1931 Georgia Bulldogs football team

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1931 Georgia Bulldogs football
ConferenceSouthern Conference
1931 record8–2 (6–1 SoCon)
Head coach
CaptainAustin Downes
Home stadiumSanford Stadium (30,000)
Uniform
30sugauniform.png
Seasons
← 1930
1932 →
1931 Southern Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Tulane $ 8 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0
Tennessee 6 – 0 – 1 9 – 0 – 1
Alabama 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Georgia 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Maryland 4 – 1 – 1 8 – 1 – 1
Kentucky 4 – 2 – 2 5 – 2 – 2
LSU 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
South Carolina 3 – 3 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Duke 3 – 3 – 1 5 – 3 – 2
Auburn 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Sewanee 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 1
Vanderbilt 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
North Carolina 2 – 3 – 3 4 – 3 – 3
Washington and Lee 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 1
Florida 2 – 4 – 2 2 – 6 – 2
Georgia Tech 2 – 4 – 1 2 – 7 – 1
VMI 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 1
NC State 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
VPI 1 – 4 – 1 3 – 4 – 2
Clemson 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 6 – 2
Ole Miss 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 1
Virginia 0 – 5 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
Mississippi A&M 0 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1931 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the Georgia Bulldogs of the University of Georgia during the 1931 Southern Conference football season. Members of the Southern Conference, the Bulldogs completed the season with an 8–2 record (6–1 SoCon).[1] The two losses were to the Rose Bowl and national champion USC Trojans, and to SoCon champion and the team defeated by USC in the Rose Bowl, the Tulane Green Wave.[2]

Before the season[]

Georgia's team was led by a group of veterans in end Catfish Smith, fullback Jack "The Ripper" Roberts and captain and quarterback Austin Downes. Buster Mott was a promising sophomore.[3]

Schedule[]

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendance
October 3VPI
W 40–0
October 10at Yale*
W 26–770,000
October 17at North Carolina
W 32–7
October 24Vanderbiltdagger
  • Sanford Stadium
  • Athens, GA (rivalry)
W 9–0
October 31at Florida
W 33–6
November 7at NYU*
W 7–6
November 14at Tulane
  • Sanford Stadium
  • Athens, GA
L 7–20
November 21vs. Auburn
W 12–6
November 28Georgia Tech
W 35–6
December 12at USC*
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
L 0–6075,000
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

Season summary[]

Yale[]

Georgia at Yale
1 234Total
• Georgia 0 13013 26
Yale 0 070 7
  • Date: October 10
  • Location: Yale Bowl
    New Haven, Connecticut
  • Game attendance: 70,000
  • Referee: Halloran (Providence)

For the third straight year, Georgia's Bulldogs triumphed over "superstar" Hall of Famer Albie Booth and Yale's Bulldogs 26–7.[4] Yale once had the ball on its own 45-yard line. "Tommy Taylor dropped back to pass. Catfish Smith hit Taylor as he released the ball and the wobbly toss was grabbed by guard Red Leathers of Georgia, who proceeded to dash 40 yards to the touchdown."[5] Before the first half was over, Homer Key ran for a 74-yard touchdown, starting through right and cutting back. "He was surrounded by blue-clad players. He shuttled in and out like a white needle in haystack of blue, and finally he shout out and streaked for the goal."[5]

In the fourth quarter, after a short punt, Austin Downes connected with Key on a 27-yard touchdown pass. Later, Dickens intercepted Booth's pass at the 29-yard line,[6] and Georgia drove it in with Gilmore finally going over to end the scoring.[5]

The starting lineup was Crenshaw (left end), Townsend (left tackle), Patterson (left guard), Batchelder (center), Maddux (right guard), Cooper (right tackle), Wilson (right end), Downes (quarterback), Chandler (left halfback), Mott (right halfback) White (fullback).[6]

Florida[]

The Bulldogs beat Charlie Bachman at Florida for the first time 33–6. Both Florida governor Doyle E. Carlton and Georgia governor Richard B. Russell attended the game.[7] Florida scored when Scabby Phiel blocked a punt. Georgia scored in every period.[7]

Tulane[]

Tulane at Georgia
1 234Total
• Tulane 7 670 20
Georgia 0 070 7

Georgia lost to the eventual SIAA champion Tulane Green Wave 20–7. Tulane scored first on a 33-yard pass from Don Zimmerman to Vernon Haynes.[5] Nollie Felts plunged in from the 1-yard line for the next touchdown.[5] A pass from Georgia's Homey Key to Buster Mott netted 60 yards and a touchdown.[5] After a botched punt, a double pass play led to Payne sprinting around left end for Tulane's final score.[5]

USC[]

Georgia was beaten by the national champion USC Trojans 60–0.

References[]

  1. ^ "1931 Georgia Bulldogs Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  2. ^ Ray Schmidt. "The Georgia Armada" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Pack of Veterans Carry on Georgia's Grid Wars". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. October 12, 1931.
  4. ^ http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/072407aaf.html[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ a b c d e f g http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/CFHSN/CFHSNv03/CFHSNv03n3c.pdf
  6. ^ a b Westbrook Pegler (October 11, 1931). "70,000 Watch Georgia Eleven Beat Yale, 26-7". Chicago Tribune.
  7. ^ a b "Georgia Thumps Florida Gators". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. November 1, 1931. p. 11. Retrieved July 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
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