# 1944 Southeastern Conference football season

The 1944 Southeastern Conference football season was the twelfth season of college football played by the member schools of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and was a part of the 1944 college football season. Georgia Tech compiled an 8–3 overall record, with a conference record of 4–0, and was SEC champion.

## Results and team statistics

| Conf. rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | AP final | PPG | PAG |
| 1 | Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 8–3–0 (.727) | 4–0–0 (1.000) | No. T–13 | 23.0 | 9.2 |
| 2 | Tennessee | John Barnhill | 7–1–1 (.833) | 5–0–1 (.917) | No. 12 | 19.2 | 8.1 |
| 3 | Georgia | Wally Butts | 7–3–0 (.700) | 4–2–0 (.667) | | 27.3 | 13.0 |
| 4 | Alabama | Frank Thomas | 5–2–2 (.667) | 3–1–2 (.667) | | 30.2 | 9.2 |
| 5 | Mississippi State | Allyn McKeen | 6–2–0 (.750) | 3–2–0 (.600) | | 27.4 | 9.9 |
| 6 | LSU | Bernie Moore | 2–5–1 (.313) | 2–3–1 (.417) | | 11.5 | 12.6 |
| 7 | Ole Miss | Harry Mehre | 2–6–0 (.250) | 2–3–0 (.400) | | 9.6 | 22.3 |
| 8 | Tulane | Claude Simons Jr. | 4–3–0 (.571) | 1–2–0 (.333) | | 16.1 | 17.9 |
| 9 | Kentucky | Albert D. Kirwan | 3–6–0 (.333) | 1–5–0 (.167) | | 13.9 | 16.3 |
| 10 | Florida | Tom Lieb | 4–3–0 (.571) | 0–3–0 (.000) | | 15.4 | 19.4 |
| 11 | Auburn | Carl M. Voyles | 4–4–0 (.500) | 0–4–0 (.000) | | 22.6 | 17.1 |
| 12 | Vanderbilt | Doby Bartling | 3–0–1 (.875) | 0–0–0 (–) | | 16.8 | 5.8 |
Key AP final = Rankings from AP sports writers. See 1944 college football rankings PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game

## Schedule

* Index to colors and formatting
* SEC member won
* SEC member lost
* SEC member tie
* SEC teams in bold

### Week Zero

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
| September 23 | Mayport NAS | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | W 36–6 | 6,000 | |
| September 23 | Ole Miss | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | KEN 7–27 | 11,000 | |

### Week One

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 29 | Howard (AL) | Auburn | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery AL | W 32–0 | 10,000 |
| September 29 | Wake Forest | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | L 7–14 | 8,500 |
| September 30 | Clemson | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | W 51–0 | 15,000 |
| September 30 | Jackson Field | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 41–0 | 2,500 |
| September 30 | Kentucky | Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 26–13 | 15,000 |
| September 30 | Ole Miss | Florida | Fairfield Stadium • Jacksonville, FL | OM 26–26 | 10,000 |
| September 30 | Alabama | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | T 27–27 | 32,000 |

### Week Two

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 6 | Presbyterian | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | W 67–0 | |
| October 7 | North Carolina | Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 28–0 | 15,000 |
| October 7 | Howard (AL) | Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | W 63–7 | 5,000 |
| October 7 | Millsaps | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 56–0 | |
| October 7 | Jacksonville NAS | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | W 27–20 | 4,500 |
| October 7 | Fourth Infantry | Auburn | Auburn Stadium • Auburn, AL | W 7–0 | 5,000 |
| October 7 | Sewanee V-12 | Vanderbilt | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN (rivalry) | T 0–0 | |
| October 7 | LSU | Rice | Rice Field • Houston, TX | L 13–14 | 10,000 |
| October 7 | Tulane | Notre Dame | Notre Dame Stadium • Notre Dame, IN | L 0–26 | 45,000 |
| October 7 | Michigan State | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | L 0–2 | 10,000 |
| October 7 | Tennessee | Ole Miss | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN | TEN 20–7 | 15,000 |

