# 1927 Southern Conference football season

The 1927 Southern Conference football season was the college football games played by the member schools of the Southern Conference as part of the 1927 college football season. The season began on September 17. Games were permitted after Thanksgiving for the first time in the conference.
Georgia's "dream and wonder team" was deemed the national champion by some selectors (the Boand System and Poling System), even though it was upset 12–0 in the rain at the end of the season by would-be SoCon champion Georgia Tech. Prior to the game, Georgia was ranked #1 by the authoritative Dickinson System.
Coach Robert Neyland's Tennessee and Jack McDowall-led North Carolina State also posted undefeated conference records and had claims to conference titles.
Vanderbilt back Jimmy Armistead led the nation in scoring with 138 points, in no small part due to quarterback Bill Spears. One fellow wrote Vanderbilt produced "almost certainly the legit top Heisman candidate in Spears, if there had been a Heisman Trophy to award in 1927."
After Florida had an unexpected loss to Davidson, captain Frank Oosterhoudt was declared ineligible, and replaced at captain by Bill Middlekauff. With Middlekauff at captain, Florida suffered its only further losses to powers Georgia and NC State.
Ole Miss won the first Egg Bowl with a trophy in 1927, led by players Ap Applewhite, Sollie Cohen and V. K. Smith. Clemson hired Josh Cody.

## Season overview
### Results and team statistics

| Conf. Rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | PPG | PAG |
| 1 (tie) | Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 8–1–1 | 7–0–1 | 12.5 | 3.9 |
| 1 (tie) | Tennessee | Robert Neyland | 8–1 | 5–0–1 | 27.2 | 2.9 |
| 1 (tie) | NC State | Gus Tebell | 9–1 | 4–0 | 21.6 | 6.9 |
| 4 | Georgia | Kid Woodruff | 9–1 | 6–1 | 24.8 | 3.8 |
| 5 | Vanderbilt | Dan McGugin | 8–1–2 | 5–0–2 | 26.8 | 8.5 |
| 6 | Florida | Tom Sebring | 7–3 | 5–2 | 16.4 | 9.6 |
| 7 | Ole Miss | Homer Hazel | 5–3–1 | 3–2 | 19.7 | 8.9 |
| 8 (tie) | Virginia | Greasy Neale | 5–4 | 4–4 | 13.0 | 13.6 |
| 8 (tie) | Clemson | Josh Cody | 5–3–1 | 2–2 | 8.1 | 9.3 |
| 10 | Alabama | Wallace Wade | 5–4–1 | 3–4–1 | 15.4 | 7.3 |
| 11 | LSU | Mike Donahue | 4–4–1 | 2–3–1 | 14.2 | 9.2 |
| 12 (tie) | Mississippi A&M | John W. Hancock | 5–3 | 2–3 | 11.6 | 6.8 |
| 12 (tie) | VPI | Andy Gustafson | 5–4 | 2–3 | 13.9 | 5.3 |
| 12 (tie) | Washington and Lee | Pat Herron | 4–4–1 | 2–3 | 10.8 | 9.8 |
| 15 | Maryland | Curley Byrd | 4–7 | 3–5 | 16.9 | 13.1 |
| 16 (tie) | VMI | W. C. Raftery | 6–4 | 2–4 | 14.4 | 6.4 |
| 16 (tie) | South Carolina | Harry Lightsey | 4–6 | 2–4 | 5.1 | 19.1 |
| 18 | Tulane | Bernie Bierman | 2–5–1 | 2–5–1 | 7.0 | 15.0 |
| 19 | North Carolina | Chuck Collins | 4–6 | 2–5 | 8.6 | 10.7 |
| 20 | Sewanee | M. S. Bennett | 2–6 | 1–4 | 9.8 | 18.4 |
| 21 | Kentucky | Harry Gamage | 3–6–1 | 1–5 | 11.5 | 16.1 |
| 22 | Auburn | Dave Morey | 0–7–2 | 0–6–1 | 3.3 | 13.8 |
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 | Attendance | Reference |
| September 17 | Wofford | VMI | Alumni Field • Lexington, Virginia | W 37–0 | | |

#### Week Two

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 24 | Millsaps | Alabama | Denny Field • Tuscaloosa, Alabama | W 46–0 | |
| September 24 | Stetson | Auburn | Drake Field • Auburn, Alabama | L 6–0 | |
| September 24 | Florida Southern | Florida | Fleming Field • Gainesville, Florida | W 26–7 | |
| September 24 | Presbyterian | Clemson | Riggs Field • Calhoun, South Carolina | T 0–0 | |
| September 24 | Maryville (TN) | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | T 6–6 | |
| September 24 | Louisiana Tech | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana | W 45–0 | |
| September 24 | Washington College | Maryland | Byrd Stadium • College Park, Maryland | W 79–0 | |
| September 24 | Ozarks (AR) | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi | W 58–0 | |
| September 24 | Wake Forest | North Carolina | Emerson Field • Chapel Hill, North Carolina | L 9–8 | 12,000 |
| September 24 | Elon | NC State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | W 39–0 | |
| September 24 | Transylvania | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, Tennessee | W 34–6 | |
| September 24 | Erskine | South Carolina | Melton Field • Columbia, South Carolina | W 13–6 | |
| September 24 | Carson–Newman | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | W 33–0 | |
| September 24 | Vanderbilt | Chattanooga | Chamberlain Field • Chattanooga, Tennessee | W 45–18 | |
| September 24 | Hampden–Sydney | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | W 38–6 | |
| September 24 | Richmond | VMI | Alumni Field • Lexington, Virginia | W 22–0 | |
| September 24 | Roanoke | VPI | Miles Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia | W 21–2 | |
| September 24 | Lynchburg | Washington & Lee | Wilson Field • Lexington, Virginia | W 27–2 | |

#### Week Three

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 30 | Southwestern (TN) | Alabama | Denny Field • Tuscaloosa, Alabama | W 31–0 | |
| September 30 | NC State | Furman | Manly Field • Greenville, South Carolina | L 20–0 | 3,000 |
| October 1 | Auburn | Clemson | Riggs Field • Calhoun, South Carolina | CLEM 3–0 | |
| October 1 | Davidson | Florida | Fleming Field • Gainesville, Florida | L 12–0 | 7,000 |
| October 1 | VMI | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia | GT 7–0 | 17,000 |
| October 1 | Indiana | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | L 21–0 | |
| October 1 | Southwestern Louisiana | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana | W 52–0 | |
| October 1 | Ole Miss | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, Louisiana | TUL 19–7 | |
| October 1 | Birmingham–Southern | Mississippi A&M | Scott Field • Starkville, Mississippi | W 19–7 | |
| October 1 | South Carolina | Maryland | Byrd Stadium • College Park, Maryland | MD 26–0 | |
| October 1 | Bryson College | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, Tennessee | L 7–0 | |
| October 1 | Tennessee | North Carolina | Emerson Field • Chapel Hill, North Carolina | TENN 26–0 | 7,000 |
| October 1 | Ouachita Baptist | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | W 39–10 | |
| October 1 | Virginia | Georgia | Sanford Field • Athens, Georgia | UGA 32–0 | |
| October 1 | Hampden–Sydney | VPI | Miles Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia | W 13–0 | |
| October 1 | Washington & Lee | West Virginia | Laidley Field • Charleston, West Virginia | T 6–6 | |

#### Week Four

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 7 | Hendrix | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi | T 0–0 | |
| October 8 | LSU | Alabama | Rickwood Field • Birmingham, Alabama | T 0–0 | 12,000 |
| October 8 | Florida | Auburn | Drake Field • Auburn, Alabama | FLA 33–6 | |
| October 8 | Georgia | Yale | Yale Bowl • New Haven, Connecticut | W 14–10 | |
| October 8 | Tulane | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia | GT 13–6 | 12,000 |
| October 8 | Kentucky Wesleyan | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | W 13–7 | |
| October 8 | Maryland | North Carolina | Emerson Field • Chapel Hill, North Carolina | UNC 7–6 | |
| October 8 | Louisiana Tech | Mississippi A&M | Scott Field • Starkville, Mississippi | W 14–0 | |
| October 8 | Sewanee | Texas A&M | Fair Park Stadium • Dallas, Texas | L 18–0 | 6,000 |
| October 8 | Maryville (TN) | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | W 7–0 | |
| October 8 | Centre | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | W 53–6 | |
| October 8 | South Carolina | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | SCAR 13–12 | |
| October 8 | VPI | Colgate | Whitnall Field • Hamilton, New York | W 6–0 | |
| October 8 | Roanoke | VMI | Alumni Field • Lexington, Virginia | W 32–0 | |
| October 8 | Duke | Washington & Lee | Wilson Field • Lexington, Virginia | W 12–7 | |

