1926 college football season
Encyclopedia
The 1926 college football season was the first to attempt recognition of a national champion. Stanford University
, coached by Glenn "Pop" Warner, was the #1 team in the nation under the Dickinson System
, and awarded the Rissman Trophy. Unbeaten Stanford
(10-0-0) faced unbeaten Alabama (9-0-0) in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena and the two teams played to a 7-7 tie. Meanwhile, Parke H. Davis
, a renowned football historian and football rules committee member, declared Lafayette College
(9-0-0) national champions in Spalding's Football Guide. Subequently, the Leopards are recognized as a co-national champion in the 1926 season.
Major conferences that existed in 1926 were the Western Conference(today's Big Ten), the Pacific Coast Conference (now the Pac-10), the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA, forerunner of the Big 12), the Southwest Conference, and the Southern Conference (whose members later formed the SEC and the ACC). The Dickinson ratings considered strength of schedule, in that a win, loss or tie against a "strong" opponent was worth more than one against a lesser team, and the results were averaged.
beat Fresno State 44-0. On September 25 Stanford
beat visiting Caltech, 13-0 and USC defeated Whittier 74-0;
Brown
beat the University of Rhode Island, 14-0 and Pennsylvania
(which had all 9 of its games scheduled at home in Philadelphia) shut out Franklin & Marshall, 41-0. Lafayette
beat Muhlenberg College 35-0
In the South, defending Rose Bowl champion Alabama beat Millsaps College (Jackson, Miss) 54-0. Tennessee
defeated Carson-Newman, 13-0.
started with a 21-0 win over Mercy College of Detroit. Brown
beat Colby College (of Maine), 35-0 and Pennsylvania
beat Johns Hopkins, 40-7. Lafayette
won again, beating Schuylkill (which later was merged with Albright College) 47-0;
Stanford
defeated Occidental 19-0 and USC defeated Santa Clara 42-0.
Alabama played Vanderbilt at Nashville and won 19-7; Tennessee
beat North Carolina, 34-0.
Ohio State opened its season with a 40-0 win over Wittenberg University, while Michigan started with a 42-3 win over visiting Oklahoma State. Northwestern
opened its season with a 34-0 win over visiting South Dakota. Notre Dame tuned up with a game against Wisconsin's Beloit College, winning 77-0. In the Missouri Valley, Kansas State
beat Texas, 13-3.
October 9 At Annapolis, Navy's football team played a doubleheader, albeit with two different squads. The varsity beat a weak Drake University
team, 24-7, and the reserves beat Richmond, 26-0 . Army
defeated West Virginia's Davis & Elkins College, 21-7. Lafayette
beat Pittsburgh, 17-7 and Pennsylvania
beat Swarthmore, 44-0.
Ohio State played Ohio Wesleyan and won 47-0 and Northwestern
beat Minnesota's Carleton College, 31-3. Michigan crushed Michigan State, 55-3, in a conference game.
Notre Dame won at Minnesota, 19-7
Stanford
had a 7-3 victory over an amateur team, the Olympic Club (from San Francisco). USC defeated a strong Washington State team, 16-7
Alabama beat Mississippi State 26-7 at a game in Meridian, Mississippi, while Tennessee
won at LSU, 14-7. Kansas State
won at Creighton 12-0.
October 16 In New York, Columbia University hosted Ohio State in an intersectional game, and lost, 32-7.
Brown
defeated Bates College 27-14 in Providence, while in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
hosted Chicago and won 27-0. Navy won at Princeton 27-13, while Army
played a strong Syracuse team and won 27-21. Lafayette
beat Dickinson 30-7.
Stanford
defeated Nevada 33-0, and USC beat Occidental, 28-6
At Atlanta, Alabama beat Georgia Tech 21-0. Tennessee
had beaten Maryville the day before, 6-0. Notre Dame beat visiting Penn State, 28-0. In Western Conference play, Michigan beat Minnesota, 20-0, Northwestern
defeated Indiana 20-0, and Illinois beat Iowa 13-6. Kansas State
defeated Kansas, 27-0.
October 23 Brown
played its first Ivy opponent, winning 7-0 at Yale. Pennsylvania
beat Williams College, 36-0. Navy beat Colgate, 13-7, and Army
beat Boston University 41-0. Lafayette
defeated Albany, 30-7.
