1914 Florida Gators football team

The 1914 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1914 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The season was C. J. McCoy's first year of three as the head coach of the Gators team. McCoy's 1914 Florida Gators completed their ninth varsity football season on a four-game winning streak, with an overall record of 5–2^[1] and an SIAA conference record of 3–2.^[2]

1914 Florida Gators football
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	5–2 (3–2 SIAA)
Head coach	C. J. McCoy (1st season)
Captain	John Sutton, Puss Hancock
Home stadium	University Athletic Field
Seasons ← 1913 1915 →

1914 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Tennessee +	6	–	0	–	0			9	–	0	–	0
Auburn +	4	–	0	–	1			8	–	0	–	1
Texas A&M	2	–	0	–	0			6	–	1	–	1
Ole Miss	2	–	1	–	1			5	–	4	–	1
Mississippi A&M	4	–	2	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Sewanee	4	–	2	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Florida	3	–	2	–	0			5	–	2	–	0
Georgia	2	–	2	–	1			3	–	5	–	1
Clemson	2	–	2	–	0			5	–	3	–	1
Alabama	3	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Kentucky	1	–	1	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
LSU	1	–	2	–	1			4	–	4	–	1
Chattanooga	1	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Vanderbilt	1	–	3	–	0			2	–	6	–	0
Mississippi College	0	–	1	–	1			4	–	3	–	1
Wofford	0	–	1	–	0			1	–	7	–	1
Central University	0	–	1	–	0			1	–	3	–	1
Mercer	0	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Tulane	0	–	3	–	1			3	–	3	–	1
The Citadel	0	–	3	–	0			2	–	5	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions

Before the season

End Joe Swanson was shifted to fullback.^[3]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 10	vs. Auburn	Barrs Field Jacksonville, FL (rivalry)	L 0–20	[4]
October 17	King*	University Field Gainesville, FL	W 36–0	[5]
October 24	vs. Sewanee	Barrs Field Jacksonville, FL	L 0–26	[6]
October 31	vs. Florida Southern*	Plant Field Tampa, FL	W 59–0	[7]
November 7	Wofford	University Field Gainesville, FL	W 66–0	[8]
November 14	at The Citadel	College Park Stadium Charleston, SC	W 7–0	[9]
November 26	Mercer	University Field Gainesville, FL	W 14–0	[10]
*Non-conference game

^[1]

Game summaries

Auburn

Auburn at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total • Auburn 0 0 7 13 20 Florida 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 10 Location: Jacksonville, FL Sources:[11]

Coach Mike Donahue's Auburn team was nearly as strong as the season before, and beat Florida 20–0 en route to another SIAA title. In contrast to last year, the Gators held Auburn scoreless in the first half,^[3] and the loss was seen as a moral victory and sign of progress.^[12] However, the Gators also lost their captain. John Sutton left the game feeling poorly, and further examination revealed a weak heart.^[12] Roy "Puss" Hancock took over for Sutton as captain.^[13]

Auburn's backfield played well and fullback Bedie Bidez scored two touchdowns.^[11] Florida gave way to Auburn's superior weight by the second half.^[3][11]

King College

In the second week of play, Florida enjoyed a first-time victory against the King College Tornado, 36–0.^[14]

Sewanee

Sewanee at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total • Sewanee 13 7 0 6 26 Florida 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 24 Location: Barrs Field Jacksonville, FL Referee: Pee Wee Forsythe Sources:[15]

Florida suffered a shutout loss to the Sewanee Tigers, 26–0. Florida was outplayed in the first half.^[16] In the final period, Sewanee quarterback Lee Tolley had an 85-yard touchdown run.^[15]

The starting lineup was Henderson (left end), Lotspeich (left tackle), Goldsby (left guard), Farrior (center), Yon (right guard), Hancock (right tackle), Freeman (right end), Oates (quarterback), Fuller (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Swanson (fullback).^[15]

Florida Southern

In Tampa, Florida extended the winning streak over Florida Southern, 59–0.^[17]

Wofford

Florida beat Wofford for the first time, 66–0.^[18]

The Citadel

Florida at The Citadel

1 2 3 4 Total • Florida 7 0 0 0 7 The Citadel 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 14 Location: College Park Stadium Charleston, SC Game weather: Heavy rain Sources:[19]

In Charleston, the Gators defeated The Citadel 7–0 in a heavy rain and a field saturated with inches of mud.^[19] Rammy Ramsdell returned the opening kickoff back 40 yards, and Jim Sparkman eventually carried it over for the decisive touchdown,^[19] "before the ball was wet."^[20]

Mercer

Florida closed the season with a 14–0 win over the Mercer Baptists on Thanksgiving.^[18]

Postseason

Florida ranked in the top half of the SIAA. The yearbook remarked that a Gator squad had never had more "guts".^[21]

Personnel

Linemen

Player	Position	Games started	High school	Height	Weight	Age
Cappleman	Guard			5'9"	160	23
Cowsert	End			5'8"	145	18
Freeman	End			5'11"	160	20
Jack Goldsby	Guard			5'9"	185	19
Puss Hancock	Tackle			5'10"	185	23
B. Henderson	End			5'9"	155	19
Daddy Lotspiech	Tackle			5'10"	165	23
Rex Farrior	Center		Hillsborough	5'9"	168	18
Reid	End			5'10"	167	19
John B. Sutton	Tackle			6'0"	185	23
Roy Van Camp	Tackle, Back			5'10"	162	20
Everett Yon	Guard			6'0"	175	19

Backfield

Player	Position	Games started	High school	Height	Weight	Age
Artie Fuller	Fullback			5'11"	158	19
Rammy Ramsdell	Quarterback		Hillsborough	5'10"	148	20
Jim Sparkman	Halfback			5'8"	167	18
Joe Swanson	Fullback			6'0"	165	21
Thompson	Halfback			5'7"	150	23

^[22]

Coaching staff

• Head coach: Charles J. McCoy
• Manager: Ed Embry

References

1. 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
2. Roger Saylor, "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Archived 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
3. University of Florida 1915, p. 97
4. "Florida holds Auburn close". The Atlanta Journal. October 11, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Kings crumble before 'Gators". The Tampa Morning Tribune. October 18, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Fumbles costly for Floridians". The Tampa Morning Tribune. October 25, 1914. Retrieved December 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Versatile Florida attack overwhelms Blue and White before a thousand Tampa enthusiasts". The Tampa Morning Tribune. November 1, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Wofford loses to the Gators". The State. November 8, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Citadel lost game on field of slush". The Greenville News. November 15, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Mercer beaten in season's last battle". The Macon Telegraph. November 27, 1914. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Auburn 20, Florida 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1914. p. 3. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
12. McEwen 1974, p. 58
13. Marty Cohen (1995). Gator Tales. p. 11. ISBN 9781880652459.
14. University of Florida 1915, p. 98
15. "Tigers Romp Over Plucky Floridians". Sewanee Purple. October 29, 1914. hdl:11005/1027.
16. "Sewanee Defeated Florida". The Houston Post. October 25, 1914. p. 19. Retrieved July 23, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
17. University of Florida 1915, p. 99
18. University of Florida 1915, p. 101
19. "Citadel-Florida Game Played In Heavy Rain". The Wilmington Morning Star. November 15, 1914. p. 7. Retrieved July 22, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
20. University of Florida 1915, p. 100
21. University of Florida 1915, p. 95
22. University of Florida 1915, pp. 95–100

Bibliography

• McEwen, Tom (1974). The Gators: A Story of Florida Football. Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publishers. ISBN 0-87397-025-X.
• University of Florida (1915). The Seminole. Vol. 6.