#### Week Five

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 13 | Erskine | Clemson | Riggs Field • Calhoun, South Carolina | W 25–6 | |
| October 13 | Wake Forest | NC State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | W 30–7 | |
| October 15 | Alabama | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia | GT 13–0 | 25,000 |
| October 15 | LSU | Auburn | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, Alabama | LSU 9–0 | |
| October 15 | Kentucky | Florida | Durkee Field • Jacksonville, Florida | FLA 27–6 | 10,000 |
| October 15 | Furman | Georgia | Sanford Field • Athens, Georgia | W 32–0 | |
| October 15 | VPI | Maryland | League Park • Norfolk, Virginia | MD 13–7 | |
| October 15 | Ole Miss | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | TENN 21–7 | |
| October 15 | Mississippi A&M | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, Louisiana | MSA&M 13–6 | |
| October 15 | North Carolina | South Carolina | Melton Field • Columbia, South Carolina | SCAR 14–6 | 7,000 |
| October 15 | Vanderbilt | Texas | Fair Park Stadium • Dallas, Texas | L 13–6 | 10,000 |
| October 15 | VMI | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | UVA 13–8 | |

#### Week Six

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 20 | Clemson | South Carolina | State Fairgrounds • Columbia, South Carolina | CLEM 20–0 | 13,000 |
| October 22 | Sewanee | Alabama | Rickwood Field • Birmingham, Alabama | ALA 24–0 | |
| October 22 | Auburn | Georgia | Memorial Stadium • Columbus, Georgia | UGA 33–3 | |
| October 22 | NC State | Florida | Plant Field • Tampa, Florida | NCST 12–6 | 7,000 |
| October 22 | North Carolina | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia | GT 13–0 | 13,000 |
| October 22 | Mississippi A&M | LSU | Mississippi State Fairgrounds • Jackson, Mississippi | LSU 9–7 | |
| October 22 | Maryland | VMI | Tate Field • Richmond, Virginia | MD 10–6 | |
| October 22 | Transylvania | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | W 57–0 | |
| October 22 | Tulane | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | VAN 32–0 | |
| October 22 | VPI | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | UVA 7–0 | |
| October 22 | Washington & Lee | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | W&L 25–0 | |

#### Week Seven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 27 | South Carolina | The Citadel | County Fairgrounds • Orangeburg, South Carolina | W 6–0 | |
| October 29 | Mississippi A&M | Alabama | Denny Field • Tuscaloosa, Alabama | ALA 13–7 | 7,000 |
| October 29 | Auburn | Howard (AL) | Rickwood Field • Birmingham, Alabama | T 9–9 | |
| October 29 | Wofford | Clemson | Riggs Field • Calhoun, South Carolina | W 6–0 | |
| October 29 | Mercer | Florida | Fleming Field • Gainesville, Florida | W 32–6 | 9,000 |
| October 29 | Georgia | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, Louisiana | UGA 31–0 | |
| October 29 | Georgia Tech | Notre Dame | Cartier Field • South Bend, Indiana | L 26–7 | 20,000 |
| October 29 | Arkansas | LSU | State Fair Stadium • Shreveport, Louisiana | L 28–0 | 12,000 |
| October 29 | Washington & Lee | Maryland | Byrd Stadium • College Park, Maryland | W&L 13–6 | |
| October 29 | Ole Miss | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, Tennessee | MISS 28–14 | |
| October 29 | North Carolina | NC State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | NCST 19–6 | 18,000 |
| October 29 | VPI | Chattanooga | Chamberlain Field • Chattanooga, Tennessee | L 14–13 | |
| October 29 | Virginia | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | TENN 42–0 | |
| October 29 | Kentucky | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | VAN 34–6 | 6,000 |
| October 29 | VMI | Davidson | Richardson Field • Davidson, North Carolina | W 20–0 | |

#### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 5 | Kentucky | Alabama | Rickwood Field • Birmingham, Alabama | ALA 21–6 | |
| November 5 | Auburn | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, Louisiana | T 6–6 | |
| November 5 | Clemson | The Citadel | Johnson Hagood Stadium • Charleston, South Carolina | W 13–0 | |
| November 5 | Georgia | Florida | Durkee Field • Jacksonville, Florida | UGA 28–0 | 16,000 |
| November 5 | LSU | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi | MISS 12–7 | |
| November 5 | Maryland | Yale | Yale Bowl • New Haven, Connecticut | L 30–6 | |
| November 5 | North Carolina | VMI | Alumni Field • Lexington, Virginia | VMI 7–0 | |
| November 5 | South Carolina | VPI | Tate Field • Richmond, Virginia | VPI 35–0 | |
| November 5 | Sewanee | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, Tennessee | TENN 32–12 | |
| November 5 | Virginia | Washington & Lee | Wilson Field • Lexington, Virginia | UVA 13–7 | |
| November 6 | Vanderbilt | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia | T 0–0 | 17,000 |