Notre Dame won at Northwestern
, handing the Wildcats their first defeat, 6-0, with Rockne's reserves scoring on a touchdown pass. Alabama had a 2-0 win over Sewanee; Tennessee
beat Centre College, 30-7. In Pacific Coast Conference games, Stanford
won 29-12 at Oregon, and USC beat California at Berkeley, 27-0. In Western Conference play, Ohio State beat Iowa 23-6 and Michigan beat Illinois 13-0.Kansas State
went to 5-0-0, winning at Oklahoma, 15-12.
October 30 Navy (5-0-0) and Michigan (4-0-0) played in Baltimore in an intersectional match of unbeatens. Though the Wolverines were heavily favored, Navy blocked a field goal and held Michigan 2 yards from goal in the first half; Hamilton of Navy kicked a field goal, made a key interception to set up a touchdown, and added the point after for a 10-0 win .
In Los Angeles, another big game between unbeatens matched Stanford
and Southern California (USC), both 5-0-0, faced off. USC scored first, but Dick Hyland blocked the extra point; after a second Trojan touchdown, the kick failed, and USC had a 12-0 lead. Stanford scored, but the extra point kick hit the upright, and it was 12-6 at halftime. Biff Hoffman's pass to Dick Hyland tied the game for Stanford, and George Bogue's point after kick proved to be the winning margin in Stanford's 13-12 win.. Lafayette
and Washington & Jefferson were both 5-0-0 when they met in Philadelphia; the Presidents lost to Lafayette, 16-10
At Champaign, Illinois (4-1-0) hosted unbeaten (5-0-0) Pennsylvania
, and won 3-0, while at Atlanta, Notre Dame beat Georgia Tech 12-0. Alabama defeated LSU, 24-0 and Tennessee
won at Mississippi State, 33-0. Army
won at Yale, 33-0 and Brown
won at Dartmouth, 10-0. Ohio State won at the University of Chicago, 18-0., and Northwestern
won its rematch with the Hoosiers at Indiana, 21-0.
Kansas State
went to 5-0-0 in beating Arkansas, 16-7.
Navy played an easy opponent in West Virginia Wesleyan College, winning 53-7. Army
won its sixth straight, a 55-0 whitewash of Franklin & Marshall. Lafayette
won again, beating Rutgers 37-0; Brown
beat Norwich College, 27-0 and Pennsylvania
beat Penn State, 3-0.
Alabama beat Kentucky 14-0 and Tennessee
beat Sewanee 12-0. Stanford
beat Santa Clara 33-14, while USC was idle. Michigan beat Wisconsin, 37-0, Northwestern
beat Purdue 22-0, and Illinois won at Chicago 7-0. Ohio State defeated Wilmington, 13-7. Notre Dame won at Indiana, 26-0. In Milwaukee, Kansas State
suffered its first defeat, losing to Marquette, 14-0.
On Armistice Day (November 11, USC (5-1-0) and Oregon State (4-0-0) played at Portland, OR. USC won 17-7.
November 13 In Yankee Stadium, Notre Dame and Army
, both 6-0-0, faced off in another battle of powerhouses. The Fighting Irish handed the Cadets their first defeat, 7-0. In Columbus, Ohio State (6-0-0) hosted conference rival Michigan (5-1-0). The visitors won by a point, 17-16.
Tennessee
(7-0) and Vanderbilt (6-1) faced off in Nashville, and the Vols suffered their first defeat, 20-3. Stanford
(8-0-0) hosted Washington State (7-1-0) in another big PCC game, and won, 29-10.
Northwestern
, meanwhile, beat Chicago 38-7. Illinois defeated Wabash 27-13
Navy defeated Georgetown University, 10-7, and Lafayette
recorded a fourth shutout, over Susquehanna, 68-0; Alabama beat Florida, 49-0; Kansas State
lost again, at Nebraska, 3-0. Brown
won at Harvard, 21-0 and Pennsylvania
beat Columbia 3-0.
November 20 Navy played Loyola College of Baltimore, winning 35-13, and Army
beat Ursinus, 21-15. Lafayette
completed its season with a 35-0 win in its annual game against Lehigh
Brown
defeated New Hampshire, 40-12, to extend its record to 9-0-0.
Ohio State closed its season with a 7-6 win at Illinois, while Michigan recorded the same score in a rematch against the Gophers at Minnesota. Northwestern
defeated Iowa, 13-6. All three schools finished 7-1-0, with Michigan and Northwestern being 5-0 in Western Conference play.
