1920 Centre Praying Colonels football team

Schedule

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Season

Centre opened the season with three straight wins by a combined score of 241–0, beating , 66–0; the Howard Bulldogs, 120–0; and , 55–0.

A prequel to the 1921 Centre vs. Harvard football game followed; Harvard had not lost a game since 1918 and defeated visiting Centre 31–14, finishing with a record of 8–0–1. With the Harvard game tied 7–7, it was 4th down and 6 at the 30-yard line. Instead of punting, McMillin "defied every "don't" in the football book" and tossed a touchdown pass.

A loss at Georgia Tech followed, 24–0; Georgia Tech finished its season 8–1, having outscored its opponents 312–16. One writer recalled he heard a story that Tech tackle Bill Fincher sought to knock Bo McMillin out of the game, taking with him brass-knuckles or "something equally diabolical."

Centre then defeated , 34–0, in Indianapolis;Kentucky, 49–0, at Lexington; VPI, 28–0, in Louisville; and the , 103–0.

Postseason

Centre then traveled to Fort Worth, Texas for a bowl game, the Fort Worth Classic, against undefeated TCU. TCU entered the game with a record of 9–0, including wins at Arkansas (19–2) and at Baylor (21–9). Texas Christian had attained its perfect record while outscoring its opponents 163–46. Centre won the game handily. Accounts of the final score vary; some sources say Centre won 63-7 and other sources give the final score as 77–7.

Centre finished the season with a record of 8–2. McMillan was named to the 1920 College Football All-America Team.

References

References

1. (October 3, 1920). "Easy victory for Danville". The Courier-Journal.
2. (October 10, 1920). "Kentucky champions roll up 120 to 0 score". Messenger-Inquirer.
3. (October 17, 1920). "Centre wins over Transy". The Courier-Journal.
4. W.D. Sullivan. (October 24, 1920). "Harvard Crushes Centre in Thrilling Game, 31-14". The Boston Globe.
5. (October 31, 1920). "Georgia Tech too fast for Centre". The Boston Globe.
6. (November 7, 1920). "Centre beats DePauw, 34–0". The Indianapolis Star.
7. (November 14, 1920). "Centre's goal never in danger". The Journal and Tribune.
8. (November 21, 1920). "Centre College triumphs over Virginia Tech team". The Courier-Journal.
9. (November 26, 1920). "Colonels crush Georgetown Tigers in annual Thanksgiving bout 103–0". Danville Daily Messenger.
10. Renfro, Colvin. (December 30, 1920). "Open Play Will Mark Big Game Saturday". [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]].
11. Bee, Billy. (January 2, 1921). "Centre's Colonels Beat T. C. U. 63 To 7". [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]].
12. Renfro, Colvin. (January 2, 1921). "Game as Seen by Colvin Renfro". [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]].
13. . ["Centre College Football Record (1920-1929)"](https://sc.centre.edu/sc/digital/football_1920.html). *[[Centre College]]*.
14. [http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/Harvard.htm Harvard footballs scores]
15. (1952). "Encyclopaedia Britannica: A New Survey of Universal Knowledge".
16. [http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/GeorgiaTech.htm#1920 1920 Georgia Tech football scores]
17. (November 3, 1943}}{{Dead link). "Fincher, Guyon, Strupper-and Shaw Hardy". The Miami News.
18. [http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/TexasChristian.htm#1920 1920 Texas Christian football scores]
19. John Y. Brown, The Legend of the Praying Colonels, J. Marvin Gray & Associates, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky