1927 Georgia Bulldogs football team

Preseason

At the end of last season, one source described Georgia as "probably the hardest hit team in the Southern Conference, losing 14 letter men with the Thanksgiving game."

Woodruff resignation

Coach Woodruff said he would quit after this season. Former Notre Dame back Jim Crowley and Notre Dame lineman Harry Mehre assisted Woodruff with his Notre Dame Box scheme.

Schedule

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Game summaries

Week 1: Virginia

To open the season, Herdis McCrary averaged a touchdown a quarter and the Bulldogs romped over the Virginia Cavaliers 32–0.

The starting lineup was: Nash (left end), Morris (left tackle), Jacobson (left guard), Boland (center), Smith (right guard), Stelling (right tackle), Shiver (right end), Broadnax (quarterback), Estes (left halfback), McTigue (right halfback), McCrary (fullback)

Week 2: at Yale

New Haven, Connecticut In the second week of play, Georgia defeated Yale by the score of 14–10, the school's first win over an Eastern power. Georgia was propelled into the national spotlight. Bobby Hooks threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Frank Dudley.

The starting lineup was: Nash (left end), Stelling (left tackle), Smith (left guard), Boland (center), Jacobson (right guard), Morris (right tackle), Shiver (right end), Broadnax (quarterback), Estes (left halfback), McTigue (right halfback), McCrary (fullback)

Week 3: Furman

Athens, Georgia

• Source: Georgia defeated the Furman Purple Hurricane 32–0, giving the Purple Hurricane its only loss this season. Furman twice was within Georgia's 5-yard line.

However, Georgia's backs also ran well.

The starting lineup was: Nash (left end), Morris (left tackle), Haley (left guard), Boland (center), Jacobson (right guard), Paitz (right tackle), Shiver (right end), Broadnax (quarterback), Estes (left halfback), McTigue (right halfback), McCrary (fullback).

Week 4: Auburn

• Source: In the fourth week of play, Georgia beat Auburn 33–0. Four touchdowns were scored in the second period, when coach Woodruff sent in his first-string backfield.

The starting lineup was: Nash (left end), Morris (left tackle), Haley (left guard), Boland (center), Jacobson (right guard), Lautzenheizer (right tackle), Shiver (right end), Broadnax (quarterback), Estes (left halfback), Hooks (right halfback), McCrary (fullback).

Week 5: at Tulane

The Bulldogs traveled to New Orleans and beat Tulane 31–0. McCrary was kept on the bench as the halfbacks provided most of the scoring.

Week 6: at Florida

Jacksonville, Florida Georgia beat the Florida Gators 28–0 after leading just 7–0 at the half. Florida quarterback Goof Bowyer broke his leg. The starting lineup was: Nash (left end), Morris (left tackle), Jacobson (left guard), Boland (center), Smith (right guard), Lautzenheizer (right tackle), Shiver (right end), Broadnax (quarterback), Estes (left halfback), McTigue (right halfback), Rothstein (fullback).

Week 7: Clemson

McCrary scored three of the five touchdowns in the 32–0 victory over Clemson.

McTigue ran in the first score. Roy Estes threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to H. F. Johnston. McCrary replaced Rothstein and added two touchdowns. The second team went in the second half, in which McCrary added another touchdown.

The starting lineup was: Nash (left end), Morris (left tackle), Jacobson (left guard), Boland (center), Haley (right guard), Lautenheizer (right tackle), Shiver (right end), Broadnax (quarterback), Estes (left halfback), McTigue (right halfback), Rothstein (fullback).

Week 8: Mercer

Georgia started the Mercer game with its second string and won 26–7.

Mercer's Phoney Smith was the first southern player to cross the goal line against Georgia, on an 80-yard punt return.

Week 9: at Alabama

The game on November 24 against the Alabama Crimson Tide was the first game played in the newly completed Legion Field. The 20–7 Bulldog victory snapped a five-game losing streak against Alabama.

Estes passed to Nash for the first score, and Estes ran the second score in himself. Another pass to Nash got a touchdown in the third quarter. In the final period, Alabama's Brasfield went back to pass, but saw no one open, and took off running. In the game's most sensational play, he dodged three tacklers behind the line, and evaded three more on his way to the endzone.

The starting lineup was: Nash (left end), Morris (left tackle), C. Smith (left guard), Boland (center), Jacobson (right guard), Lautenheizer (right tackle), Shiver (right end), Johnson (quarterback), McTigue (left halfback), Estes (right halfback), Hill (fullback).

Week 10: at Georgia Tech

Atlanta

• Sources:

Georgia was ranked number 1 by the Dickinson system. Grant Field was expected to be filled to capacity, the largest crowd ever in the south. One account read "And never in the history of athletics in the Southland has there been an occasion so momentous as this. The football championship of the South and as some may justifiably figure, the nation, will be decided on Saturday in the capital city and native sons will decide it."

In the rain, the Bulldogs were defeated by rival Georgia Tech for the SoCon championship 12–0. For the first time this year, neither Nash nor Shiver played particularly well.

Tech's first touchdown came on a pass from Warner Mizell to quarterback Bob Durant. The second one came shortly after Stumpy Thomason returned an interception 57 yards to Georgia's 22-yard line. Thomason scored on a 13-yard end run.

