# 1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season

The 1908 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the college football games played by the member schools of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association as part of the 1908 college football season. The season began on September 26.
LSU won the SIAA championship, but amidst fears of many players being ineligible under SIAA rules most sportswriters did not include them for consideration. Its season was clouded by accusations of professionalism from Grantland Rice and rival school Tulane which was also undefeated in southern play. Despite this, the SIAA eventually cleared LSU of any wrongdoing. LSU featured Hall of Fame quarterback Doc Fenton.
Auburn and Vanderbilt were among those listed as alternative SIAA champions. The newspapers unanimously handed the title to Auburn. Auburn featured first-year halfback Lew Hardage. Vanderbilt had a down year with a wealth of sophomores; guided shrewdly by McGugin to its success.
The Tennessee Volunteers compiled four wins in SIAA play, the most in team history. It was widely considered the best Tennessee football season up to that point. Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin noted "All things considered, Leach was perhaps the best football player of the year in Dixie."

## Results and team statistics

| Conf. Rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | PPG | PAG |
| 1 (tie) | LSU | Edgar Wingard | 10–0 | 2–0 | 44.3 | 1.1 |
| 1 (tie) | Auburn | Mike Donahue | 6–1 | 5–1 | 22.6 | 1.4 |
| 3 | Vanderbilt | Dan McGugin | 7–2–1 | 3–0–1 | 20.7 | 6.1 |
| 4 | Tennessee | George Levene | 7–2 | 3–2 | 13.8 | 3.9 |
| 5 | Georgia Tech | John Heisman | 6–3 | 4–3 | 16.3 | 8.2 |
| 6 | Georgia | Branch Bocock | 5–3–1 | 2–2–1 | 9.0 | 5.6 |
| 7 (tie) | Alabama | Doc Pollard | 6–1–1 | 1–1–1 | 13.5 | 3.9 |
| 7 (tie) | Sewanee | Harry Van Surdam | 4–1–3 | 1–1–1 | 11.8 | 2.5 |
| 9 | Mississippi A&M | Fred Furman | 3–4 | 1–3 | 15.4 | 16.1 |
| 10 | Mississippi | Frank Kyle | 3–5 | 0–2 | 12.4 | 15.6 |
| 11 | Mercer | Frank Blake | 3–4 | 0–3 | 18.7 | 8.4 |
| 12 | Howard | John Counselman | 2–4 | 0–3 | | |
| 12 | Clemson | Stein Stone | 1–6 | 0–4 | 3.7 | 14.9 |
| 13 | Nashville |
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; SIAA member won
* Non-conference matchup; SIAA member lost
* Non-conference matchup; tie
* Conference matchup
SIAA teams in bold.

### Week One

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference |
| September 26 | Gordon | Clemson | Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC | W 15–0 | | |
| September 26 | Southwestern Presbyterian | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 11–5 | | |

### Week Two

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| October 3 | Memphis University School | Ole Miss | Oxford, MS | W 30–0 |
| October 3 | Mooney | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 29–0 |
| October 3 | Wetumpka Agricultural School | Alabama | The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 27–0 |
| October 3 | Howard (AL) | Auburn | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | W 18–0 |
| October 3 | North Georgia | Georgia | Herty Field • Athens, GA | W 16–0 |
| October 3 | Gordon | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | W 32–0 |
| October 3 | Locust Grove Institute | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | W 56–0 |
| October 3 | North Carolina | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | W 12–0 |
| October 3 | New Orleans Gym Club | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 41–0 |
| October 3 | Maryville (TN) | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 32–0 |

### Week Three

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 10 | Howard (AL) | Alabama | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | W 17–0 | |
| October 10 | Gordon | Auburn | Drill Field • Auburn, AL | W 42–0 | |
| October 10 | Castle Heights | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 35–2 | |
| October 10 | Florida | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | W 24–0 | |
| October 10 | Louisiana Industrial | Mississippi A&M | Hardy Field • Starkville, MS | W 47–0 | |
| October 10 | Ole Miss | Arkansas | The Hill • Fayetteville, AR | L 33–0 | |
| October 10 | Mooney | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | W 30–0 | |
| October 10 | Maryville (TN) | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | W 39–5 | |
| October 10 | VPI | Clemson | Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC | L 6–0 | |
| October 10 | Rose Polytechnic | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 32–0 | |
| October 11 | Jackson Barracks-New Orleans | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 81–5 | 1,000 |

### Week Four

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 17 | Auburn | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | AUB 23–0 | |
| October 17 | Cincinnati | Alabama | State Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL | W 16–0 | |
| October 17 | Mississippi A&M | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | GT 23–0 | |
| October 17 | South Carolina | Georgia | Herty Field • Athens, GA | W 29–6 | |
| October 17 | Sewanee | Virginia | Lafayette Field • Norfolk, VA | T 0–0 | 5,000 |
| October 17 | Texas A&M | LSU | Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA | W 26–0 | |
| October 17 | Kentucky State College | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | W 7–0 | |
| October 17 | Clemson | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 41–0 | |
| October 17 | Cape Girardeau Normal | Ole Miss | Edgewood Park • Memphis, TN | W 17–0 | |

