1920 college football season

American college football season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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]

Number of bowls2
Champion(s)California
Princeton
Quick facts Number of bowls, Champion(s) ...
1920 college football season
Cal's "Wonder Team"
Number of bowls2
Champion(s)California
Princeton
← 1919 Â·
football seasons
· 1921 â†’
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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][a] 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."[6]

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.[7] 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.[8][9]

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.[10]

Conference and program changes

Conference establishments

Membership changes

More information School, 1921 Conference ...
School1920 Conference1921 Conference
Indiana State Normal Fightin' TeachersProgram Re-EstablishedIndependent
Kent State Normal Silver FoxesProgram EstablishedIndependent
Oklahoma SoonersSouthwestMissouri Valley
Phillips HaymakersIndependentSouthwest
UCLA BruinsIndependentSCIAC
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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

More information Conf., Overall ...
1920 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Ohio State $5–0–07–1–0
Wisconsin4–1–06–1–0
Indiana3–1–05–2–0
Illinois4–2–05–2–0
Iowa3–2–05–2–0
Michigan2–2–05–2–0
Northwestern2–3–03–4–0
Chicago2–4–03–4–0
Purdue0–4–02–5–0
Minnesota0–6–01–6–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Oklahoma $4–0–16–0–1
Missouri5–1–07–1–0
Kansas3–2–05–2–1
Iowa State3–2–04–4–0
Drake1–3–14–5–1
Washington University1–4–04–4–0
Grinnell0–2–13–3–1
Kansas State0–3–13–3–3
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Northwest Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Washington State $3–0–05–1–0
Oregon1–0–13–2–1
Whitman2–1–03–2–0
Idaho2–2–04–2–0
Oregon Agricultural0–1–12–2–2
Willamette0–1–03–1–1
Montana0–3–04–3–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Pacific Coast Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
California $3–0–09–0–0
Stanford2–1–04–3–0
Washington State1–1–05–1–0
Oregon1–1–13–2–1
Oregon Agricultural1–2–12–2–2
Washington0–3–01–5–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Colorado Agricultural $6–0–16–1–1
Colorado College4–1–15–1–1
Colorado3–1–24–1–2
Utah Agricultural2–1–14–2–1
Denver2–4–02–4–0
Utah1–2–11–5–1
Wyoming2–5–14–5–1
Colorado Mines0–6–00–6–0
Montana State0–0–14–1–1
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
VMI $5–0–09–0–0
Maryland4–0–07–2–0
Washington and Lee3–0–05–3–0
Georgetown3–1–06–4–0
Virginia3–1–05–2–2
NC State4–2–07–3–0
Richmond2–2–06–2–0
Davidson2–2–05–5–0
VPI2–4–04–6–0
Catholic University1–3–03–5–0
George Washington0–1–01–6–1
St. John's (MD)0–1–00–1–0
Johns Hopkins0–2–00–3–0
William & Mary0–4–04–5–0
North Carolina0–5–02–6–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Georgia +7–0–08–0–1
Tulane +5–0–06–2–1
Georgia Tech +4–0–08–1–0
Alabama6–1–010–1–0
Centre4–1–08–2–0
Furman3–1–09–1–0
South Carolina3–1–05–4–0
Tennessee5–2–07–2–0
Auburn4–2–07–2–0
Mississippi A&M4–2–05–3–0
Sewanee3–3–14–3–1
Vanderbilt3–3–04–3–1
Transylvania2–2–03–4–0
Howard (AL)2–3–03–5–1
Mississippi College2–4–03–5–0
Florida1–2–06–3–0
Clemson2–6–04–6–1
LSU1–3–05–3–1
Chattanooga1–3–03–4–1
The Citadel1–4–02–6–0
Ole Miss0–2–04–3–0
Kentucky0–3–13–4–1
Georgetown (KY)0–2–00–3–0
Millsaps0–3–00–3–0
Mercer0–4–02–6–0
Wofford0–4–00–8–1
  • + – Conference co-champions
1920 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Texas $5–0–09–0–0
Texas A&M5–1–06–1–1
Arkansas2–0–13–2–2
Rice2–2–14–2–2
Baylor1–2–14–4–1
SMU0–4–13–5–2
Phillips0–3–04–4–2
Oklahoma A&M0–3–00–7–1
  • $ – Conference champion
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Independents

