# 1915 college football season

The 1915 college football season had no clear-cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing Cornell, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Pittsburgh as having been selected national champions in later years. Only Cornell (named by four major selectors) and Pittsburgh (named by one) claim national championships for the 1915 season.

## Conference and program changes
### Conference establishments

* The Southwest Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, later known as the Southwest Conference, began its first season of play in 1915. The league had eight founding members in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
* The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, now a Division III conference, began football play in 1915.

### Membership changes

| School | 1914 Conference | 1915 Conference |
| Akron football | Independent | Ohio Athletic |
| Arkansas Razorbacks | Independent | Southwest |
| Baylor Bears | Independent | Southwest |
| California Golden Bears | Program reinstated | Independent |
| University Farm Cal Aggies | Program Established | Independent |
| Chattanooga Mocs | Independent | SIAA |
| Catholic Cardinals | Independent | SAIAA |
| Louisville Cardinals | Independent | SIAA |
| Oklahoma Sooners | Independent | Southwest |
| Oklahoma A&M Cowboys | Independent | Southwest |
| Rice Owls | Independent | Southwest |
| Southern Methodist Parsons | Program Established | TIAA |
| Southwestern (TX) Pirates | Independent | Southwest |
| Texas Longhorns | Independent | Southwest |
| Texas A&M Aggies | Independent | Southwest |
| Transylvania Pioneers | Independent | SIAA |

## Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl was played for the first time since its inception on January 1, 1902, following the 1901 season. Washington State defeated Brown, 14–0. The game has been played annually ever since.

## Conference standings
### Major conference standings

1915 Missouri Valley Conference football standings :
| 1915 Missouri Valley Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Nebraska $ 4 –0 –08 –0 –0 Kansas 3 –1 –06 –2 –0 Iowa State 2 –1 –06 –2 –0 Washington University 1 –1 –03 –2 –0 Missouri 1 –3 –12 –5 –1 Drake 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 Kansas State 0 –2 –13 –4 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1915 Northwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Washington State $ 4 –0 –07 –0 –0 Washington 1 –0 –07 –0 –0 Oregon 3 –1 –07 –2 –0 Oregon Agricultural 2 –2 –05 –3 –0 Idaho 0 –3 –11 –4 –1 Whitman 0 –4 –10 –4 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1915 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Colorado Agricultural $ 7 –0 –07 –0 –0 Utah 4 –2 –05 –2 –0 Colorado Mines 4 –2 –04 –2 –0 Colorado College 3 –2 –06 –2 –0 Denver 2 –3 –04 –3 –0 Wyoming 1 –5 –02 –6 –0 Colorado 1 –5 –01 –6 –0 Utah Agricultural 0 –3 –03 –4 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1915 South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Virginia + 2 –0 –08 –1 –0 Washington and Lee + 2 –0 –06 –1 –1 Georgetown + 2 –0 –07 –2 –0 Catholic University 1 –0 –05 –2 –0 Johns Hopkins 1 –0 –01 –0 –0 Richmond 0 –1 –04 –4 –1 VPI 0 –1 –04 –4 –0 North Carolina A&M 0 –2 –03 –3 –1 North Carolina 0 –2 –04 –3 –1 + – Conference co-champions | 1915 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Vanderbilt $ 5 –0 –09 –1 –0 Alabama 5 –0 –06 –2 –0 LSU 4 –0 –06 –2 –0 Transylvania 3 –0 –17 –1 –1 Auburn 5 –1 –06 –2 –0 Georgia 3 –1 –15 –2 –2 Chattanooga 3 –1 –25 –2 –2 Mississippi A&M 4 –2 –15 –2 –1 Kentucky 2 –1 –16 –1 –1 Florida 3 –3 –04 –3 –0 Clemson 2 –2 –12 –4 –2 South Carolina 1 –1 –15 –3 –1 Furman 1 –1 –05 –3 –0 Mercer 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Mississippi College 2 –3 –04 –4 –1 The Citadel 1 –2 –05 –3 –0 Sewanee 1 –2 –24 –3 –2 Tennessee 1 –4 –04 –4 –0 Tulane 1 –4 –04 –4 –0 Central University 0 –3 –13 –5 –1 Louisville 0 –3 –11 –5 –1 Howard (AL) 0 –3 –03 –4 –1 Wofford 0 –3 –03 –5 –0 Ole Miss 0 –5 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1915 Southwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Oklahoma $ 3 –0 –010 –0 –0 Baylor 3 –0 –07 –1 –0 Texas 2 –2 –06 –3 –0 Texas A&M 1 –1 –06 –2 –0 Arkansas 1 –1 –04 –2 –1 Rice 1 –2 –05 –3 –0 Oklahoma A&M 0 –3 –04 –5 –1 Southwestern (TX) 0 –2 –04 –3 –0 Baylor forfeited claim to co-champion for using ineligible player. |
| 1915 Western Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Minnesota + 3 –0 –16 –0 –1 Illinois + 3 –0 –25 –0 –2 Chicago 4 –2 –05 –2 –0 Ohio State 2 –1 –15 –1 –1 Purdue 2 –2 –03 –3 –1 Wisconsin 2 –3 –04 –3 –0 Iowa 1 –2 –03 –4 –0 Indiana 1 –3 –03 –3 –1 Northwestern 0 –5 –02 –5 –0 + – Conference co-champions |

