| 1906 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season | |
| Sport: | College football |
| League: | NCAA |
| Season: | Regular Season |
| Season Champs: | Vanderbilt Clemson |
| No Of Teams: | 18 |
| Duration: | September 29, 1906 through December 2, 1906 |
| Seasonslistnames: | Football |
| Prevseason Year: | 1905 |
| Nextseason Year: | 1907 |
The 1906 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 1906 college football season. The season began on September 29.
At the end of 1905 football looked about to be abolished due to all of the reoccurring violence during games. Football was a sport that had degenerated into dangerous tactics such as: the flying wedge, punching, kicking, piling-on, and elbows to the face. Almost any violent behavior was allowed. Fatalities and injuries mounted during the 1905 season.
As a result, the 1906 season was played under a new set of rules.[1] The rules governing intercollegiate football were changed to promote a more open and less dangerous style of play. An intercollegiate conference, which would become the forerunner of the NCAA, approved radical changes including the legalization of the forward pass, allowing the punting team to recover an on-side kick as a live ball, abolishing the dangerous flying wedge, creating a neutral zone between offense and defense, and doubling the first-down distance to 10 yards, to be gained in three downs.[2]
According to Fuzzy Woodruff, Davidson tossed the first legal forward pass in the South in the win over Georgia.
Clemson and Vanderbilt tied for the SIAA title,[3] but few writers chose the Tigers over the vaunted Commodores.[4] Coach Dan McGugin called the Carlisle victory "the crowning feat of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association season."[5] For some, Vanderbilt's eleven was the entire All-Southern team.[6] Running back Owsley Manier was the first Southern player chosen third-team All-American by Walter Camp.
| Conf. Rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | PPG | PAG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tie) | Vanderbilt | 8–1 | 4–0 | 30.9 | 1.8 | ||
| 1 (tie) | Clemson | 4–0–3 | 4–0–1 | 5.4 | 0.6 | ||
| 3 | Sewanee | J. J. Quill | 8–1 | 5–1 | 23.4 | 1.8 | |
| 4 | Alabama | Doc Pollard | 5–1 | 3–1 | 16.2 | 13.7 | |
| 5 | Mississippi | Thomas S. Hammond | 4–2 | 3–2 | 11.8 | 10.7 | |
| 6 | Georgia Tech | 6–3–1 | 3–3 | 8.1 | 7.7 | ||
| 7 | Georgia | W. S. Whitney | 2–4–1 | 2–2–1 | 8.4 | 7.1 | |
| 8 | LSU | Dan A. Killian | 2–2–2 | 0–1–1 | 6.7 | 6.2 | |
| 9 | Mississippi A&M | 2–2–1 | 0–2–1 | 20.2 | 9.0 | ||
| 10 (tie) | Mercer | E. E. Tarr | 1–4 | 0–2 | 6.4 | 32.6 | |
| 10 (tie) | Tulane | John Russ | 0–4–1 | 0–2 | 0.0 | 18.4 | |
| 12 | Tennessee | James DePree | 1–6–2 | 0–3–1 | 1.7 | 14.1 | |
| 13 | Auburn | Mike Donahue | 1–5–1 | 0–5 | 3.4 | 5.9 |
PPG = Average of points scored per game
PAG = Average of points allowed per game[7]
| Index to colors and formatting | |
|---|---|
| Non-conference matchup; SIAA member won | |
| Non-conference matchup; SIAA member lost | |
| Non-conference matchup; tie | |
| Conference matchup |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 29 | Georgia Tech | The Flats • Atlanta, GA | T 6–6 | [8] | |||
| September 29 | Howard (AL) | Mississippi A&M | Hardy Field • Starkville, MS | W 30–0 | [9] | ||
| September 29 | Mooney | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 24–0 | [10] |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 4 | Maryville (TN) | Ole Miss | Oxford, MS | W 16–6 | [11] | ||
| October 6 | Maryville (TN) | Alabama | The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 6–0 | [12] | ||
| October 6 | Georgia Tech | The Flats • Atlanta, GA | W 11–0 | [13] | |||
| October 6 | Tennessee | Baker-Himel Park • Knoxville, TN | W 10–0 | [14] | |||
| October 6 | Kentucky State College | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 28–0 | [15] | ||
| October 8 | Maryville (TN) | Auburn | Drill Field • Auburn, AL | T 0–0 | [16] | ||
| October 8 | Mercer | Gordon (GA) | Barnesville, GA | L 5–28 | [17] |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 10 | Monroe Athletic Club | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 5–0 | [18] | ||
| October 13 | Gordon (GA) | Auburn | Drill Field • Auburn, AL | W 15–0 | [19] | ||
| October 13 | Howard (AL) | Alabama | The Quad • Tuscaloosa, AL | W 14–0 | [20] | ||
| October 13 | Grant | Georgia Tech | The Flats • Atlanta, GA | W 18–0 | [21] | ||
| October 13 | Davidson | Georgia | Herty Field • Athens, GA | L 0–15 | [22] | ||
| October 13 | Maryville (TN) | Tennessee | Baker-Himel Park • Knoxville, TN | L 0–11 | [23] | ||
| October 13 | Mississippi A&M | Hardy Field • Starkville, MS | W 62–0 | [24] | |||
