# 1922 Southern Conference football season

The 1922 Southern Conference football season was the college football games played by the member schools of the Southern Conference as part of the 1922 college football season. The season began on September 23 as part of the 1922 college football season. Conference play began on October 7 with Washington & Lee defeating North Carolina State 14–6 in Lexington.
This was the conference's inaugural season, featuring former members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) and South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SAIAA). Amongst others, conference co-champion Vanderbilt was still a co-member of the SIAA.
Though North Carolina posted the best conference record, most sources listed either Vanderbilt or Georgia Tech as champion. Vanderbilt was the only school to claim a championship and remain undefeated against all opponents. It posted the nation's number one defense as measured by points against per game and was retroactively selected for a national championship by selector Clyde Berryman.
Intersectionalism was popular. Vanderbilt fought Michigan to a scoreless tie at the inaugural game at Dudley Field, the first football stadium in the south in the style of the Eastern schools. Alabama, which scored 300 points on the season, upset John Heisman's Penn Quakers 9–7.
Auburn's upset of Centre opened the door for the SoCon champion to claim a championship of the South. It was considered one of best teams Auburn turned out in the first half of the 20th century. Centre quarterback Herb Covington had made a "world record" six drop kick field goals against Louisville.
Vanderbilt end Lynn Bomar and Georgia Tech halfback Red Barron were unanimous All-Southern selections and second-team Walter Camp All-Americans.

## Season overview
### Results and team statistics

| Conf. Rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | PPG | PAG |
| 1 (tie) | North Carolina | Bob Fetzer/Bill Fetzer | 9–1 | 5–0 | 19.1 | 7.2 |
| 1 (tie) | Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 7–2 | 4–0 | 17.4 | 6.6 |
| 1 (tie) | Vanderbilt | Dan McGugin | 8–0–1 | 3–0 | 19.7 | 1.8 |
| 4 | VPI | Ben Cubbage | 8–1–1 | 3–0 | 26.2 | 3.2 |
| 5 | Florida | William G. Kline | 7–2 | 2–0 | 26.7 | 5.7 |
| 6 | Auburn | Mike Donahue | 8–2 | 2–1 | 27.6 | 4.8 |
| 7 (tie) | Tennessee | M. B. Banks | 8–2 | 3–2 | 23.9 | 4.5 |
| 7 (tie) | Alabama | Xen C. Scott | 6–3–1 | 3–2–1 | 30.0 | 8.1 |
| 9 | Virginia | Thomas J. Campbell | 4–4–1 | 1–1–1 | 11.3 | 6.7 |
| 10 | Mississippi A&M | Dudy Noble | 3–4–2 | 2–3 | 6.2 | 20.4 |
| 11 (tie) | Kentucky | William Juneau | 6–3 | 1–2 | 18.6 | 6.2 |
| 11 (tie) | Clemson | Doc Stewart | 5–4 | 1–2 | 18.9 | 12.1 |
| 11 (tie) | Washington and Lee | James DeHart | 5–3–1 | 1–2 | 23.2 | 12.0 |
| 11 (tie) | Maryland | Curley Byrd | 4–5–1 | 1–2 | 7.7 | 13.7 |
| 11 (tie) | LSU | Irving Pray | 3–7 | 1–2 | 7.2 | 24.4 |
| 16 | Georgia | Herman Stegeman | 5–4–1 | 1–3–1 | 17.8 | 7.7 |
| 17 | Tulane | Clark Shaughnessy | 4–4 | 1–4 | 17.0 | 12.5 |
| 18 (tie) | South Carolina | Sol Metzger | 5–4–1 | 0–2 | 10.2 | 7.7 |
| 18 (tie) | Ole Miss | Roland Cowell | 4–5–1 | 0–2 | 8.7 | 18.3 |
| 20 | NC State | Harry Hartsell | 4–6 | 0–5 | 10.1 | 9.2 |
Key
PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game

### Regular season

* Index to colors and formatting
* Non-conference matchup; SoCon member won
* Non-conference matchup; SoCon member lost
* Non-conference matchup; tie
* Conference matchup
SoCon teams in bold.