Notre Dame beat Drake, 21-0. Kansas State
, after winning its first five, lost its next three, including a 3-2 defeat by visiting Iowa State; the Wildcats' final record was 5-3-0. USC defeated Idaho, 38-6. Stanford
closed the regular season with its traditional finale against California. Though the Golden Bears had the home field, they were also having their first losing season since 1916, when their program began. California lost, 41-6.
On Thanksgiving Day, November 25, Alabama hosted Georgia winning 33-6, and USC crushed Montana, 61-0. Pennsylvania
closed its season with a 10-10 tie with Cornell.
On November 27, Notre Dame was shocked by Carnegie Tech, 19-0. The 1926 Army-Navy game took place in Chicago. Navy, at 9-0-0, was unbeaten, while Army (7-1-0) had a single loss, to Notre Dame. The two teams played to a 21-21 tie. In Providence, Brown
and Colgate tied, 10-10.
December 4 In Los Angeles, Notre Dame closed its season with a 13-12 win over USC.
At season's end, there were two "unbeaten and untied" teams, the Indians (later, "the Cardinal") of Leland Stanford University, and the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama. Alabama, which had won the Rose Bowl at the beginning of 1926, was invited to return to Pasadena to face Stanford's PCC champion team.
would not begin continuously until 1936. (although, the first time was a one instance publishing in 1934) Frank G. Dickinson, an economics professor at the University of Illinois, had invented the Dickinson System
to rank colleges based upon their records and the strength of their opposition. The system was originally designed to rank teams in the Big Nine (later the Big Ten) conference. Chicago clothing manufacturer Jack Rissman then persuaded Dickinson to rank the nation's teams under the system, and awarded the Rissman Trophy to the winning university . Although Dickinson retroactively applied the system to the 1924 and 1925 seasons, the year 1926 was the first in which the trophy was awarded at season's end. In 1926, the results were given on December 17. The system awarded 30 points for a win over a "strong team", and 20 for a win over a "weak team". Losses were awarded points (15 for loss to a strong team, 10 for loss to a weak team). Ties were treated as half a win and half a loss (22.5 for a tie with a strong team, 15 for a tie with a weak team). An average was then derived by dividing the points by games played . Professor Dickinson's ratings were unfavorable to Alabama, which won all nine of its regular season games, but were given an average rating of 16.67, less than the average for wins over weak (20.00 point) contenders. Alabama was the only Southern team in the 1926 rankings.
called the 1927 Rose Bowl "the football championship of America", and the game was considered the most exciting in the series up to that time. The crowd of 68,000 set an attendance record. Stanford's George Bogue missed an 18 yard field goal attempt in the first quarter, then threw a touchdown pass to Ed Walker and kicked the point after to put Stanford up, 7-0. The Indians held that lead through most of the rest of the game, but in the final minutes, they were forced to punt on fourth down. Frankie Wilton's
kick was blocked, and Alabama took over 14 yards from goal. Four plays later, and with a minute left, Jimmy Johnson carried the ball for a touchdown, making it 7-6. The two point conversion, and overtime, were decades in the future. Stanford's only hope was to block the point after, but Alabama ran the play quickly and Herschel Caldwell's kick tied Stanford, and took away an Indian victory in the final minute.
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
, coached by Glenn "Pop" Warner, was the #1 team in the nation under the Dickinson System
Dickinson System
The Dickinson System was a mathematical point formula that awarded national championships in college football. Devised by University of Illinois economics professor Frank G...
, and awarded the Rissman Trophy. Unbeaten Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
(10-0-0) faced unbeaten Alabama (9-0-0) in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena and the two teams played to a 7-7 tie. Meanwhile, Parke H. Davis
Parke H. Davis
Parke Hill Davis was an American football player, coach and historian who retroactively named the national championship teams in American college football from the 1869 through the 1932 seasons. He also named co-national champions at the conclusion of the 1933 season...
, a renowned football historian and football rules committee member, declared Lafayette College
Lafayette Leopards football
The Lafayette Leopards football program represents Lafayette College in college football. One of the oldest college football programs in the United States, Lafayette currently plays in the Patriot League at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level...
(9-0-0) national champions in Spalding's Football Guide. Subequently, the Leopards are recognized as a co-national champion in the 1926 season.
Major conferences that existed in 1926 were the Western Conference(today's Big Ten), the Pacific Coast Conference (now the Pac-10), the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA, forerunner of the Big 12), the Southwest Conference, and the Southern Conference (whose members later formed the SEC and the ACC). The Dickinson ratings considered strength of schedule, in that a win, loss or tie against a "strong" opponent was worth more than one against a lesser team, and the results were averaged.