| October 13 | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 57–0 | [25] | |||
| October 13 | VPI | Clemson | Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC | T 0–0 | [26] | ||
| October 13 | Ole Miss | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 29–0 | [27] |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 20 | Tennessee | Baker-Himel Park • Knoxville, TN | L 0–6 | [28] | |||
| October 20 | Florida | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | W 12–0 | [29] | ||
| October 20 | Georgia | Clemson | Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC | CLEM 6–0 | [30] | ||
| October 20 | Ole Miss | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | MISS 9–0 | [31] | ||
| October 20 | Sewanee | Georgia Tech | The Flats • Atlanta, GA | SEW 16–0 | [32] | ||
| October 20 | Alabama | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 78–0 | [33] |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 25 | Tennessee | American Temperance | Harriman, TN | T 5–5 | [34] | ||
| October 26 | Sewanee | Auburn | West End Park • Birmingham, AL | SEW 10–5 | [35] | ||
| October 27 | Davidson | Georgia Tech | The Flats • Atlanta, GA | W 4–0 | [36] | ||
| October 27 | LSU | Mississippi A&M | Columbus Fairgrounds • Columbus, MS | T 0–0 | [37] | ||
| October 27 | Howard (AL) | Tulane | Athletic Park • New Orleans, LA | T 0–0 | [38] | ||
| October 27 | Texas | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 45–0 | [39] |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 3 | Clemson | Davidson | Latta Park • Charlotte, NC | T 0–0 | [40] [41] | |
| November 3 | Alabama | Mississippi A&M | Hardy Field • Starkville, MS | ALA 16–4 | [42] | |
| November 3 | Georgia | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | UGA 55–0 | [43] | |
| November 3 | Auburn | Georgia Tech | The Flats • Atlanta, GA | GT 11–0 | [44] | |
| November 3 | Vanderbilt | Michigan | Regents Field • Ann Arbor, MI | L 4–10 | 10,000 | [45] |
| November 3 | Sewanee | Tennessee | Baker-Himel Park • Knoxville, TN | SEW 17–0 | [46] | |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 9 | Louisiana Industrial | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | W 17–0 | [47] | ||
| November 10 | Auburn | Clemson | Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC | CLEM 6–4 | [48] | ||
| November 10 | Georgia | Georgia Tech | The Flats • Atlanta, GA | GT 17–0 | [49] | ||
| November 10 | Mercer | The Citadel | Hampton Park • Charleston, SC | L 0–10 | [50] | ||
| November 10 | Tennessee | Kentucky State College | Lexington, KY | L 0–21 | [51] | ||
| November 10 | Sewanee | Tulane | Athletic Park • New Orleans, LA | SEW 35–0 | [52] | ||
| November 10 | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 33–0 | [53] | |||
| November 12 | Ole Miss | Sewanee | Red Elm Park • Memphis, TN | SEW 24–0 | [54] |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 17 | Auburn | Alabama | State Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL | ALA 10–0 | [55] | ||
| November 17 | Maryville (TN) | Sewanee | Hardee Field • Sewanee, TN | W 28–0 | [56] | ||
| November 17 | Texas A&M | Tulane | Athletic Park • New Orleans, LA | L 0–18 | [57] | ||
| November 17 | Vanderbilt | Georgia Tech | The Flats • Atlanta, GA | VAN 37–6 | 5,000 | [58] | |
| November 19 | Tennessee | Clemson | Bowman Field • Calhoun, SC | CLEM 16–0 | [59] | ||
| November 19 | Texas A&M | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | L 12–22 | [60] |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 21 | Tennessee | Georgia | Herty Field • Athens, GA | T 0–0 | [61] | ||
| November 24 | Arkansas | Tulane | Athletic Park • New Orleans, LA | L 0–22 | [62] | ||
| November 24 | Georgia Tech | Mercer | Central City Park • Macon, GA | GT 61–0 | [63] | ||
| November 24 | Carlisle | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | W 4–0 | [64] |
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 29 | Tennessee | Alabama | State Fairgrounds • Birmingham, AL | ALA 51–0 | [65] | ||
| November 29 | Arkansas | LSU | State Field • Baton Rouge, LA | T 6–6 | [66] | ||
| November 29 | Clemson | Georgia Tech | The Flats • Atlanta, GA | CLEM 10–0 | [67] | ||
| November 29 | Auburn | Georgia | Central City Park • Macon, GA | UGA 4–0 | [68] | ||
| November 29 | Ole Miss | Mississippi A&M | State Fairgrounds • Jackson, MS | MISS 29–5 | [69] | ||
| November 29 | Sewanee | Vanderbilt | Dudley Field • Nashville, TN | VAN 20–0 | 6,000 | [70] | |
| December 1 | Georgia | Savannah A. C. | Savannah, GA | L 0–12 | [71] |
See main article: 1906 College Football All-America Team.
See main article: 1906 College Football All-Southern Team. The composite All-Southern eleven representing the consensus of newspapers as published in Fuzzy Woodruff's A History of Southern Football 1890–1928 included: