# 1909 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season

The 1909 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 1909 college football season. The season began on September 25.
Under head coach Harris G. Cope, Sewanee won its last conference title in major college football. Sewanee gave Vanderbilt its first loss to a Southern team in six years, and was the first Sewanee squad to win a title since the 1899 Iron Men.
When the Kentucky team was welcomed home after the upset win over Illinois, Philip Carbusier said that they had "fought like wildcats", a nickname that stuck.
President Taft showed up for the Sewanee-LSU game. LSU was led by Hall of Fame quarterback Doc Fenton.

## Results and team statistics

| Conf. Rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | PPG | PAG |
| 1 | Sewanee | Harris Cope | 6–1 | 4–0 | 22.9 | 6.0 |
| 2 | Vanderbilt | Dan McGugin | 7–3 | 4–1 | 21.0 | 3.2 |
| 3 | Alabama | Doc Pollard | 5–1–2 | 4–1–2 | 8.5 | 2.1 |
| 4 | LSU | Joe Pritchard | 6–2 | 3–1 | 23.5 | 4.6 |
| 5 (tie) | Georgia Tech | John Heisman | 7–2 | 4–2 | 24.1 | 5.0 |
| 5 (tie) | Auburn | Mike Donahue | 5–2 | 4–2 | 16.7 | 5.6 |
| 7 | Howard | John B. Longwell | 5-2-1 | 2-2 |
| 8 | Clemson | Bob Williams | 6–3 | 2–2 | 10.3 | 4.8 |
| 9 | Mississippi | Nathan Stauffer | 4–3–2 | 1-2–1 | 11.0 | 5.4 |
| 10 | Georgia | James Coulter/Frank Dobson | 1–4–2 | 1–4-1 | 2.0 | 6.9 |
| 11 | The Citadel | Sam Costen | 4–3–2 | 0–1–1 |
| 12 | Mississippi A&M | W. D. Chadwick | 5–4 | 0–3 | 17.0 | 4.9 |
| 13 | Mercer | Frank Blake | 3–5 | 0–4 | 8.0 | 3.9 |
| 14 | Tennessee | George Levene | 1–6–2 | 0–5 | 1.2 | 12.6 |
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 |
| September 25 | Gordon | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | L 0–10 |
| September 25 | Southwestern Presbyterian | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 52–0 |
| September 27 | Gordon | Clemson | Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC | W 26–0 |

### Week Two

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| October 2 | Central University | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | T 0–0 |
| October 2 | The Citadel | College of Charleston | Charleston, SC | W 36–0 |
| October 2 | Union (TN) | Alabama | The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 16–0 |
| October 2 | Howard (AL) | Auburn | Baseball Field • Montgomery, AL | AUB 11–0 |
| October 2 | Gordon | Georgia Tech | Piedmont Park • Atlanta, GA | W 18–6 |
| October 2 | Memphis University School | Ole Miss | Oxford, MS | W 18–0 |
| October 2 | Clemson | VPI | Miles Field • Blacksburg, VA | L 0–6 |
| October 2 | Jackson Barracks | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 70–0 |
| October 2 | Mercer | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 32–0 |
| October 2 | Birmingham | Mississippi A&M | Hardy Field • Starkville, MS | W 21–0 |

### Week Three

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| October 5 | University of Memphis | Ole Miss | Oxford, MS | W 15–0 |
| October 9 | Howard (AL) | Alabama | The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL | ALA 14–0 |
| October 9 | Gordon | Auburn | Drill Field • Auburn, AL | W 46–0 |
| October 9 | Clemson | Davidson | Latta Park • Charlotte, NC | W 17–5 |
| October 9 | Georgia | The Citadel | College Park Stadium • Charleston, SC | T 0–0 |
| October 9 | Mooney | Georgia Tech | Piedmont Park • Atlanta, GA | W 35–6 |
| October 9 | Cumberland (TN) | Mississippi A&M | Hardy Field • Starkville, MS | W 34–6 |
| October 9 | Ole Miss | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | LSU 10–0 |
| October 9 | Southwestern Presbyterian | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 64–0 |
| October 9 | North Carolina | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | L 0–3 |
| October 9 | Rose Polytechnic | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 28–3 |

### Week Four

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 15 | Jacksonville State | Howard (AL) | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | W 33–0 | |
| October 15 | Davidson | Georgia | Herty Field • Athens, GA | T 0–0 | |
| October 16 | Auburn | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | AUB 23–5 | |
| October 16 | Clemson | Alabama | Birmingham Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL | ALA 3–0 | |
| October 16 | Port Royal Marines | The Citadel | College Park Stadium • Charleston, SC | L 5–17 | |
| October 16 | South Carolina | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | W 59–0 | |
| October 16 | Sewanee | Princeton | University Field • Princeton, NJ | L 0–20 | |
| October 16 | Mississippi A&M | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | LSU 15–0 | |
| October 16 | Tennessee | Kentucky State College | Lexington, KY | L 0–17 | 2,000 |
| October 16 | Vanderbilt Alumni | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | L 0–3 | |
| October 16 | Ole Miss | Tulane | Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA | L 0–5 | |