### Week Three

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 13 | Kentucky | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | UGA 13–12 | 9,000 |
| October 14 | Millsaps | Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 55–0 | |
| October 14 | Arkansas A&M | Mississippi State | Scott Field • Starkville, MS | W 49–20 | |
| October 14 | Rice | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 21–0 | 28,000 |
| October 14 | Texas A&M | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | L 0–7 | 25,000 |
| October 14 | Auburn | No. 10 Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (rivalry) | GT 27–7 | 20,000 |
| October 14 | Florida | No. 15 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 40–0 | 8,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Four

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 20 | Daniel Field | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | W 53–6 | 3,000 |
| October 20 | VMI | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | W 26–2 | 8,000 |
| October 21 | No. 9 Navy | No. 8 Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W GT 17–15 | 35,000 |
| October 21 | No. 13 Tulsa | Ole Miss | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN | L 0–47 | 8,000 |
| October 21 | Florida | No. 15 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN (rivalry) | TEN 40–0 | 8,000 |
| October 21 | Mississippi State | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | MSS 6–13 | 25,000 |
| October 21 | Auburn | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (rivalry) | TUL 16–13 | 30,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Five

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 27 | Georgia Pre-Flight | No. 5 Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | W 13–7 | 15,000 |
| October 27 | Kentucky | Alabama | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL | ALA 41–0 | 16,000 |
| October 28 | SMU | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 27–7 | 22,000 |
| October 28 | Maryland | Florida | Florida Field • Gainesville, FL | W 14–6 | 7,000 |
| October 28 | Tennessee Tech | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 19–7 | 5,000 |
| October 28 | Arkansas | Ole Miss | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN (rivalry) | W 18–26 | 10,000 |
| October 28 | Clemson | No. 19 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | W 26–7 | 11,000 |
| October 28 | LSU | Georgia | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | LSU 15–7 | |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Six

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 3 | Florida | Miami (FL) | Burdine Stadium • Miami, FL (rivalry) | W 13–0 | 16,415 |
| November 4 | Presbyterian | Auburn | Auburn Stadium • Auburn, AL | W 57–0 | 7,000 |
| November 4 | Vanderbilt | Tennessee Tech | Overhill Field • Cookeville, TN | W 20–9 | |
| November 4 | No. 5 Georgia Tech | Duke | Duke Stadium • Durham, NC | L 13–19 | 30,000 |
| November 4 | Jackson Field | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS | L 0–10 | 2,000 |
| November 4 | No. 16 Tennessee | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | TEN 13–0 | 22,000 |
| November 4 | Georgia | No. 19 Alabama | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (rivalry) | UGA 14–7 | 22,000 |
| November 4 | Kentucky | No. 18 Mississippi State | Crump Stadium • Memphis, TN | MSS 26–0 | 8,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Seven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 11 | Sewanee V-12 | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 28–7 | 5,000 |
| November 11 | Tulane | No. 13 Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | GT 34–7 | 20,000 |
| November 11 | Georgia | Florida | Fairfield Stadium • Jacksonville, FL (rivalry) | UGA 38–12 | 18,000 |
| November 11 | Ole Miss | Alabama | Murphy High School Stadium • Mobile, AL (rivalry) | ALA 34–6 | 8,000 |
| November 11 | No. 19 Mississippi State | Auburn | Legion Field • Birmingham, AL | MSS 26–21 | 14,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 18 | Temple | No. 17 Tennessee | Shields–Watkins Field • Knoxville, TN | W 27–14 | 15,000 |
| November 18 | Clemson | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 36–20 | 10,000 |
| November 18 | West Virginia | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | W 40–9 | |
| November 18 | No. 9 Georgia Tech | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA | GT 14–6 | 10,000 |
| November 18 | Georgia | Auburn | Memorial Stadium • Columbus, GA (rivaley) | UGA 49–13 | 20,000 |
| November 18 | No. 16 Mississippi State | Alabama | Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry) | ALA 19–0 | 23,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Nine

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 24 | Miami (FL) | Auburn | Burdine Stadium • Miami, FL | W 38–19 | 13,000 |
| November 24 | Clemson | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA (rivalry) | W 21–7 | 3,500 |
| November 25 | No. 18 Notre Dame | No. 10 Georgia Tech | Grant Field • Atlanta, GA | L 0–21 | 28,662 |
| November 25 | No. 15 Tennessee | Kentucky | McLean Stadium • Lexington, KY | TEN 21–7 | |
| November 25 | Mississippi State | Ole Miss | Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS (rivalry) | OM 8–13 | 8,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Week Ten