### Independents

1915 Eastern college football independents records :
| 1915 Eastern college football independents records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Cornell   –  9 –0 –0 Pittsburgh   –  8 –0 –0 Columbia   –  5 –0 –0 Harvard   –  8 –1 –0 Carnegie Tech   –  7 –1 –0 Rutgers   –  7 –1 –0 Villanova   –  6 –1 –0 Washington & Jefferson   –  8 –1 –1 Colgate   –  5 –1 –0 Syracuse   –  9 –1 –2 Dartmouth   –  7 –1 –1 Tufts   –  5 –1 –2 Penn State   –  7 –2 –0 Lafayette   –  8 –3 –0 Princeton   –  6 –2 –0 Franklin & Marshall   –  6 –2 –0 Temple   –  3 –1 –1 Geneva   –  6 –3 –0 Wesleyan   –  6 –3 –0 Allegheny   –  5 –3 –0 Swarthmore   –  5 –3 –0 Army   –  5 –3 –1 Lehigh   –  6 –4 –0 Holy Cross   –  3 –2 –2 Brown   –  5 –4 –1 Fordham   –  4 –4 –0 NYU   –  4 –4 –1 Middlebury   –  3 –4 –2 Muhlenberg   –  4 –5 –0 Yale   –  4 –5 –0 Boston College   –  3 –4 –0 Penn   –  3 –5 –2 WPI   –  3 –5 –1 Buffalo   –  3 –5 –0 Carlisle   –  3 –6 –2 Rhode Island State   –  3 –5 –0 New Hampshire   –  3 –6 –1 Gettysburg   –  3 –6 –0 Rochester   –  3 –6 –0 Bucknell   –  2 –6 –3 Vermont   –  1 –4 –2 Williams   –  1 –7 –0 | 1915 Midwestern college football independents records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Dubuque   –  7 –0 –0 Carleton   –  6 –0 –0 Wabash   –  7 –0 –1 Notre Dame   –  7 –1 –0 Grinnell   –  6 –1 –0 Michigan Agricultural   –  5 –1 –0 Western State Normal (MI)   –  5 –1 –0 South Dakota State   –  5 –1 –1 Heidelberg   –  5 –2 –1 Millikin   –  5 –2 –1 Nebraska Wesleyan   –  6 –3 –0 St. Mary's (OH)   –  3 –2 –0 Michigan State Normal   –  4 –2 –1 Doane   –  5 –3 –0 Marquette   –  4 –2 –2 South Dakota   –  4 –2 –2 Jamestown   –  3 –2 –1 Penn (IA)   –  4 –3 –0 Michigan   –  4 –3 –1 Saint Louis   –  4 –3 –1 Creighton   –  3 –3 –1 Haskell   –  3 –3 –0 Iowa State Teachers   –  3 –3 –0 North Dakota Agricultural   –  3 –3 –0 St. Thomas (MN)   –  2 –2 –1 Hanover   –  2 –4 –0 Lake Forest   –  2 –4 –0 Northern Illinois State   –  2 –5 –1 Lawrence   –  2 –5 –0 Earlham   –  2 –6 –0 Detroit   –  1 –5 –0 Butler   –  1 –6 –0 | 1915 Southern college football independents records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Georgia Tech   –  7 –0 –1 Ouachita Baptist   –  7 –1 –0 Dallas   –  6 –1 –0 Spring Hill   –  6 –1 –0 North Texas State Normal   –  5 –1 –1 Sam Houston Normal   –  5 –1 –1 West Virginia   –  5 –1 –1 Jonesboro Aggies   –  4 –1 –1 Johns Hopkins   –  6 –2 –0 VMI   –  6 –2 –1 Southwestern Louisiana Industrial   –  5 –2 –1 Delaware   –  6 –3 –0 Maryland   –  6 –3 –0 Louisiana Normal College   –  4 –2 –0 Southwest Texas State   –  5 –3 –2 Davidson   –  4 –3 –1 Mississippi Normal   –  4 –3 –0 West Tennessee State Normal   –  4 –3 –0 Guilford   –  1 –1 –0 Middle Tennessee State Normal   –  3 –3 –1 Presbyterian   –  4 –4 –0 Henderson-Brown   –  3 –4 –1 TCU   –  4 –5 –0 Wake Forest   –  3 –4 –0 Navy   –  3 –5 –1 Western Kentucky State Normal   –  1 –4 –2 Louisville   –  1 –5 –1 Marshall   –  1 –7 –0 |
| 1915 Western college football independents records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hawaii   –  5 –1 –1 New Mexico   –  3 –1 –0 New Mexico A&M   –  5 –2 –0 Montana A&M   –  4 –2 –1 Arizona   –  5 –3 –0 California   –  8 –5 –0 Tempe Normal   –  3 –2 –0 University Farm   –  3 –2 –0 Cheney Normal   –  1 –1 –0 Montana   –  2 –2 –2 Willamette   –  2 –2 –1 USC   –  3 –4 –0 Saint Mary's   –  3 –7 –0 Nevada   –  0 –6 –0 |

