# 1903 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season

The 1903 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 1903 college football season. The season began on September 25.
1903 met difficulty in determining an SIAA champion. Clemson had the best record, but lost to an inferior North Carolina team; and in the game to secure the SIAA title were tied by Cumberland. Clemson's John Heisman pushed strongly for Cumberland to share the SIAA title. Cumberland's strongest victory was its win over Vanderbilt.
However, Sewanee beat Cumberland, yet suffered its only loss to Vanderbilt. Heisman originally challenged the winner of the Vanderbilt-Sewanee game. John J. Tigert was a star player for Vanderbilt. Nash Buckingham rated Kentucky University and Vanderbilt as best in the south.

## Season overview
### Results and team statistics

| Conf. Rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | PPG | PAG |
| 1 (tie) | Clemson | John Heisman | 4–1–1 | 2–0–1 | 27.8 | 3.7 |
| 1 (tie) | Cumberland | A. L. Phillips | 6–1–1 | 4–1–1 | 38.5 | 2.2 |
| 3 | Sewanee | George S. Whitney | 7–1 | 5–1 | 22.4 | 1.2 |
| 4 | Vanderbilt | James H. Henry | 6–1–1 | 5–1–1 | 24.0 | 2.0 |
| 5 | Mississippi A&M | Daniel S. Martin | 3–0–2 | 2–0–2 | 14.2 | 1.2 |
| 6 | Georgia | Marvin D. Dickinson | 3–4 | 3–2 | 9.3 | 14.0 |
| 7 | Mississippi | M. S. Harvey | 2–1–1 | 1–1–1 | 8.5 | 9.8 |
| 8 | Texas | Ralph Hutchinson | 5–1–2 | 0–0–1 | 16.4 | 3.5 |
| 9 | Kentucky State | Jack Wright | 7–1 | 0–0 | | |
| 10 | Alabama | W. A. Blount | 3–4 | 3–4 | 8.6 | 16.3 |
| 11 | Auburn | William Penn Bates | 4–3 | 2–3 | 17.9 | 13.1 |
| 12 (tie) | Tennessee | H. F. Fisher | 4–5 | 2–4 | 8.4 | 12.2 |
| 12 (tie) | Georgia Tech | Oliver Huie | 4–5 | 1–4 | 8.4 | 21.1 |
| 14 (tie) | Tulane | Charles Eshleman | 2–2–1 | 0–1–1 | 12.8 | 11.2 |
| 14 (tie) | Mercer | | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0.0 | 46.0 |
| 16 | Nashville | Wreidt/Bradley Walker/Childress | 2–2 | 0–2 | 10.8 | 5.3 |
| 17 | LSU | W. S. Borland | 4–5 | 0–4 | 7.8 | 10.3 |
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 25 | Cynthiana | Kentucky State | State College Park • Lexington, KY | W 39–0 | | |

#### Week Two

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| October 3 | Montgomery Athletic Club | Auburn | Drill Field • Auburn, AL | W 26–0 |
| October 3 | Cumberland | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | CUM 6–0 |
| October 3 | Mooney | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 23–0 |
| October 3 | Texas Deaf School | Texas | Varsity Athletic Field • Austin, TX | W 17–0 |
| October 3 | Maryville (TN) | Tennessee | Baldwin Park • Knoxville, TN | W 17–0 |

#### Week Three

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 9 | Haskell | Texas | State Fairgrounds • Dallas, TX | L 6–0 | 3,000 |
| October 10 | Clemson | Georgia | Herty Field • Athens, GA | CLEM 29–0 | |
| October 10 | Mercer | Georgia Tech | Piedmont Park • Atlanta, GA | GT 46–0 | |
| October 10 | Carson–Newman | Tennessee | Baldwiin Park • Knoxville, TN | W 38–0 | |
| October 10 | Alabama | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 30–0 | 1,000 |
| October 10 | Berea | Kentucky State | State College Park • Lexington, KY | W 17–0 | |

#### Week Four

| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 14 | | LSU Alumni | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 16–0 | |
| October 16 | | Alabama | Mississippi A&M | Columbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MS | MSA&M 11–0 | 5,000 |
| October 17 | | Howard (AL) | Auburn | Drill Field • Auburn, AL | W 58–0 | |
| October 17 | | Clemson | Georgia Tech | Piedmont Park • Atlanta, GA | CLEM 73–0 | |
| October 17 | | Kentucky Military Institute | Kentucky State | State College Park • Lexington, KY | W 18–0 | |
| October 17 | | Oklahoma | Texas | Varsity Athletic Field • Austin, TX | T 6–6 | |
| October 17 | | South Carolina | Georgia | Herty Field • Athens, GA | L 27–7 | |
| October 17 | | Tennessee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 40–0 | |
| October 17 | | Nashville | Mooney School | Mooney Field • Murfreesboro, TN | L 5–17 | |
| October 20 | 3:00 p. m. | Cumberland | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | SEW 6–0 | |

#### Week Five

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 23 | Auburn | Alabama | Riverside Park • Montgomery, AL | ALA 18–0 | 1,200 |
| October 24 | Georgia | Georgia Tech | Piedmont Park • Atlanta, GA | UGA 38–0 | |
| October 24 | Baylor | Texas | Varsity Athletic Field • Austin, TX | W 48–0 | |
| October 24 | Ole Miss | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 33–0 | |
| October 24 | Mississippi A&M | Meridian Athletic Club | Meridian, MS | W 43–0 | |
| October 24 | Eagles-New Orleans | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 33–0 | |
| October 24 | Miami (OH) | Kentucky State | State College Park • Lexington, KY | W 47–0 | |
| October 24 | Tennessee Docs | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 52–0 | |