More information Conf., Overall ...
1920 Eastern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Boston College â€“ 8–0–0
Harvard â€“ 8–0–1
Princeton â€“ 6–0–1
Penn State â€“ 7–0–2
Pittsburgh â€“ 6–0–2
Army â€“ 7–2–0
Dartmouth â€“ 7–2–0
Cornell â€“ 6–2–0
Syracuse â€“ 6–2–1
Geneva â€“ 5–2–1
New Hampshire â€“ 5–2–1
Brown â€“ 6–3–0
Bucknell â€“ 6–3–0
Washington & Jefferson â€“ 6–3–1
Penn â€“ 6–4–0
Carnegie Tech â€“ 5–3–0
Lafayette â€“ 5–3–0
Holy Cross â€“ 5–3–0
Williams â€“ 5–3–0
Yale â€“ 5–3–0
Fordham â€“ 4–3–0
Franklin & Marshall â€“ 3–2–2
Boston University â€“ 4–3–1
Columbia â€“ 4–4–0
Duquesne â€“ 3–3–1
Vermont â€“ 3–5–0
NYU â€“ 2–5–1
Rhode Island State â€“ 0–4–4
Tufts â€“ 2–6–0
Rutgers â€“ 2–7–0
Buffalo â€“ 1–4–0
Colgate â€“ 1–5–2
Villanova â€“ 1–5–1
Drexel â€“ 0–6–0
1920 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Notre Dame â€“ 9–0–0
Michigan Mines â€“ 2–0–0
Butler â€“ 7–1–0
St. Xavier â€“ 7–1–0
Detroit â€“ 8–2–0
Marquette â€“ 7–2–0
Haskell â€“ 7–2–1
St. Ignatius (OH) â€“ 4–2–0
Iowa State Teachers â€“ 4–2–1
South Dakota State â€“ 4–2–1
Indiana State â€“ 3–2–0
Valparaiso â€“ 5–3–0
Nebraska â€“ 5–3–1
Central Michigan â€“ 4–3–1
Akron â€“ 4–4–0
Wabash â€“ 3–4–0
Western State Normal â€“ 3–4–0
North Dakota Agricultural â€“ 2–3–1
Michigan Agricultural â€“ 4–6–0
Earlham â€“ 2–3–0
Northern Illinois State â€“ 3–5–0
Dayton â€“ 2–4–0
Kent State â€“ 1–2–0
Saint Louis â€“ 3–6–0
Bowling Green â€“ 1–4–0
Toledo â€“ 0–3–0
1920 Southern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Talladega â€“ ?–0–0
Trinity (NC) â€“ 4–0–1
Abilene Christian â€“ 4–0–1
North Texas State Normal â€“ 7–1–0
Presbyterian â€“ 5–1–1
Middle Tennessee State Normal â€“ 4–1–0
Navy â€“ 6–2–0
Spring Hill â€“ 6–2–0
Birmingham–Southern â€“ 6–3–0
Mississippi Normal â€“ 4–2–1
Southwest Texas State â€“ 4–2–1
East Tennessee State Normal â€“ 3–2–0
West Virginia â€“ 5–4–1
Oglethorpe â€“ 4–4–1
Delaware â€“ 3–5–1
Stetson â€“ 2–4–0
Texas Mines â€“ 2–4–0
Marion â€“ 2–5–0
Wake Forest â€“ 2–7–0
Sam Houston Normal â€“ 1–4–2
Western Kentucky State Normal â€“ 0–1–0
West Tennessee State Normal â€“ 0–5–0
Marshall â€“ 0–8–0
1920 Western college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Nevada â€“ 7–3–1
USC â€“ 6–0–0
Arizona â€“ 6–1–0
Hawaii â€“ 6–2–0
New Mexico A&M â€“ 5–1–1
Santa Clara â€“ 5–1–0
Gonzaga â€“ 4–3–0
Chico State â€“ 3–3–0
New Mexico â€“ 3–3–0
University Farm â€“ 3–4–0
Pacific (CA) â€“ 1–2–1
Saint Mary's â€“ 0–3–0
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Minor conferences

More information Conference, Champion(s) ...
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 —
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Minor conference standings