### Minor conferences

| Conference | Champion(s) | Record |
| Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association | Hampton Institute | 3–0 |
| Inter-Normal Athletic Conference of Wisconsin | River Falls Normal | 5–0 |
| Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference | Baker (KS) Kansas State Normal | — |
| Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Transylvania | — |
| Louisiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Louisiana Industrial | 2–0–1 |
| Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Albion Alma | 4–0–1 |
| Ohio Athletic Conference | Western Reserve | 6–1 |
| Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference | Central State Teachers | — |
| Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Occidental | 4–0 |
| Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Fisk | — |

### Minor conference standings

1915 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings :
| 1915 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hampton $ 3 –0 –04 –0 –0 Howard 1 –1 –02 –1 –0 Shaw 0 –1 –00 –2 –0 Virginia Union 0 –2 –03 –2 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1915 Eastern Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hampden–Sydney $ 5 –1 –06 –3 –0 Richmond 3 –2 –14 –4 –1 Randolph–Macon 3 –2 –14 –5 –1 William & Mary 0 –6 –00 –9 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1915 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Southern Illinois   –  6 –2 –0 Carthage 2 –3 –03 –4 –0 |
| 1915 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Baker + 4 –0 –05 –3 –0 Kansas State Normal + 4 –0 –15 –2 –2 Cooper 6 –1 –17 –1 –1 Friends 4 –1 –05 –3 –0 Kansas Wesleyan 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Hays Normal 3 –3 –04 –3 –0 Southwestern (KS) 3 –3 –15 –4 –1 Pittsburg Normal 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 College of Emporia 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Ottawa 2 –4 –14 –4 –1 Washburn 1 –2 –12 –5 –1 Fairmount 2 –5 –13 –5 –1 St. Mary's (KS) 1 –4 –03 –5 –0 Bethany (KS) 1 –6 –01 –6 –0 Kansas City University 0 –2 –00 –4 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1915 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Albion + 4 –0 –15 –1 –1 Alma + 1 –0 –21 –3 –2 Olivet 2 –1 –23 –3 –2 Kalamazoo 2 –2 –03 –2 –0 Hillsdale 1 –3 –13 –3 –1 Adrian 0 –4 –02 –5 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1915 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T William Jewell $ 5 –0 –15 –1 –1 Springfield Normal 2 –0 –04 –2 –0 Westminster (MO) 3 –1 –13 –2 –2 Missouri Wesleyan 2 –1 –1 ? – ? – ? Tarkio 1 –2 –1 ? – ? – ? Central (MO) 2 –4 –02 –5 –0 Kirksville Normal 1 –4 –01 –5 –0 Missouri Valley 0 –2 –0 ? – ? – ? Drury 0 –3 –01 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1915 