# 1917 Florida Gators football team

The 1917 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1917 college football season. The season was Alfred L. Buser's first of three as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The 1917 season was a disappointment; the team completed their football season with an SIAA conference record of 1–3 and an overall record of 2–4.

## Before the season

Coach Buser was a former All-American lineman for the Wisconsin Badgers, and promised to bring a Midwestern power football style of play to revive the Gators after the winless 1916 season. Captain "Rowdy Bill" Wilkinson was the team's only returning letterman.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| October 13 | South Carolina | Fleming FieldGainesville, FL | W 21–13 |
| October 20 | Tulane | Fleming FieldGainesville, FL | L 0–52 |
| October 27 | Florida Southern* | Fleming FieldGainesville, FL | W 19–7 |
| November 3 | at Auburn | Drake FieldAuburn, AL (rivalry) | L 0–68 |
| November 17 | vs. Clemson | Barrs FieldJacksonville, FL | L 7–55 |
| November 29 | at Kentucky* | Stoll FieldLexington, KY (rivalry) | L 0–52 |
| *Non-conference game |||||

## Game summaries
### South Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| South Carolina | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
| • Florida | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
On opening day, Florida came from behind with three touchdowns in the third quarter to beat South Carolina 21–13.
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wurtrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Wells (center), Swink (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).

### Tulane

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Tulane | 7 | 20 | 18 | 6 | 51 |
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tulane overwhelmed the Gators 52–0, several times skirting the ends for long gains. The Gators were frequently penalized for offsides and hurdling.
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wurtrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Wells (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).

### Florida Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Southern | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| • Florida | 6 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 19 |
The Gators extended their winning streak over the Florida Southern to four games, winning 19–7. After the first ten minutes, Florida replaced its backfield with second-string men.
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Swink (left guard), Dye (center), Cornell (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Marshall (left halfback), Leifeste (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).

### Auburn

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Auburn | 14 | 19 | 21 | 14 | 68 |
Florida endured its sixth-straight loss to coach Mike Donahue's Auburn team. The Plainsmen had their biggest win on the season over Florida, 68–0.
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Fuller (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Fernald (fullback).

### Clemson

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Clemson | 21 | 7 | 20 | 7 | 55 |
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Clemson defeated the Gators 55–7. Florida's only score came on a forward pass, Loomis to Thomas.
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wutrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Otto (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Loomis (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Lightsey (fullback).

### Kentucky

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Kentucky | 13 | 13 | 20 | 6 | 52 |
On Thanksgiving, in the school's first-ever game against the Kentucky Wildcats, Florida lost 52–0. Kentucky used its substitutes by the second half.
The starting lineup was Clemmons (left end), Wuthrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Dye (center), Gunn (right guard), Brannon (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Loomis (quarterback), Wilkinson (left halfback), Ball (right halfback), Fernald (fullback).

## Personnel
### Line

| Player | Position | Games started | Hometown | Height | Weight | Age |
| Cutie Brannon | Tackle | 6 | Gainesville | 5'7" | 170 | 21 |
| Gordon Clemmons | End | 6 | Plant City | 5'10" | 140 | 19 |
| Harvey Connell | Guard | 6 | Orlando | 6'0" | 180 | 19 |
| Colonel Dye | Center | 4 | Bradentown | 5'11" | 170 | 19 |
| Rat Paul Hayman | End | | Punta Gorda | 5'7" | 150 | 21 |
| P. C. Swink | Guard, tackle | 2 | Spartanburg, SC | 5'10" | 155 | 20 |
| Clarence Thomas | End | 6 | Gainesville | 5'11" | 160 | 18 |
| Fats Wuthrich | Tackle | 6 | Brewster | 5'8" | 170 | 20 |

### Backfield

| Player | Position | Games started | Hometown | Height | Weight | Age |
| Heinie Ball | Halfback | 5 | Sanford | 5'5" | 155 | 20 |
| Billy Canova | Quarterback | | Lake City | 5'6" | 150 | 19 |
| Fernie Fernald | Fullback | 2 | Tarpon Springs | 5'9" | 155 | 18 |
| Horace Loomis | Quarterback | 2 | Plant City | 5'9" | 135 | 19 |
| Alf Marshall | Halfback | 1 | Clearwater | 5'7" | 145 | 21 |
| Rowdy Bill Wilkinson | Halfback | 5 | Gainesville | 5'8" | 145 | 25 |

### Coaching staff

* Head coach: Al Buser
* Manager: W. E. Stone
* Assistant managers: E. B. Casler, J. W. Dalton