### Week Five

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| October 22 | Southwestern Presbyterian | Mississippi A&M | Columbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MS | W 31–0 |
| October 23 | Alabama | Ole Miss | Mississippi State Fairgrounds • Jackson, MS | T 0–0 |
| October 23 | Port Royal Marines | Clemson | Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC | W 19–0 |
| October 23 | Georgia | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | UGA 3–0 |
| October 23 | Howard (AL) | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | HOW 6–5 |
| October 23 | Sewanee | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | GT 15–0 |
| October 23 | Auburn | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 17–0 |

### Week Six

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 30 | Alabama | Georgia | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | ALA 14–0 | |
| October 30 | Georgia Tech | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | GT 29–0 | |
| October 30 | Sewanee | LSU | Pelican Park • New Orleans, LA | SEW 15–6 | 4,200–7,000 |
| October 30 | Mississippi A&M | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | L 0–2 | |
| October 30 | Ole Miss | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 17–0 | |
| October 30 | Howard (AL) | Chattanooga | Chamberlain Field • Chattanooga, TN | T 0–0 | |
| October 30 | Porter Military Academy | The Citadel | Charleston, SC | W 80–0 | |

### Week Seven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 2 | Union (TN) | Mississippi A&M | Columbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MS | W 25–0 | |
| November 3 | Davidson | The Citadel | Fairgrounds • Columbia, SC | T 0–0 | |
| November 4 | Clemson | South Carolina | Fairgrounds • Columbia, SC | W 6–0 | |
| November 4 | Louisiana Industrial | LSU | Ball Park • Alexandria, LA | W 23–0 | 1,200 |
| November 6 | Chattanooga | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | W 10–2 | |
| November 6 | Auburn | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | AUB 9–0 | |
| November 6 | Tennessee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 51–0 | |
| November 8 | Mississippi A&M | Howard (AL) | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | HOW 6–0 | |
| November 8 | Castle Heights | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 38–0 | |

### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| November 10 | Clemson | Georgia | Augusta, GA | CLEM 5–0 |
| November 12 | Ole Miss | Henderson | Arkadelphia, AR | T 12–12 |
| November 13 | Alabama | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | TENN 10–0 |
| November 13 | Arkansas | LSU | Red Elm Park • Memphis, TN | L 0–16 |
| November 13 | Clemson | The Citadel | College Park Stadium • Charleston, SC | CLEM 17–0 |
| November 13 | Georgia Tech | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | GT 35–0 |
| November 13 | Chattanooga | Mississippi A&M | Hardy Field • Starkville, MS | W 37–6 |
| November 13 | Sewanee | Auburn | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | SEW 12–11 |
| November 13 | Vanderbilt | Ohio State | University Park • Columbus, OH | L 0–5 |

### Week Nine

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 17 | Union (TN) | Ole Miss | Oxford, MS | W 45–0 | |
| November 18 | Transylvania | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 52–0 | |
| November 20 | Georgia | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | GT 12–6 | |
| November 20 | Alabama | Tulane | Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA | T 5–5 | |
| November 20 | The Citadel | College of Charleston | Charleston, SC | W 21–6 | |
| November 20 | South Carolina | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | W 5–3 | |
| November 20 | Birmingham | Howard (AL) | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | W 26–0 | |
| November 20 | Tennessee | Chattanooga | Chamberlain Field • Chattanooga, TN | T 0–0 | |
| November 20 | Vanderbilt | Washington University | Francis Field • St. Louis, MO | W 12–0 | 5,000 |

### Week Ten

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 25 | LSU | Alabama | Birmingham Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL | LSU 12–6 | |
| November 25 | Clemson | Georgia Tech | Ponce de Leon Park • Atlanta, GA | GT 29–3 | |
| November 25 | Georgia | Auburn | Montgomery, AL | AUB 17–5 | |
| November 25 | Ole Miss | Mississippi A&M | Mississippi State Fairgrounds • Jackson, MS | MISS 9–5 | |
| November 25 | Sewanee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | SEW 16–5 | |
| November 25 | South Carolina | The Citadel | College Park Stadium • Charleston, SC | L 5–11 | 1,600 |
| November 25 | Transylvania | Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | W 11–0 | |
| November 25 | Georgetown (KY) | Howard | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | W 11–0 | |
| November 25 | Norman Park | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | W 26–0 | |

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

John Heisman's All-Southern team included:
| Position | Name | Team |
| QB | Doc Fenton | LSU |
| HB | Aubrey Lanier | Sewanee |
| HB | Ray Morrison | Vanderbilt |
| FB | Will Metzger | Vanderbilt |
| E | Silas Williams | Sewanee |
| T | Harry Esslinger | Auburn |
| G | Eric Cheape | Sewanee |
| C | J. E. Lucas | Georgia |
| G | T. C. Locke | Auburn |
| T | Malvern Griffin | Vanderbilt |
| E | Ewing Y. Freeland | Vanderbilt |