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Western Reserve $ 6 –1 –07 –2 –0 Miami (OH) 5 –1 –06 –2 –0 Denison 5 –2 –06 –2 –0 Ohio 2 –1 –08 –1 –0 Wooster 3 –1 –23 –3 –2 Case 4 –2 –15 –5 –1 Oberlin 3 –3 –04 –4 –0 Cincinnati 3 –4 –05 –4 –0 Ohio Wesleyan 3 –3 –04 –5 –0 Kenyon 1 –6 –03 –6 –0 Akron 1 –6 –01 –7 –1 Wittenberg 0 –4 –13 –5 –1 Mount Union 0 –5 –03 –7 –0 Baldwin–Wallace 0 –0 –00 –0 –0 Ohio State * 3 –0 –05 –1 –1 $ – Conference champion * – did not complete for championship | 1915 Wisconsin Normal Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T River Falls Normal $ 5 –0 –06 –1 –1 Whitewater Normal 3 –1 –04 –2 –1 La Crosse Normal 2 –1 –05 –2 –0 Milwaukee Normal 2 –1 –03 –3 –1 Oshkosh Normal 1 –2 –02 –5 –0 Stevens Point Normal 1 –2 –04 –2 –0 Stout Normal 0 –1 –00 –3 –1 Superior Normal 0 –3 –03 –3 –0 Platteville Normal 0 –3 –00 –6 –1 $ – Conference champion |

## Awards and honors
### All-Americans

The consensus All-America team included:
| Position | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Class | Hometown | Team |
| QB | Charley Barrett | 6'0" | 180 | Sr. | Cleveland, Ohio | Cornell |
| HB | Dick King | 5'8" | 175 | Sr. | Boston, Massachusetts | Harvard |
| HB | Bart Macomber | 5'9" | 183 | Jr. | Oak Park, Illinois | Illinois |
| HB | Buck Mayer | | 172 | Sr. | Norfolk, Virginia | Virginia |
| HB | Neno DaPrato | 5'10" | 185 | Sr. | Iron Mountain, Michigan | Michigan Agricultural |
| FB | Eddie Mahan | 5'11" | 171 | Sr. | Natick, Massachusetts | Harvard |
| E | Murray Shelton | 6'1" | 170 | Sr. | Dunkirk, New York | Cornell |
| E | Bert Baston | 6'1" | 170 | Jr. | St. Louis Park, Minnesota | Minnesota |
| T | Cub Buck | | | Sr. | Eau Claire, Wisconsin | Wisconsin |
| G | Clarence Spears | | | Sr. | De Witt, Arkansas | Dartmouth |
| C | Bob Peck | 5'9" | 179 | So. | Lock Haven, Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh |
| G | Harold White | 6'6" | 273 | Sr. | New York, New York | Syracuse |
| T | Joseph Gilman | | | Jr. | Honolulu, Hawaii | Harvard |
| E | Guy Chamberlin | 6'2" | 196 | Sr. | Blue Springs, Nebraska | Nebraska |
| E | Bob Higgins | | | So. | Corning, New York | Penn State |

## Statistical leaders

* Team scoring most points: Vanderbilt, 514 to 38.
* Player scoring most points: Jerry DaPrato, Michigan Agricultural, 185
* Player scoring most touchdowns: Jerry DaPrato, Michigan Agricultural, 34
* Player scoring most goals after touchdown: F. Parke Geyer, Oklahoma, 56
* Player scoring most field goals: William T. Van de Graaff, Alabama, 11
* Longest punt: Fritz Shiverick, Cornell, 86 yards, inclusive of roll of ball
* Longest run from kickoff: John Barrett, Washington & Lee, 101 yards
* Longest punt return: James DeHart, Pittsburgh, 105 yards
* Longest run from scrimmage: Dave Tayloe, North Carolina, and John R. Georgetown, 90 yards each