#### Week One

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| September 23 | Marion | Auburn | Drake Field • Auburn, Alabama | W 61–0 |
| September 23 | Newberry | Georgia | Sanford Field • Athens, Georgia | W 82–13 |
| September 23 | Emory & Henry | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | W 50–0 |
| September 23 | Hampden-Sydney | VPI | Miles Field • Blacksburg, Virginia | W 38–0 |

#### Week Two

| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| September 29 | | Erskine | South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | W 13–0 |
| September 30 | | Marion | Alabama | Denny Field • Tuscaloosa, Alabama | W 110–0 |
| September 30 | | Auburn | Howard | Rickwood Field • Birmingham, Alabama | W 72–0 |
| September 30 | | Centre | Clemson | Riggs Field • Calhoun, South Carolina | L 21–0 |
| September 30 | | Mercer | Georgia | Sanford Field • Athens, Georgia | W 41–0 |
| September 30 | | Oglethorpe | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta | W 31–6 |
| September 30 | | Marshall | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | W 16–0 |
| September 30 | | Northwestern State | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, Louisiana | W 13–0 |
| September 30 | | 3rd Army Corps | Maryland | Baltimore | W 7–0 |
| September 30 | | Wake Forest | North Carolina | Emerson Field • Chapel Hill, North Carolina | W 62–3 |
| September 30 | | Randolph-Macon | North Carolina State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | W 20–2 |
| September 30 | | Union (TN) | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi | T 0–0 |
| September 30 | | Carson-Newman | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | W 32–7 |
| September 30 | 3:00 p. m. | Middle Tennessee State | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | W 38–0 |
| September 30 | | George Washington | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | W 34–0 |
| September 30 | | King | VPI | Miles Field • Blacksburg, Virginia | W 25–0 |
| September 30 | | Emory & Henry | Washington & Lee | Wilson Field • Lexington, Virginia | W 85–0 |

#### Week Three

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 7 | Oglethorpe | Alabama | Denny Field • Tuscaloosa, Alabama | W 41–0 | |
| October 7 | Spring Hill | Auburn | Montgomery, Alabama | W 19–6 | |
| October 7 | Ole Miss | Centre | Cheek Field • Danville, Kentucky | L 55–0 | |
| October 7 | Newberry | Clemson | Riggs Field • Calhoun, South Carolina | W 57–0 | |
| October 7 | Furman | Florida | Fleming Field • Gainesville, Florida | L 7–6 | |
| October 7 | Georgia | Chicago | Stagg Field • Chicago | L 20–0 | 18,000 |
| October 7 | Davidson | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta | W 19–0 | |
| October 7 | Cincinnati | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | W 15–0 | |
| October 7 | Loyola | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, Louisiana | L 7–0 | |
| October 7 | Maryland | Richmond | Richmond, Virginia | T 0–0 | |
| October 7 | Birmingham–Southern | Mississippi A&M | Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi | W 14–60 | |
| October 7 | North Carolina | Yale | New Haven, Connecticut | L 18–0 | |
| October 7 | Presbyterian | South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | W 6–0 | |
| October 7 | Maryvile | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | W 21–0 | |
| October 7 | Mississippi College | Tulane | Second Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, Louisiana | W 30–0 | |
| October 7 | Henderson-Brown | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | W 33–0 | |
| October 7 | Virginia | Princeton | Palmer Stadium • Princeton, New Jersey | L 5–0 | |
| October 7 | North Carolina State | Washington & Lee | Wilson Field • Lexington, Virginia | W&L 14–6 | |
| October 7 | William & Mary | VPI | Miles Field • Blacksburg, Virginia | W 20–6 | |

