# 1916 college football season

The 1916 college football season had no very clear cut champion, with the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book listing Army and Pittsburgh as national champions. Both Army and Pittsburgh claim a national championship for the 1916 season. Georgetown led the nation in scoring with 464 points.

## Conference changes

* Two conferences began play in 1916:
** Pacific Coast Conference – a precursor to the modern Pac-12 Conference; four founding members from California, Oregon, and Washington.
** Nebraska Intercollegiate Conference – an NAIA conference active through the 1976 season
* One conference played its final season in 1916:
** Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Association – active since the 1914 season; several members subsequently joined the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, an active NAIA conference now known as the River States Conference

### Membership changes

| School | 1915 Conference | 1916 Conference |
| California Golden Bears | Independent | PCC |
| Georgetown Tigers | Independent | SIAA |
| Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | Independent | SIAA |
| Oregon Webfoots | Independent | PCC |
| Oregon Agricultural Beavers | Independent | PCC |
| South Carolina Gamecocks | Independent | SIAA |
| Washington Huskies | Independent | PCC |
| William & Mary Orange and Black | Independent | SAIAA |

## Large scores

Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland 222 to 0. Sewanee also beat Cumberland 107 to 0.

## Rose Bowl

Oregon defeated Penn, 14–0, in the 1917 Rose Bowl.

## Conference standings
### Major conference standings

1916 Missouri Valley Conference football standings :
| 1916 Missouri Valley Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Nebraska $ 3 –1 –06 –2 –0 Missouri 3 –1 –16 –1 –1 Iowa State 2 –1 –15 –2 –1 Kansas State 1 –1 –16 –1 –1 Kansas 1 –2 –14 –3 –1 Drake 1 –3 –03 –5 –0 Washington University 0 –2 –03 –3 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1916 Northwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Washington $ 2 –0 –16 –0 –1 Oregon 2 –0 –17 –0 –1 Oregon Agricultural 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Washington State 2 –2 –04 –2 –0 Whitman 1 –3 –01 –4 –0 Idaho 0 –3 –03 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1916 Pacific Coast Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Washington $ 3 –0 –16 –0 –1 Oregon ^ 2 –0 –17 –0 –1 Oregon Agricultural 0 –2 –04 –5 –0 California 0 –3 –06 –4 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – Selected as Rose Bowl representative |
| 1916 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Colorado Agricultural $ 6 –0 –16 –0 –1 Colorado College 4 –1 –06 –1 –0 Denver 3 –2 –04 –2 –1 Utah 2 –2 –03 –2 –0 Colorado Mines 2 –2 –13 –2 –1 Wyoming 1 –4 –01 –4 –0 Colorado 1 –5 –01 –5 –1 Utah Agricultural 0 –4 –01 –5 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1916 South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T VPI $ 4 –0 –07 –2 –0 Georgetown 2 –0 –08 –1 –0 Washington and Lee 1 –0 –05 –2 –2 George Washington 2 –1 –03 –3 –1 North Carolina 2 –1 –05 –4 –0 Catholic University 2 –1 –04 –4 –0 Virginia 2 –1 –04 –5 –0 Davidson 1 –2 –05 –3 –1 Richmond 1 –3 –15 –4 –2 VMI 1 –4 –04 –5 –0 St. John's (MD) 0 –1 –00 –1 –0 William & Mary 0 –2 –12 –5 –2 Johns Hopkins 0 –2 –00 –2 –0 North Carolina A&M 0 –4 –02 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1916 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Georgia Tech + 5 –0 –08 –0 –1 Tennessee + 6 –0 –18 –0 –1 Vanderbilt 4 –1 –17 –1 –1 LSU 3 –1 –17 –1 –2 The Citadel 3 –1 –06 –1 –1 Tulane 2 –1 –14 –3 –1 Kentucky 2 –1 –24 –1 –2 Auburn 6 –2 –06 –2 –0 Georgia 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Alabama 4 –3 –06 –3 –0 Sewanee 2 –2 –25 –2 –2 Centre 1 –1 –15 –1 –3 Howard (AL) 1 –1 –06 –4 –0 Georgetown (KY) 1 –1 –02 –1 –0 Mississippi A&M 3 –4 –04 –4 –1 Transylvania 2 –3 –13 –3 –2 Mississippi College 2 –3 –06 –3 –0 Clemson 2 –4 –03 –6 –0 South Carolina 2 –4 –02 –7 –0 Wofford 1 –2 –02 –7 –0 Louisville 1 –2 –12 –3 –1 Furman 1 –3 –04 –5 –0 Chattanooga 1 –4 –03 –5 –0 Florida 0 –4 –00 –5 –0 Mercer 0 –5 –01 –6 –0 Ole Miss 0 –6 –03 –6 –0 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1916 Southwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Texas 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 Baylor 3 –1 –09 –1 –0 Rice 2 –1 –06 –1 –2 Oklahoma 2 –1 –06 –5 –0 Texas A&M 1 –2 –06 –3 –0 Arkansas 0 –2 –04 –4 –0 Oklahoma A&M 0 –3 –04 –4 –0 Southwestern (TX) 0 –4 –03 –5 –1 No champion recognized | 1916 Western Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Ohio State $ 4 –0 –07 –0 –0 Northwestern 4 –1 –06 –1 –0 Minnesota 3 –1 –06 –1 –0 Chicago 3 –3 –03 –4 –0 Illinois 2 –2 –13 –3 –1 Wisconsin 1 –2 –14 –2 –1 Iowa 1 –2 –04 –3 –0 Indiana 0 –3 –12 –4 –1 Purdue 0 –4 –12 –4 –1 $ – Conference champion |