### Week Five

| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 23 | | Southwestern Presbyterian | Mississippi A&M | Columbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MS | W 6–0 | 4,000 |
| October 24 | 12:00 p. m. | Sewanee | Auburn | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | AUB 6–0 | 3,000 |
| October 24 | | Georgia | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | TENN 10–0 | |
| October 24 | | Alabama | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | GT 11–6 | |
| October 24 | | Ole Miss | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 29–0 | |
| October 26 | | Southwestern Presbyterian | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 55–0 | |

### Week Six

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| October 28 | Davidson | Clemson | State Fair Grounds • Columbia, SC | L 0–13 |
| October 29 | Mississippi College | Ole Miss | State Fairgrounds • Jackson, MS | W 41–0 |
| October 31 | Chattanooga | Alabama | The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 23–6 |
| October 31 | Georgis | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | UGA 11–0 |
| October 31 | LSU | Auburn | Drill Field • Auburn, AL | LSU 10–2 |
| October 31 | Vanderbilt | Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | L 6–24 |
| October 31 | Kentucky University | Mississippi A&M | Hardy Field • Starkville, MS | W 12–5 |
| October 31 | Sewanee | Kentucky State College | State Athletic Field • Lexington, KY | W 12–0 |
| October 31 | Tennessee | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | TENN 6–5 |
| October 31 | Ole Miss | Tulane | Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA | L 0–10 |

### Week Seven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| November 5 | Clemson | Georgia | Augusta, GA | UGA 8–0 |
| November 7 | Auburn | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | AUB 44–0 |
| November 7 | Mississippi A&M | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | LSU 50–0 |
| November 7 | Sewanee | Saint Louis | Sportsman's Park • St. Louis, MO | T 6–6 |
| November 7 | Tennessee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 16–9 |

### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| November 10 | Baylor | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 89–0 |
| November 10 | Southwestern Presbyterian | Ole Miss | Oxford, MS | L 5–9 |
| November 14 | Georgia | Alabama | State Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL | T 6–6 |
| November 14 | Sewanee | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | SEW 6–0 |
| November 14 | Mississippi A&M | Tulane | Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA | L 23–0 |
| November 14 | Ohio State | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | L 6–17 |
| November 14 | Clemson | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | TENN 6–5 |
| November 16 | Haskell | LSU | Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA | W 33–0 |

### Week Nine

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 17 | Mercer | The Citadel | Charleston, SC | L5–10 | |
| November 19 | Georgia Tech | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | GT 16–6 | |
| November 20 | Haskell | Alabama | The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 9–8 | |
| November 21 | Davidson | Georgia | Herty Field • Athens, GA | W 2–0 | |
| November 21 | Chattanooga | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | W 35–0 | |
| November 21 | Vanderbilt | Washington University | Francis Field • St. Louis, MO | W 28–0 | 6,000 |
| November 23 | LSU | Louisiana Industrial | Ruston, LA | W 22–0 | |

### Week Ten

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 26 | Tennessee | Alabama | State Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL | ALA 4–0 | |
| November 26 | Clemson | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | GT 30–6 | |
| November 26 | Georgia | Auburn | Montgomery Baseball Park • Montgomery, AL | AUB 23–0 | |
| November 26 | LSU | Arkansas | West End Park • Little Rock, AR | W 36–4 | 5,000 |
| November 26 | Howard (AL) | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, Georgia | W 45–0 | |
| November 26 | Ole Miss | Mississippi A&M | State Fairgrounds • Jackson, MS | MSA&M 44–6 | |
| November 26 | Sewanee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | T 6–6 | |

## Awards and honors
### All-Southern team

The consensus All-Southern team:
| Position | Name | First-team Selectors | Team |
| QB | Ray Morrison | NB | Vanderbilt |
| HB | Walker Leach | H, DM, NB | Tennessee |
| HB | Lew Hardage | DM | Auburn |
| FB | Lawrence Markley | H, DM, NB | Sewanee |
| E | Vaughn Blake | H, DM, NB | Vanderbilt |
| T | Frank Faulkinberry | H, DM, NB | Sewanee |
| G | Louis Hasslock | H, DM, NB | Vanderbilt |
| C | C. C. Countess | | Alabama |
| G | James L. Harris | | Sewanee |
| T | J. R. Davis | H, DM | Georgia Tech |
| E | Walker Reynolds | | Auburn |
Selectors include John Heisman (H), Dan McGugin (DM), and Nash Buckingham (NB).