#### Week Six

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 28 | North Carolina A&M | Clemson | Columbia, SC | W 24–0 | |
| October 29 | Tennessee | South Carolina | State Fairgrounds • Columbia, SC | L 0–24 | |
| October 30 | LSU | Louisiana Industrial | Ruston, LA | W 16–0 | |
| October 30 | Arkansas | Texas | Varsity Athletic Field • Austin, TX | W 15–0 | 800 |
| October 31 | LSU | Shreveport Athletic Association | Ball Park • Shreveport, LA | W 5–0 | |
| October 31 | Georgia Tech | Howard (AL) | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | W 37–0 | |
| October 31 | Sewanee | Auburn | Oak Park • Montgomery, AL | SEW 47–0 | |
| October 31 | Tennessee | Nashville | Peabody Field • Nashville, TN | TENN 10–0 | |
| October 31 | Vanderbilt | Georgia | Brisbine Park • Atlanta, GA | VAN 33–0 | |
| October 31 | Meridian Athletic Club | Tulane | Athletic Park • New Orleans, LA | W 46–0 | 400 |
| November 2 | Sewanee | Alabama | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | SEW 23–0 | 2,400 |
| November 2 | Georgetown (KY) | Kentucky State | State College Park • Lexington, KY | W 51–0 | |
| November 2 | Tennessee Docs | Cumberland | Lebanon, TN | W 86–0 | |

#### Week Seven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 6 | Vanderbilt | Texas | Varsity Athletic Field • Austin, TX | T 5–5 | 1,200 |
| November 7 | Georgia | Tennessee | Baldwin Park • Knoxville, TN | UGA 5–0 | |
| November 7 | Sewanee | Nashville | Peabody Field • Nashville, TN | SEW 6–0 | |
| November 7 | Florida State College | Georgia Tech | Piedmont Park • Atlanta, GA | W 17–0 | |
| November 7 | Shreveport Athletic Club | Tulane | Athletic Park • New Orleans, LA | L 0–23 | |
| November 7 | Marietta | Kentucky State | State College Park • Lexington, KY | W 11–0 | |
| November 7 | Ole Miss | Tennessee Docs | Red Elm Park • Memphis, TN | W 17–0 | |
| November 7 | LSU | Mississippi A&M | Starkville Fairgrounds • Starkville, MS | MSA&M 11–0 | |
| November 7 | Grant University of Athens | Cumberland | Lebanon, TN | W 92–0 | |
| November 9 | LSU | Alabama | The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL | ALA 18–0 | |

#### Week Eight

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| November 11 | LSU | Auburn | Drill Field • Auburn, AL | AUB 12–0 |
| November 13 | Texas | Oklahoma | Colcord Park • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Territory | W 11–5 |
| November 13 | Tennessee Medicos | Nashville | Peabody Field • Nashville, TN | W 26–0 |
| November 14 | Auburn | Georgia Tech | Piedmont Park • Atlanta, GA | AUB 10–5 |
| November 14 | Cumberland | Alabama | The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL | CUM 44–0 |
| November 14 | Clemson | North Carolina | Campus Athletic Field • Chapel Hill, NC | L 6–11 |
| November 14 | Sewanee | Tennessee | Baldwin Park • Knoxville, TN | SEW 17–0 |
| November 14 | Washington University | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 41–0 |
| November 14 | Georgia | Savannah Athletic Association | Bolton Street Park • Savannah, GA | L 0–6 |
| November 14 | Mississippi A&M | Ole Miss | University Park • Oxford, MS | T 6–6 |
| November 16 | Cumberland | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | CUM 41–0 |

#### Week Nine

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance |
| November 18 | Cumberland | Tulane | Athletic Park • New Orleans, LA | CUM 28–0 | |
| November 21 | Clemson | Davidson | Latta Park • Charlotte, NC | W 24–0 | |
| November 21 | Georgia Tech | Tennessee | Baldwin Park • Knoxville, TN | TENN 11–0 | |
| November 21 | Ole Miss | LSU | Athletic Park • New Orleans, LA | LSU 11–0 | |
| November 21 | Sewanee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 10–5 | 4,000 |

#### Week Ten

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result |
| November 26 | Tennessee | Alabama | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | ALA 24–0 |
| November 26 | Auburn | Georgia | Brisbine Park • Atlanta, GA | UGA 22–13 |
| November 26 | South Carolina | Georgia Tech | Piedmont Park • Atlanta, GA | L 0–16 |
| November 26 | Kentucky University | Kentucky State | South Side Park • Lexington, KY | L 0–17 |
| November 26 | Richmond | Tulane | Athletic Field • New Orleans, LA | W 18–5 |
| November 29 | Texas A&M | Texas | Varsity Athletic Field • Austin, TX | W 29–6 |

#### Week Eleven

| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference |
| December 5 | Mississippi A&M | Tulane | Athletic Field • New Orleans, LA | T 0–0 | | |

### Postseason
#### SIAA Championship Game

| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference |
| November 26 | 3:00 p. m. | Cumberland | Clemson | Oak Park • Montgomery, AL | T 11–11 | | |

## All-Southern team

Walker Reynolds Tichenor's All-Southern team:
| Position | Name | Team |
| QB | John Maxwell | Clemson |
| HB | John J. Tigert | Vanderbilt |
| HB | J. C. Anderson | Cumberland |
| FB | Jock Hanvey | Clemson |
| E | Bob Blake | Vanderbilt |
| T | Joseph Lee Kirby-Smith | Sewanee |
| G | Henry D. Phillips | Sewanee |
| C | Red Smith | Cumberland |
| G | Puss Derrick | Clemson |
| G/T | Marvin O. Bridges | Cumberland |
| E | Carl Sitton | Clemson |