### Independents

1916 Eastern college football independents records :
| 1916 Eastern college football independents records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Army   –  9 –0 –0 Pittsburgh   –  8 –0 –0 Brown   –  8 –1 –0 Colgate   –  8 –1 –0 Yale   –  8 –1 –0 Fordham   –  6 –1 –1 Swarthmore   –  6 –1 –1 Penn State   –  8 –2 –0 Washington & Jefferson   –  8 –2 –0 Boston College   –  6 –2 –0 Cornell   –  6 –2 –0 Princeton   –  6 –2 –0 Lehigh   –  6 –2 –1 Dartmouth   –  5 –2 –2 Harvard   –  7 –3 –0 Penn   –  7 –3 –1 Temple   –  3 –1 –2 Tufts   –  5 –3 –0 Carnegie Tech   –  4 –3 –0 Rutgers   –  3 –2 –2 NYU   –  4 –3 –1 Syracuse   –  5 –4 –0 Holy Cross   –  4 –5 –0 Vermont   –  4 –5 –0 Rhode Island State   –  3 –4 –1 New Hampshire   –  3 –5 –2 Geneva   –  2 –5 –2 Carlisle   –  1 –3 –1 Lafayette   –  2 –6 –1 Bucknell   –  3 –9 –0 Columbia   –  1 –5 –2 Franklin & Marshall   –  1 –7 –0 Villanova   –  1 –8 –0 | 1916 Midwestern college football independents records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T St. Xavier   –  5 –0 –0 Notre Dame   –  8 –1 –0 Western State Normal (MI)   –  5 –1 –0 Northern Illinois State   –  6 –1 –1 Heidelberg   –  8 –2 –0 Michigan   –  7 –2 –0 Wabash   –  7 –2 –0 Michigan Agricultural   –  4 –2 –1 North Dakota Agricultural   –  3 –2 –1 Detroit   –  3 –2 –2 St. Mary's (OH)   –  4 –3 –0 Marquette   –  4 –3 –1 Saint Louis   –  4 –4 –0 Haskell   –  3 –6 –0 Michigan State Normal   –  1 –2 –1 South Dakota   –  1 –5 –2 Akron   –  2 –7 –0 Central Michigan   –  1 –5 –0 Iowa State Teachers   –  1 –7 –0 Lake Forest   –  1 –7 –0 | 1916 Southern college football independents records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Birmingham   –  7 –1 –0 Southwestern Louisiana Industrial   –  7 –1 –0 Maryland State   –  6 –2 –0 Marshall   –  7 –2 –1 Middle Tennessee State Normal   –  5 –2 –0 Sam Houston Normal   –  5 –2 –0 Spring Hill   –  4 –2 –0 West Virginia   –  5 –2 –2 Navy   –  6 –3 –1 Southwest Texas State   –  3 –1 –3 Presbyterian   –  4 –3 –0 Delaware   –  4 –3 –1 North Texas State Normal   –  4 –3 –1 Western Kentucky State Normal   –  3 –2 –0 George Washington   –  3 –3 –1 Wake Forest   –  3 –3 –0 Louisville   –  2 –3 –1 West Tennessee State Normal   –  2 –3 –1 Texas Mines   –  2 –3 –0 Tusculum   –  2 –3 –0 Cumberland (TN)   –  0 –2 –0 |
| 1916 Western college football independents records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Santa Clara   –  10 –0 –0 University Farm   –  6 –1 –1 Montana   –  4 –1 –1 Washington State   –  4 –2 –0 Arizona   –  5 –3 –0 USC   –  5 –3 –0 New Mexico   –  3 –2 –0 Hawaii   –  3 –2 –1 Saint Mary's   –  5 –4 –1 Montana State   –  2 –2 –2 Nevada   –  3 –5 –0 Tempe Normal   –  0 –3 –0 |

### Minor conferences

| Conference | Champion(s) | Record |
| Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association | Hampton Institute | 3–0 |
| Indiana College Athletic League | Wabash | — |
| Inter-Normal Athletic Conference of Wisconsin | River Falls Normal | 5–0 |
| Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference | Kansas State Normal | 5–1–1 |
| Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Centre (KY) | — |
| Louisiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Southwestern Louisiana Industrial | 5–0 |
| Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Kalamazoo | 4–0 |
| Nebraska Intercollegiate Conference | York (NE) | 7–0 |
| Ohio Athletic Conference | Miami (OH) | 6–0–1 |
| Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference | Kendall | 4–0 |
| Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Occidental Whittier | 3–0–1 |
| Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Fisk | — |