#### Week Four

| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 12 | | Duke | North Carolina | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | W 20–0 | |
| October 13 | | Presbyterian | Clemson | Riggs Field • Calhoun, South Carolina | W 13–0 | |
| October 14 | | Auburn | Army | Parade Ground • West Point, New York | L 19–6 | |
| October 14 | | Florida | Rollins | Orlando, Florida | W 19–0 | |
| October 14 | | Georgia | Furman | Manly Field • Greenville, South Carolina | W 7–0 | |
| October 14 | | Alabama | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta | GT 33–7 | |
| October 14 | | Louisville | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | W 73–0 | |
| October 14 | | Maryland | Penn | Franklin Field • Philadelphia | L 12–0 | |
| October 14 | | Rhodes | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi | W 23–0 | |
| October 14 | | Howard | Mississippi A&M | Starkville, Mississippi | T 0–0 | |
| October 14 | | South Carolina | North Carolina | Emerson Field • Chapel Hill, North Carolina | UNC 10–7 | |
| October 14 | | Roanoke | North Carolina State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | W 13–0 | |
| October 14 | | Tennessee | Fort Benning | Columbus, Georgia | W 15–0 | |
| October 14 | | Spring Hill | Tulane | Second Tulane Stadium • New Orleans | W 30–10 | |
| October 14 | 2:15 p. m. | Michigan | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | T 0–0 | 16,000 |
| October 14 | | Richmond | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | W 14–6 | |
| October 14 | 2:30 p. m. | Centre | VPI | Mayo Island Park • Richmond, Virginia | L 10–6 | 12,500 |
| October 14 | | Carson-Newman | Washington & Lee | Wilson Field • Lexington, Virginia | W 13–0 | |

#### Week Five

| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 19 | | North Carolina | North Carolina State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | UNC 14–9 | |
| October 20 | | Wofford | South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | W 20–0 | |
| October 20 | | LSU | Texas A&M | College Station, Texas | L 46–0 | |
| October 21 | | Sewanee | Alabama | Rickwood Field • Birmingham, Alabama | T 7–7 | |
| October 21 | | Mercer | Auburn | Drake Field • Auburn, Alabama | W 50–6 | |
| October 21 | | American Legion | Florida | Tampa, Florida | W 14–0 | |
| October 21 | | Tennessee | Georgia | Sanford Field • Athens, Georgia | UGA 7–3 | |
| October 21 | | Georgia Tech | Navy | Worden Field • Annapolis, Maryland | L 13–0 | |
| October 21 | | Kentucky | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown, Kentucky | W 40–6 | |
| October 21 | | Maryland | Princeton | Palmer Stadium • Princeton, New Jersey | L 26–0 | |
| October 21 | | Ole Miss | Mississippi A&M | Jackson, Mississippi | MSA&M 19–13 | |
| October 21 | | Fort Benning | Tulane | Second Tulane Stadium • New Orleans | W 18–0 | |
| October 21 | 3:00 p. m. | Vanderbilt | Texas | Fair Park Stadium • Dallas, Texas | W 20–10 | 11,000 |
| October 21 | | VMI | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | L 14–0 | |
| October 21 | | VPI | Davidson | Sprunt Field • Davidson, North Carolina | T 7–7 | 3,000 |
| October 21 | | Washington & Lee | West Virginia | Laidley Field • Charleston, West Virginia | T 12–12 | |

