
5
–
0
0
–
5
–
0
Awards and honors [ ]
All-Americans [ ]
Main article: 1920 College Football All-America Team
The consensus All-America team included:
Position
Name
Height
Weight (lbs.)
Class
Hometown
Team
QB
Donold Lourie
5'11"
164
Sr.
Peru, Illinois
Princeton
HB
Gaylord Stinchcomb
5'8"
157
Sr.
Sycamore, Ohio
Ohio State
HB
Charley Way
5'8"
144
Sr.
Embreeville, Pennsylvania
Penn State
FB
George Gipp
6'1"
180
Sr.
Laurium, Michigan
Notre Dame
E
Chuck Carney
6'1"
190
Jr.
Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
E
Bill Fincher
6'0"
182
Sr.
Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia Tech
T
Stan Keck
5'11"
206
Jr.
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Princeton
G
Tim Callahan
Sr.
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Yale
G
Tom Woods
Sr.
Boston, Massachusetts
Harvard
C
Herb Stein
6'1"
186
Jr.
Warren, Ohio
Pittsburgh
G
Iolas Huffman
5'11"
228
Jr.
Chandlersville, Ohio
Ohio State
T
Ralph Scott
6'2"
235
Sr.
Dewey, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
E
Luke Urban
5'8"
165
Sr.
Fall River, Massachusetts
Boston College
Statistical leaders [ ]
Player scoring most points: Jimmy Leech , VMI, 210
Player scoring most touchdowns, Jimmy Leech, 26
Total offense leader: Jimmy Leech, 1771
Rushing yards leader: Jimmy Leech, 1723
Rushing avg leader: Buck Flowers , Georgia Tech, 10.2
Receptions leader: Eddie Anderson , Notre Dame, 17
Receiving yards leader: Eddie Anderson, 293
References [ ]
Pre-NCAA
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NCAA pre-divisional NCAA University Division
1956
1957
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1959
1960
1961
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1972
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I-A/FBS NCAA Division I-AA/FCS NCAA College Division NCAA Division II NCAA Division III
1920–21 NCAA championships