### Minor conference standings

1916 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings :
| 1916 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hampton $ 3 –0 –04 –0 –0 Howard 2 –1 –05 –1 –2 Virginia Union 1 –2 –02 –2 –0 Lincoln (PA) 0 –3 –02 –3 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1916 Eastern Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Richmond + 4 –1 –25 –2 –2 Hampden–Sydney + 4 –1 –26 –3 –2 Randolph–Macon 1 –4 –11 –7 –1 William & Mary 1 –4 –12 –5 –2 + – Conference co-champions | 1916 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Carthage 2 –2 –02 –5 –0 Southern Illinois   –  0 –7 –0 |
| 1916 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Kansas State Normal $ 5 –1 –16 –3 –1 Hays Normal 4 –1 –05 –2 –0 Southwestern (KS) 6 –2 –06 –3 –0 Pittsburg Normal 3 –1 –07 –3 –0 Fairmount 7 –3 –07 –3 –0 Cooper 6 –3 –06 –3 –0 Baker 4 –2 –14 –4 –1 Friends 3 –2 –23 –4 –2 Washburn 3 –4 –03 –6 –0 St. Mary's (KS) 2 –3 –14 –3 –1 College of Emporia 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Ottawa 2 –5 –22 –5 –2 Bethany (KS) 2 –5 –12 –6 –1 Midland 0 –3 –03 –5 –0 Bethel (KS) 0 –3 –00 –3 –0 Kansas Wesleyan 0 –7 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1916 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Kirksville Normal $ 6 –0 –17 –0 –1 William Jewell 6 –1 –08 –1 –0 Central (MO) 3 –2 –03 –3 –0 Springfield Normal 1 –1 –22 –2 –2 Missouri Wesleyan 2 –3 –0 ? – ? – ? Drury 1 –2 –14 –3 –1 Tarkio 1 –2 –13 –3 –1 Westminster (MO) 2 –4 –12 –4 –1 Missouri Valley 0 –2 –0 ? – ? – ? Maryville Normal 0 –5 –02 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1916 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Miami (OH) $ 6 –0 –17 –0 –1 Mount Union 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 Denison 5 –0 –25 –1 –2 Ohio 4 –1 –15 –2 –1 Wooster 5 –2 –06 –2 –0 Case 4 –3 –05 –5 –0 Ohio Wesleyan 2 –2 –22 –3 –2 Western Reserve 3 –4 –03 –7 –0 Akron 2 –4 –02 –7 –0 Ohio Northern 2 –5 –03 –7 –0 Kenyon 2 –5 –02 –7 –0 Wittenberg 0 –5 –12 –5 –2 Cincinnati 0 –6 –10 –8 –2 Baldwin–Wallace 0 –1 –00 –2 –0 Oberlin 0 –5 –00 –7 –0 Ohio State * 3 –0 –07 –0 –0 $ – Conference champion * – did not complete for championship |
| 1916 Southern California Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Occidental + 3 –0 –16 –0 –1 Whittier + 3 –0 –14 –1 –1 Pomona 2 –2 –04 –3 –0 Redlands 1 –3 –04 –3 –0 Throop 0 –4 –01 –5 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1916 Wisconsin Normal Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T River Falls Normal $ 5 –0 –07 –0 –1 Milwaukee Normal 3 –1 –04 –4 –0 Stevens Point Normal 2 –1 –05 –1 –1 Whitewater Normal 2 –1 –04 –1 –1 La Crosse Normal 1 –2 –04 –2 –0 Platteville Normal 1 –2 –02 –5 –0 Stout Normal 0 –1 –04 –3 –0 Superior Normal 0 –3 –02 –3 –1 Oshkosh Normal 0 –3 –00 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion |

## Awards and honors
### All-Americans

The consensus All-America team included:
| Position | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Class | Hometown | Team |
| QB | Ockie Anderson | 5'9" | 165 | Sr. | Erie, Pennsylvania | Colgate |
| HB | Chic Harley | 5'11" | 171 | So. | Chicago, Illinois | Ohio State |
| HB | Fritz Pollard | 5'9" | 165 | Sr. | Chicago, Illinois | Brown |
| FB | Elmer Oliphant | 5'7" | 180 | Jr. | Bloomfield, Indiana | Army |
| E | Bert Baston | 6'1" | 170 | Sr. | St. Louis Park, Minnesota | Minnesota |
| T | Belford West | 6'2" | 195 | Sr. | Hamilton, New York | Colgate |
| G | Clinton Black | | | Sr. | New York, New York | Yale |
| G | Harrie Dadmun | 6'0" | 235 | Sr. | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Harvard |
| C | Bob Peck | 5'9" | 179 | Jr. | Lock Haven, Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh |
| G | Frank T. Hogg | 6'2" | 193 | Sr. | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Princeton |
| T | Steamer Horning | | | Sr. | Phoenix, New York | Colgate |
| E | James P. Herron | | | Sr. | New Kensington, Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh |

## Statistical leaders

* Team scoring most points: Georgetown, 464 to 32. (including mid majors, Tulsa 566 to 40)
* Player scoring most points: Johnny Gilroy, Georgetown, 160