More information Conf., Overall ...
1920 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Howard5–0–07–0–0
Virginia Union1–1–06–2–0
Shaw2–2–02–2–1
Hampton2–3–04–3–1
Lincoln (PA)1–2–03–2–0
Virginia Normal0–3–03–4–0
1920 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Carthage0–4–11–5–1
1920 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Washburn +4–0–24–2–3
Friends +7–1–07–1–0
College of Emporia6–1–16–1–1
St. Mary's (KS)4–2–06–2–0
Baker4–3–05–4–0
Bethany (KS)4–3–14–3–1
Fairmount4–3–24–3–2
Pittsburg Normal3–3–05–4–1
Kansas State Normal2–3–12–4–2
Hays Normal2–3–12–5–1
Southwestern (KS)2–5–12–5–2
Ottawa1–6–01–6–0
Kansas Wesleyan0–3–20–5–3
Sterling0–7–10–7–1
  • + – Conference co-champions
1920 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Albion $4–0–14–2–2
Kalamazoo3–1–05–3–1
Hillsdale2–1–16–1–1
Michigan State Normal1–2–06–2–0
Olivet1–2–01–5–0
Alma0–5–00–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Carleton3–1–04–1–2
Hamline $2–1–14–3–1
Macalester2–1–13–2–2
St. Olaf3–2–05–2–0
St. Thomas (MN)1–3–02–5–1
Gustavus Adolphus0–3–01–3–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Kirksville +6–0–08–0–0
William Jewell +5–0–25–1–2
Missouri Mines +4–0–04–4–0
Missouri Wesleyan *3–1–24–2–2
Warrensburg4–3–05–3–1
Springfield (MO)2–4–02–6–0
Tarkio1–2–13–3–1
Missouri Valley2–4–03–4–0
Drury †1–3–01–5–0
Westminster (MO)1–4–11–4–2
Central (MO)1–5–01–6–0
Maryville (MO)0–2–00–3–0
Cape Girardeau0–2–00–5–0
  • + – 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
TeamW L TW L T
Grand Island6–0–16–0–2
Omaha5–0–07–1–0
Doane5–0–15–1–1
Nebraska Wesleyan4–0–16–2–2
Hastings5–2–15–2–1
Peru Normal5–4–05–4–0
Midland3–6–03–6–0
York (NE)2–5–02–5–0
Wayne Normal1–3–01–4–1
Cotner1–6–01–6–0
Kearney Normal1–7–01–7–0
Nebraska Central0–6–00–6–0
Championship: Grand Island 0, Nebraska Wesleyan 0
1920 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Wooster $7–0–09–0–0
Wittenberg5–0–08–0–0
Ohio State2–0–07–1–0
Denison5–1–16–1–1
Oberlin5–2–05–2–0
Heidelberg3–2–07–2–0
Cincinnati3–2–04–5–0
Miami (OH)3–2–15–2–1
Mount Union3–3–06–3–0
Ohio Wesleyan3–3–04–3–0
Ohio Northern2–3–03–4–0
Akron2–4–04–4–0
Case2–5–12–8–1
Ohio1–3–04–3–0
Kenyon1–6–12–5–1
Western Reserve1–6–02–8–0
Hiram0–6–00–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Yankton $4–0–15–1–2
Dakota Wesleyan3–1–04–3–0
Huron2–1–12–2–1
Northern Normal1–1–03–2–0
Sioux Falls1–2–01–3–0
South Dakota Mines0–1–05–1–0
Columbus (SD)0–5–01–5–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Southern California Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Pomona $5–0–06–1–0
Occidental3–2–04–3–0
Whittier3–2–03–2–0
Caltech2–2–13–3–1
Redlands1–3–12–4–1
Southern Branch0–5–00–5–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Spokane Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Spokane University $6–1–0?–?–?
Cheney Normal5–2–05–2–0
Spokane College2–4–0?–?–?
Whitworth0–6–0?–?–?
  • $ – Conference champion
1920 Wisconsin Normal Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Oshkosh Normal $4–0–16–1–1
Eau Claire Normal2–0–04–0–0
River Falls Normal2–1–13–1–3
La Crosse Normal3–2–04–2–1
Milwaukee Normal2–2–03–4–1
Stevens Point Normal1–1–13–2–1
Whitewater Normal1–3–02–4–0
Platteville Normal0–3–13–4–2
Superior Normal0–3–01–3–0
Stout Institute0–0–02–2–0
  • $ – Conference champion
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Awards and honors

All-Americans

Main article: 1920 College Football All-America Team

The consensus All-America team included:

More information Position, Name ...
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
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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

Notes

  1. [a]
    The term "ten second backfield" generally refers to players capable (or thought to be capable) of running a 100-yard dash in 10 seconds—that is, fast runners.[5]

References

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