#### Week Six

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| October 26 | Clemson | South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | CLEM 3–0 |
| October 28 | Alabama | Texas | Austin, Texas | L 19–10 |
| October 28 | Fort Benning | Auburn | Drake Field • Auburn, Alabama | W 30–0 |
| October 28 | Howard | Florida | Fleming Field • Gainesville, Florida | W 57–0 |
| October 28 | Oglethorpe | Georgia | Sanford Field • Athens, Georgia | W 26–6 |
| October 28 | Notre Dame | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta | L 13–3 |
| October 28 | Sewanee | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | W 7–0 |
| October 28 | Arkansas | LSU | Fair Grounds Field • Shreveport, Louisiana | L 40–6 |
| October 28 | Maryland | North Carolina | Emerson Field • Chapel Hill, North Carolina | UNC 27–3 |
| October 28 | Ole Miss | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | TENN 49–0 |
| October 29 | Mississippi A&M | Tulane | Second Tulane Stadium • New Orleans | TUL 26–0 |
| October 29 | Mercer | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | W 25–0 |
| October 28 | Virginia | Johns Hopkins | Baltimore, Maryland | W 19–0 |
| October 28 | Catholic | VPI | Blacksburg, Virginia | W 73–0 |
| October 28 | Lynchburg | Washington & Lee | Wilson Field • Lexington, Virginia | W 53–0 |

#### Week Seven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 2 | Spring Hill | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, Louisiana | W 25–7 | |
| November 4 | Alabama | Penn | Franklin Field • Philadelphia | W 9–7 | |
| November 4 | Auburn | Georgia | Memorial Stadium • Columbus, Georgia | AUB 7–3 | |
| November 4 | Clemson | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta | GT 21–7 | |
| November 4 | Florida | Harvard | Harvard Stadium • Boston, Massachusetts | L 24–0 | 30,000 |
| November 4 | Centre | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | L 27–3 | |
| November 4 | Maryland | VPI | Blacksburg, Virginia | VPI 21–0 | |
| November 4 | Birmingham–Southern | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi | W 6–0 | |
| November 4 | North Carolina | Tulane | Second Tulane Stadium • New Orleans | UNC 19–12 | |
| November 4 | Davidson | North Carolina State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | W 15–0 | |
| November 4 | Ouachita | Mississippi A&M | Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi | T 7–7 | |
| November 4 | Sewanee | South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | L 7–6 | |
| November 4 | Vanderbilt | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | VAN 14–6 | 7,000 |
| November 4 | Washington & Lee | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | UVA 22–6 | |

#### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 7 | LSU | Rutgers | New York | L 25–0 | |
| November 10 | LSU | Alabama | Denny Field • Tuscaloosa, Alabama | ALA 47–3 | |
| November 11 | Tulane | Auburn | Montgomery, Alabama | AUB 19–0 | |
| November 11 | Clemson | The Citadel | College Park Stadium • Charleston, South Carolina | W 18–0 | |
| November 11 | Mississippi College | Florida | Plant Field • Tampa, Florida | W 58–0 | 4,000 |
| November 11 | Georgia | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | T 6–6 | |
| November 11 | Georgetown | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta | W 19–7 | |
| November 11 | Hendrix | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi | W 13–7 | |
| November 11 | North Carolina | VMI | Richmond, Virginia | W 9–7 | |
| November 11 | North Carolina State | VPI | Norfolk, Virginia | VPI 24–0 | 6,000 |
| November 11 | Mississippi A&M | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | TENN 31–3 | |
| November 11 | Kentucky | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | VAN 9–0 | 12,000 |
| November 11 | Washington & Lee | Centre | Louisville, Kentucky | L 27–6 | |

