1917 Auburn Tigers football team

Schedule

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Game summaries

8th Ohio Infantry

The season opened with a 13–0 victory over the 8th Ohio Infantry at Montgomery.

Howard (AL)

In the second week of play, the Tigers defeated the Howard Baptists, 53–0.

Clemson

• Sources: Auburn beat Clemson on Riggs Field 7–0, in a close game. Ducote starred for Auburn and Stumpy Banks starred for Clemson.

Auburn's starting lineup was Ducote (left end), Caton (left tackle), Samford (left guard), Rogers (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Styles (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Creel (right halfback), Revington (fullback).

Mississippi A&M

• Sources: Auburn won a tough game with the Mississippi Aggies, winning 13–6. The Aggies score when their tackle, Horton, picked up a fumble and ran 95 yards for a touchdown.

Auburn's starting lineup was Styles (left end), Caton (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Rogers (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Gibson (right end), Ducote (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Trapp (right halfback), Revington (fullback).

Florida

• Sources: Auburn's biggest win was 68–0 over Florida.

Auburn's starting lineup was Creel (left end), Styles (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Gibson (right end), Ducote (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Trapp (right halfback), Revington (fullback).

Davidson

• Sources: Davidson, led by Buck Flowers, beat the Tigers 21–7 in an upset, one of the greatest in Southern history. Flowers returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown, caught a pass for a second touchdown, set up a third touchdown with an 85-yard return to Auburn's two-yard line, and kicked all three extra points for the Wildcats. He also prevented Auburn from scoring with a tackle at the goal line.

Auburn's starting lineup was Esslinger (left end), Styles (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Gibson (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Ducote (right halfback), Revington (fullback).

Vanderbilt

• Sources: The Tigers defeated Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores 31–7.

Auburn's starting lineup was Gibson (left end), Styles (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Creel (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Ducote (right halfback), Revington (fullback).

Ohio State

• Sources: Auburn held undefeated Big Ten champion Ohio State to a scoreless tie less than a week before the Tech game. Ohio State, led by Chic Harley, had been favored 4 or 5 to 1. Coach John Heisman (who previously coached at Auburn) and his players were at the game, rooting for the Tigers.

Auburn's starting lineup was Creel (left end), Styles (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Gibson (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Ducote (right halfback), Revington (fullback).

Georgia Tech

Atlanta

• Sources: In the season's final game, Georgia Tech, for year's considered the South's greatest, Auburn 68–7. Tech piled up 472 yards on the ground in 84 rushes and 145 yards in the air. Joe Guyon scored four touchdowns, and Everett Strupper had a 65-yard touchdown run. According to the Atlanta Journal,It was not the length of the run that featured it was the brilliance of it. After getting through the first line, Stroop was tackled squarely by two secondary men, and yet he squirmed and jerked loosed from them, only to face the safety man and another Tiger, coming at him from different angles. Without checking his speed Everett knifed the two men completely, running between them and dashing on to a touchdown.

In the second quarter, Moon Ducote broke through the line toward the goal with blocking by Pete Bonner and William Donahue. After Guyon dove at Ducote and missed, Guyon gave chase and tackled him at the 26-yard line. For Auburn's only score Ducote circled around end for 17 yards and lateraled to Donahue, who ran down the sideline for a six-yard touchdown. Guyon was the star of the game, accounting for four touchdowns and having his best day passing. Strupper had touchdown runs of 62 and 50 yards. Auburn's starting lineup was Gibson (left end), Martin (left tackle), Sizemore (left guard), Caton (center), Warren (right guard), Bonner (right tackle), Styles (right end), Robinson (quarterback), Donahue (left halfback), Ducote (right halfback), Revington (fullback)

Postseason

Despite the lopsided loss to Tech, Auburn was considered a strong team. Ducote and Bonner were the only non-Tech, unanimous All-Southern selections. Coach Donahue later said that Ducote was "undoubtedly the best ever."

References

References

1. Bernie McCarty. (February 1988). "Georgia Tech's 1917 backfield, better than Four Horsemen". College Football Historical Society.
2. (October 7, 1917). "Auburn downs fast team of Ohioans by score of 13 to 0". The Montgomery Advertiser.
3. (October 14, 1917). "Auburn Tigers run wild over Howard Baptists". The Montgomery Advertiser.
4. (October 20, 1917). "Auburn defeats Clemson Tigers". The Columbia Record.
5. (October 28, 1917). "The Plainsmen have tough game". The Atlanta Constitution.
6. (November 4, 1917). "Florida downed by Auburn Tigers by score of 68 to 0". The Montgomery Advertiser.
7. (November 11, 1917). "Davidson defeats Auburn". The Journal and Tribune.
8. (November 18, 1917). "Auburn triumphs over Vanderbilt Commodores in annual tilt". The Birmingham News.
9. (November 25, 1917). "Auburn Tigers play Ohio State to scoreless tie". The Atlanta Constitution.
10. (November 30, 1917). "Passes prove Georgia Techs biggest asset". The News and Observer.
11. (October 20, 1917). "Clemson Tigers Lose To Auburn Plainsmen". The Atlanta Constitution.
12. (October 28, 1917). "The Plainsmen Have Tough Game". The Atlanta Constitution.
13. (November 7, 1917). "Auburn Had Little Trouble Defeating The Light Gator Eleven". The Florida Alligator.
14. Jemison, Dick. (November 10, 1917). "Plainsmen Twelve Pounds Heavier Than Davidson". [[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
15. [[Dick Jemison]]<!--. (November 11, 1917). "Ralph Flowers, Demon Halfback, Defeats Auburn". Atlanta Constitution.
16. "Wildcat Origin".
17. (April 11, 1983). "Renowned Athlete Buck Flowers Dies". Sumter Daily Item.
18. (November 18, 1917). "Vady Beaten By Plainsmen; Count 31 to 7". The Atlanta Constitution.
19. "1917 Auburn Tigers".
20. {{Harvnb. Heisman. Schlabach. 2012
21. Phillip Marshall. (2005). "Stadium Stories: Auburn Tigers".
22. (November 25, 1917). "Auburn Tigers Play Ohio State To Scoreless Tie". The Atlanta Constitution.
23. (December 4, 1917). "Golden Tornado Wins Great Victory". The Technique.
24. McCarty, Bernie. (May 1988). "Georgia Tech's 1917 backfield, better than the Four Horsemen: Part 2". College Football Historical Society Newsletter.
25. (2012). "Heisman: The Man Behind The Trophy". [[Simon & Schuster]].
26. (November 30, 1917). "Georgia Tech Defeats Auburn Eleven 68 to 7". Greensboro Daily News.
27. (1918). "Spalding Football Guide". Shawnee Mission, Kansas, NCAA Publishing Service.
28. see [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9LM-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=UkwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6571,378292&dq=ducote+football&hl=en Gridiron Gasps], ''The Tuscaloosa News'', January 10, 1933.