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| December 2 | Georgia Tech | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA (rivalry) | GT 44–0 | 26,000 |
| December 2 | Tulane | LSU | Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) | LSU 25–6 | 30,000 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

### Postseason

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| January 1, 1945 | Tulsa | No. 13 Georgia Tech | Burdine Stadium • Miami, FL (Orange Bowl) | L 12–26 | 29,426 |
| January 1, 1945 | No. 12 Tennessee | No. 7 USC | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl) | L 0–25 | 91,000 |
| January 1, 1945 | Alabama | No. 11 Duke | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) | L 26–29 | 66,822 |
| $^#$Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |||||||

## All-conference players

The following players were recognized as consensus first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) and United Press (UP) on the 1944 All-SEC football team:
* Phil Tinsley, End, Georgia Tech (AP-1, UP-1)
* Wash Serini, Tackle, Kentucky (AP-1, UP-1)
* Bob Dobelstein, Guard, Tennessee (AP-1, UP-1)
* Tex Warrington, Center, Auburn (AP-1, UP-1)
* Shorty McWilliams, Quarterback, Mississippi State (AP-1, UP-1)
* Dub Jones, Halfback, Tulane (AP-1, UP-1)
* Frank Broyles, Fullback, Georgia Tech (AP-1, UP-1 [as hb])

## All-Americans

One SEC player was a consensus first-team pick on the 1944 College Football All-America Team:
* Phil Tinsley, End, Georgia Tech (AAB, AP, COL, FN, INS, LK, NEA, SN)
Other SEC players receiving All-American honors from at least one selector were:
* Bob Dobelstein, Guard, Tennessee (AP-3)
* Caleb Warrington, Center, Auburn (AAB; AP-1; COL; FWAA-2; INS-2; NEA; SN; UP-3; WC)
* Frank Broyles, Quarterback, Georgia Tech (FWAA-2)
* Shorty McWilliams, Halfback, Mississippi State (AP-2; UP-2)

## Head coaches

Records through the completion of the 1944 season
| Team | Head coach | Years at school | Overall record | Record at school | SEC record |
| Alabama | Frank Thomas | 14 | 124–29–8 (.795) | 98–20–7 (.812) | 49–13–6 (.765) |
| Auburn | Carl M. Voyles | 1 | 47–22–3 (.674) | 4–4–0 (.500) | 0–4–0 (.000) |
| Florida | Tom Lieb | 4 | 63–54–4 (.537) | 16–21–0 (.432) | 4–12–0 (.250) |
| Georgia | Wally Butts | 6 | 43–19–2 (.688) | 43–19–2 (.688) | 15–10–2 (.593) |
| Georgia Tech | William Alexander | 25 | 134–95–15 (.580) | 134–95–15 (.580) | 33–31–5 (.514) |
| Kentucky | Albert D. Kirwan | 6 | 24–28–4 (.464) | 24–28–4 (.464) | 4–22–3 (.190) |
| LSU | Bernie Moore | 10 | 74–45–7 (.615) | 62–33–4 (.646) | 31–22–3 (.580) |
| Mississippi State | Allyn McKeen | 5 | 53–13–2 (.794) | 40–7–2 (.837) | 19–6–2 (.741) |
| Ole Miss | Harry Mehre | 6 | 94–55–7 (.625) | 35–21–1 (.623) | 24–26–3 (.481) |
| Tennessee | John Barnhill | 3 | 24–4–2 (.833) | 24–4–2 (.833) | 12–2–1 (.833) |
| Tulane | Claude Simons Jr. | 3 | 22–23–1 (.489) | 11–11–0 (.500) | 3–7–0 (.300) |
| Vanderbilt | Doby Bartling | 1 | 3–0–1 (.875) | 3–0–1 (.875) | 0–0–0 (–) |