The starting lineup was: Nash (left end), Morris (left tackle), Jacobson (left guard), Boland (center), Smith (right guard), Lautenheizer (right tackle), Shiver (right end), Johnson (quarterback), Estes (left halfback), Dudley (right halfback), McCrary (fullback).

Postseason

Legacy

By season's end, both Georgia and Yale were national champions according to various selectors. Despite the loss to Tech, the Bulldogs were retroactively selected as the 1927 national champion under the Boand, Poling, and Berryman QPRS systems. Walter Eckersall noted the progress of southern football as he reflected on Georgia's victory over Yale; "Old Eli, with its running attack, could do nothing against Georgia, which is represented by two of the finest ends in the country. Nash and Shiver would be valuable assets on any football team."

Players

Depth chart

The following chart provides a visual depiction of Georgia's lineup during the 1927 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses. The chart mimics a Notre Dame Box on offense.

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Line

Backfield

Unlisted

Staff

• Head coach: Kid Woodruff
• Manager: Keith Lewis, James M. Roberts

Notes

References

Additional sources

References

1. "1927 Georgia Bulldogs Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC.
2. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). (2015). "National Poll Rankings". NCAA.
3. (December 4, 1927). "Illinois Rated As America's Champs: Dr. Dickinson of Illinois Devises Rating System for Grid Teams". The Morning Call.
4. (2006-08-02). "Football National Championships". UGA Sports Communications.
5. (2007). "Conference Championships – Southern Conference". College Football Data Warehouse.
6. Jon Nelson. (August 1, 2010). "100 Things Bulldogs Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die". Triumph Books.
7. (November 23, 1926). "Many Faces Pass From Grid After Thanksgiving Fights". Hattiesburg American.
8. (October 2, 1927). "Georgia Coach to Quit Post". Kingsport Times.
9. (October 2, 1927). "Georgia defeats Virginia 32 to 0". The Miami Herald.
10. (October 9, 1927). "Georgia scores 14 to 0 triumph over Yale". The Roanoke Times.
11. (October 16, 1927). "Georgia swamps Furman 32 to 0". Bristol Herald Courier.
12. (October 23, 1927). "Georgia tramples Auburn". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.
13. (October 30, 1927). "Bulldogs administer crushing defeat to Tulane eleven, 31 to 0". The Montgomery Advertiser.
14. (November 6, 1927). "Georgia swamps Florida". The Pensacola Journal.
15. (November 13, 1927). "Georgia rides to 32–0 victory over Clemson". Anniston Star.
16. (November 20, 1926). "Bulldogs trim Bears, 26–7". The Atlanta Constitution.
17. (November 25, 1927). "Georgia overcomes jinx and beats Alabama, 20 to 6". The Birmingham News.
18. (December 4, 1927). "Title hopes fall in mud, record crowd sees Golden Tornado capture Southern title". The Kansas City Star.
19. "Georgia Bulldogs Score Brilliant 32 to 0 Victory Over Virginia U". Kingsport Times.
20. {{Harvnb. Woodruff. 1928
21. (October 9, 1927). "Georgia Whips Yale Bulldogs". The Lincoln Star.
22. Garbin, Patrick. (1 August 2007). ""Then Vince Said to Herschel... ": The Best Georgia Football Stories Ever Told". Triumph Books.
23. (October 16, 1927). "Georgia Backs Go Around Hurricane Ends To Win 32 to 0". The Index-Journal.
24. (October 23, 1927). "Bulldogs Add Another Scalp To Collection". The Anniston Star.
25. (October 30, 1927). "Bulldogs Run Over Tulane Winning 31-0". The Anniston Star.
26. Frank S. Wright. (December 8, 1927). "Ernest Bowyer Given Highest Florida Honor". St. Petersburg Times.
27. {{Harvnb. Woodruff. 1928
28. (November 13, 1927). "Georgia Rides To 32-0 Victory Over Clemson". Anniston Star.
29. {{Harvnb. Woodruff. 1928
30. (November 18, 1927). "The Georgia Game". Mercer Cluster.
31. Garbin, Patrick. (2008). "About them Dawgs!: Georgia football's memorable teams and players". [[Scarecrow Press]].
32. (November 20, 1927). "Mercer Falls Before Georgia Bulldogs 26-8". The Anniston Star.
33. "Archived copy".
34. {{Harvnb. Woodruff. 1928
35. Patrick Garbin. (2008). "About Them Dawgs!: Georgia Football's Memorable Teams and Players". Scarecrow Press.
36. (December 4, 1927). "Biggest Upset of Southern Conference Spoils 'U' Mark". Oakland Tribune.
37. (December 3, 1927). "Georgia 11 Meets Ancient Tech Foes". Ironwood Daily Globe.
38. Lawrence Perry. (December 2, 1927). "Georgia and Georgia Tech Clash in Annual Grid Classic". Oakland Tribune.
39. (December 7, 1927). "All-American Debate Boils Over Nation". The Bismarck Tribune.
40. Patrick Garbin. (2008). "About Them Dawgs!: Georgia Football's Memorable Teams and Players". Scarecrow Press.
41. "CONTENTdm".