#### Week Nine

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 11 | Loyola (IL) | Ole Miss | League Park • Jackson, Mississippi | L 7–6 | |
| November 12 | Florida | Alabama | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, Alabama | FLA 13–6 | |
| November 12 | Mississippi A&M | Auburn | Rickwood Field • Birmingham, Alabama | MSA&M 7–6 | |
| November 12 | Clemson | Georgia | Sanford Field • Athens, Georgia | UGA 32–0 | |
| November 12 | LSU | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia | GT 23–0 | |
| November 12 | Kentucky | VMI | Laidley Field • Charleston, West Virginia | UK 25–0 | |
| November 12 | Davidson | North Carolina | Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, North Carolina | W 27–0 | 9,000 |
| November 12 | NC State | Duke | Hanes Field • Durham, North Carolina | W 20–18 | |
| November 13 | South Carolina | Furman | Manly Field • Greenville, South Carolina | L 10–7 | |
| November 12 | Tennessee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | T 7–7 | |
| November 12 | Sewanee | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, Louisiana | SEW 12–6 | 9,000 |
| November 12 | Maryland | Virginia | Lambeth Field • Charlottesville, Virginia | UVA 21–0 | |
| November 12 | Washington & Lee | VPI | Miles Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia | VPI 21–0 | |

#### Week Ten

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 18 | Millsaps | Mississippi A&M | Scott Field • Starkville, Mississippi | W 6–0 | |
| November 19 | Mercer | Georgia | Sanford Field • Athens, Georgia | W 26–7 | |
| November 19 | Oglethorpe | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia | W 19–7 | |
| November 19 | Kentucky | Centre | Farris Stadium • Danville, Kentucky | W 530 | |
| November 19 | North Carolina | Duke | Hanes Field • Durham, North Carolina | W 18–0 | |
| November 19 | Maryland | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee | VAN 39–20 | 5,000 |

#### Week Eleven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 24 | Auburn | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia | GT 18–0 | 15,000 |
| November 24 | Clemson | Furman | Manly Field • Greenville, South Carolina | L 28–0 | |
| November 24 | Washington & Lee | Florida | Durkee Field • Jacksonville, Florida | FLA 20–7 | 12,000 |
| November 24 | Tulane | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana | TUL 13–6 | 20,000 |
| November 24 | Virginia | North Carolina | Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, North Carolina | UNC 14–10 | |
| November 24 | NC State | South Carolina | Melton Field • Columbia, South Carolina | NCST 34–0 | |
| November 24 | Maryland | Johns Hopkins | Baltimore Stadium • Baltimore, Maryland | L 14–13 | |
| November 24 | Mississippi A&M | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi | MISS 20–12 | |
| November 24 | Tennessee | Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, Kentucky | TENN 20–0 | |
| November 24 | VMI | VPI | Maher Field • Roanoke, Virginia | VMI 12–9 | |
| November 27 | Georgia | Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, Alabama | UGA 20–6 | 25,000 |

#### Week Twelve

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| December 3 | Vanderbilt | Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, Alabama | VAN 14–7 | 20,000 |
| December 3 | Maryland | Florida | Durkee Field • Jacksonville, Florida | FLA 7–6 | 2,000 |
| December 3 | Georgia | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia | GT 12–0 | 38,000 |
| December 3 | Michigan State | NC State | Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | W 19–0 | |

## Awards and honors
### All-Americans

* E – Tom Nash, Georgia (AP-3; UP-3; COL-1; INS; NANA; HE-1; DJW-1; BE-3; LP-1; AAB)
* E – Chick Shiver, Georgia (AP-1; UP-1; NEA; CP-2; HE-2; DJW-3; NYS-1; BE-1; LP-2)
* T – Fred Pickhard, Alabama (UP-2; CP-2)
* G – John Barnhill, Tennessee (AP-2)
* G – Gene Smith, Georgia (AP-3)
* C – Elvin Butcher, Tennessee (DJW-2)
* QB – Bill Spears, Vanderbilt (AP-1; UP-2; INS; NANA; CP-2; HE-3; DJW-1; LP-2)
* FB – Herdis McCrary, Georgia (AP-2; UP-2; HE-3; DJW-2)

### All-Southern team

The following includes the composite All-Southern team compiled by the Associated Press.
| Position | Name | First-team selectors | Team |
| QB | Bill Spears | AP, UP, C, CP | Vanderbilt |
| HB | Stumpy Thomason | AP, UP, C | Georgia Tech |
| HB | Dick Dodson | AP, UP | Tennessee |
| FB | Herdis McCrary | AP, UP, C, CP | Georgia |
| E | Tom Nash | AP, C | Georgia |
| T | Fred Pickhard | AP, UP, CP | Alabama |
| G | John Barnhill | AP, UP, C, CP | Tennessee |
| C | Elvin Butcher | AP, CP | Tennessee |
| G | Gene Smith | AP, UP, CP | Georgia |
| T | Jess Tinsley | AP | LSU |
| E | Chick Shiver | AP, UP, CP | Georgia |