## 1945 NFL draft

The following SEC players were selected in the 1945 NFL draft:
| Round | Overall Pick | Player name | School | Position | NFL team |
| 1 | 1 | Charley Trippi | Georgia | Halfback | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1 | 2 | Paul Duhart | Florida | Halfback | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1 | 3 | Joe Renfroe | Tulane | Back | Brooklyn Tigers |
| 1 | 4 | Eddie Prokop | Georgia Tech | Back | Boston Yanks |
| 3 | 25 | Alvin Dark | LSU | Back | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 4 | 28 | Bob Dobelstein | Tennessee | Guard | Chicago Cardinals |
| 4 | 29 | Roger Adams | Florida | Center | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 5 | 43 | Joe Graham | Florida | End | Green Bay Packers |
| 6 | 51 | Johnny North | Vanderbilt | End | Washington Redskins |
| 6 | 53 | Barney Poole | Ole Miss | End | New York Giants |
| 6 | 54 | Don Wells | Georgia | Tackle | Green Bay Packers |
| 7 | 61 | John Steber | Georgia Tech | Guard | Washington Redskins |
| 7 | 65 | Casey Stephenson | Tennessee | Back | Green Bay Packers |
| 8 | 70 | Johnny August | Alabama | Back | Cleveland Rams |
| 8 | 71 | Art Porter | Tulane | End | Washington Redskins |
| 9 | 78 | Gene Meeks | Kentucky | Back | Chicago Cardinals |
| 9 | 81 | Dick Huffman | Tennessee | Tackle | Cleveland Rams |
| 9 | 84 | Curt Kuykendall | Auburn | Back | Washington Redskins |
| 10 | 89 | Art Brandau | Tennessee | Center | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 10 | 90 | Roy Cross | Tennessee | End | Brooklyn Tigers |
| 10 | 98 | Hal Helscher | LSU | Back | Green Bay Packers |
| 11 | 101 | Halley Heard | LSU | Tackle | Chicago Cardinals |
| 12 | 119 | Billy Bevis | Tennessee | Back | New York Giants |
| 13 | 125 | Jack Aland | Alabama | Tackle | Cleveland Rams |
| 13 | 127 | Charlie Conerly | Ole Miss | Quarterback | Washington Redskins |
| 14 | 133 | Hal Self | Alabama | Back | Brooklyn Tigers |
| 14 | 141 | Stan Rhoades | Mississippi State | Back | New York Giants |
| 15 | 151 | Bill Montgomery | LSU | Back | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 16 | 163 | Jim Little | Kentucky | Tackle | New York Giants |
| 17 | 170 | Bob Jenkins | Alabama | Back | Washington Redskins |
| 17 | 171 | O. J. Key | Tulane | Back | Detroit Lions |
| 18 | 181 | Jim McWhorter | Alabama | Back | Detroit Lions |
| 19 | 191 | Eagle Matulich | Mississippi State | Back | Cleveland Rams |
| 19 | 193 | Jim Bradshaw | Auburn | Center | Washington Redskins |
| 20 | 202 | Bill Griffin | Kentucky | Tackle | Cleveland Rams |
| 20 | 204 | Mike Castronis | Florida | Guard | Detroit Lions |
| 20 | 205 | Broughton Williams | Florida | End | Chicago Bears |
| 22 | 220 | Fred Grant | Alabama | Back | Chicago Cardinals |
| 23 | 231 | Everett Hartwell | Auburn | End | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 23 | 233 | Johnny Cook | Georgia | Back | Chicago Cardinals |
| 23 | 237 | Ray Olsen | Tulane | Back | Detroit Lions |
| 23 | 239 | Monk Mosley | Alabama | Back | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 23 | 240 | Jim Chadwell | Tennessee | Tackle | New York Giants |
| 24 | 243 | Ardie McClure | Georgia | Tackle | Chicago Cardinals |
| 24 | 247 | Russ Morrow | Tennessee | Center | Detroit Lions |
| 25 | 258 | Jack Green | Alabama | Guard | Chicago Bears |
| 26 | 265 | Felix Trapani | LSU | Guard | Brooklyn Tigers |
| 26 | 266 | Red Knight | LSU | Back | Chicago Cardinals |
| 30 | 312 | Charley Compton | Alabama | Tackle | Cleveland Rams |
| 31 | 320 | Bob Cummings | Vanderbilt | Center | Washington Redskins |
| 31 | 322 | Ken Reese | Alabama | Back | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 32 | 329 | John Staples | Alabama | Guard | New York Giants |