#### Week Nine

| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 16 | | The Citadel | South Carolina | County Fairgrounds • Orangeburg, South Carolina | W 13–0 | |
| November 18 | | Centre | Auburn | Rickwood Field • Birmingham, Alabama | W 6–0 | |
| November 18 | | Erskine | Clemson | Riggs Field • Calhoun, South Carolina | W 52–0 | |
| November 18 | | Alabama | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | UK 6–0 | |
| November 18 | | Florida | Tulane | Second Tulane Stadium • New Orleans | FLA 27–6 | 6,000 |
| November 18 | | North Carolina State | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta | GT 17–0 | |
| November 18 | | Maryland | Johns Hopkins | Baltimore, Maryland | W 3–0 | |
| November 18 | | Ole Miss | Tennessee Medical College | Memphis, Tennessee | L 32–0 | |
| November 18 | | Mississippi A&M | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, Louisiana | MSA&M 7–0 | |
| November 18 | | Davidson | North Carolina | Charlotte, North Carolina | W 20–6 | |
| November 18 | | Sewanee | Tennessee | Chamberlain Field • Chattanooga, Tennessee | W 18–7 | |
| November 18 | 3:00 p. m. | Vanderbilt | Georgia | Sanford Field • Athens, Georgia | VAN 12–0 | |
| November 18 | | Virginia | West Virginia | WVU Athletic Field • Morgantown, West Virginia | L 13–0 | |
| November 18 | | VPI | Washington & Lee | Lynchburg, Virginia | VPI 41–6 | |

#### Week Ten

| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 25 | | Georgia | Alabama | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, Alabama | ALA 10–6 | |
| November 25 | | Clemson | Furman | Manly Field • Greenville, South Carolina | L 20–6 | |
| November 25 | | Florida | Oglethorpe | Atlanta | W 12–0 | |
| November 25 | | Maryland | Catholic | Washington, D. C. | W 54–0 | |
| November 25 | | Drake | Mississippi A&M | Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi | L 48–6 | |
| November 25 | | Ole Miss | Fort Benning | Columbus, Georgia | L 14–13 | |
| November 25 | | North Carolina State | Wake Forest | Wake Forest, North Carolina | W 32–0 | |
| November 25 | 2:00 p. m. | Sewanee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | W 26–0 | 20,000 |

#### Week Eleven

| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 30 | | Mississippi A&M | Alabama | Rickwood Field • Birmingham, Alabama | ALA 59–0 | |
| November 30 | | Auburn | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta | GT 14–6 | |
| November 30 | | Tulane | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, Louisiana | LSU 25–14 | |
| November 30 | | Maryland | North Carolina State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | MD 7–6 | |
| November 30 | | Ole Miss | Millsaps | Jackson, Mississippi | W 19–7 | |
| November 30 | | North Carolina | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | UNC 10–7 | |
| November 30 | | Kentucky | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | TENN 14–7 | |
| November 30 | | South Carolina | Centre | Danville, Kentucky | L 42–0 | |
| November 30 | 2:30 p. m. | VMI | VPI | Roanoke, Virginia | W 7–3 | 15,000 |
| November 30 | | Washington & Lee | Johns Hopkins | Baltimore, Maryland | W 14–0 | |
| December 2 | | Clemson | Florida | Jacksonville, Florida | FLA 47–14 | |

## Awards and honors
### All-Americans

* E – Lynn Bomar, Vanderbilt (WC-2; WE-3 [tackle]; BE; FM-1)
* T – Joe Bennett, Georgia (BE)
* G – Oscar Davis, Georgia Tech (LP-1; BE)
* QB – Doc Kuhn, Vanderbilt (BE)
* HB – Red Barron, Georgia Tech (WC-2 [fb]; BE; FM-2)
* FB – John Fletcher, Georgia (BE)

### All-Southern team

The following is the composite All-Southern team compiled from twenty four coaches and sporting editors of the South, each of whom received trophies from the Atlanta Journal:
| Position | Name | First-team selectors | Team |
| QB | Herb Covington | AJ | Centre |
| HB | Red Barron | AJ | Georgia Tech |
| HB | John Shirey | AJ | Auburn |
| FB | John Fletcher | AJ | Georgia |
| E | Lynn Bomar | AJ | Vanderbilt |
| T | Albert Staton | AJ | Georgia Tech |
| G | Oscar Davis | AJ | Georgia Tech |
| C | Claire Frye | AJ | Georgia Tech |
| G | Puss Whelchel | AJ | Georgia |
| T | Joe Bennett | AJ | Georgia |
| E | Red Roberts | AJ | Centre |