September
September 18 A few schools opened their seasons early, as StanfordStanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
beat Fresno State 44-0. On September 25 Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
beat visiting Caltech, 13-0 and USC defeated Whittier 74-0;
Brown
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
beat the University of Rhode Island, 14-0 and Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
(which had all 9 of its games scheduled at home in Philadelphia) shut out Franklin & Marshall, 41-0. Lafayette
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
beat Muhlenberg College 35-0
In the South, defending Rose Bowl champion Alabama beat Millsaps College (Jackson, Miss) 54-0. Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
defeated Carson-Newman, 13-0.
October
October 2 Navy opened its season with a 17-13 win over Purdue, while ArmyArmy Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
started with a 21-0 win over Mercy College of Detroit. Brown
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
beat Colby College (of Maine), 35-0 and Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
beat Johns Hopkins, 40-7. Lafayette
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
won again, beating Schuylkill (which later was merged with Albright College) 47-0;
Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
defeated Occidental 19-0 and USC defeated Santa Clara 42-0.
Alabama played Vanderbilt at Nashville and won 19-7; Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
beat North Carolina, 34-0.
Ohio State opened its season with a 40-0 win over Wittenberg University, while Michigan started with a 42-3 win over visiting Oklahoma State. Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
opened its season with a 34-0 win over visiting South Dakota. Notre Dame tuned up with a game against Wisconsin's Beloit College, winning 77-0. In the Missouri Valley, Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
beat Texas, 13-3.
October 9 At Annapolis, Navy's football team played a doubleheader, albeit with two different squads. The varsity beat a weak Drake University
Drake Bulldogs
The Drake Bulldogs are the athletic teams of Drake University. Athletic scholarships are offered in basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, tennis, and volleyball. However, all football players are walk-ons as Drake does not offer athletic scholarships in that sport...
team, 24-7, and the reserves beat Richmond, 26-0 . Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
defeated West Virginia's Davis & Elkins College, 21-7. Lafayette
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
beat Pittsburgh, 17-7 and Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
beat Swarthmore, 44-0.
Ohio State played Ohio Wesleyan and won 47-0 and Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
beat Minnesota's Carleton College, 31-3. Michigan crushed Michigan State, 55-3, in a conference game.
Notre Dame won at Minnesota, 19-7
Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
had a 7-3 victory over an amateur team, the Olympic Club (from San Francisco). USC defeated a strong Washington State team, 16-7
Alabama beat Mississippi State 26-7 at a game in Meridian, Mississippi, while Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
won at LSU, 14-7. Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
won at Creighton 12-0.
October 16 In New York, Columbia University hosted Ohio State in an intersectional game, and lost, 32-7.
Brown
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
defeated Bates College 27-14 in Providence, while in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
hosted Chicago and won 27-0. Navy won at Princeton 27-13, while Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
played a strong Syracuse team and won 27-21. Lafayette
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
beat Dickinson 30-7.
Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
defeated Nevada 33-0, and USC beat Occidental, 28-6
At Atlanta, Alabama beat Georgia Tech 21-0. Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
had beaten Maryville the day before, 6-0. Notre Dame beat visiting Penn State, 28-0. In Western Conference play, Michigan beat Minnesota, 20-0, Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
defeated Indiana 20-0, and Illinois beat Iowa 13-6. Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
defeated Kansas, 27-0.
October 23 Brown
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
played its first Ivy opponent, winning 7-0 at Yale. Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
beat Williams College, 36-0. Navy beat Colgate, 13-7, and Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
beat Boston University 41-0. Lafayette
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
defeated Albany, 30-7.
Notre Dame won at Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
, handing the Wildcats their first defeat, 6-0, with Rockne's reserves scoring on a touchdown pass. Alabama had a 2-0 win over Sewanee; Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
beat Centre College, 30-7. In Pacific Coast Conference games, Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
won 29-12 at Oregon, and USC beat California at Berkeley, 27-0. In Western Conference play, Ohio State beat Iowa 23-6 and Michigan beat Illinois 13-0.Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
went to 5-0-0, winning at Oklahoma, 15-12.
October 30 Navy (5-0-0) and Michigan (4-0-0) played in Baltimore in an intersectional match of unbeatens. Though the Wolverines were heavily favored, Navy blocked a field goal and held Michigan 2 yards from goal in the first half; Hamilton of Navy kicked a field goal, made a key interception to set up a touchdown, and added the point after for a 10-0 win .
In Los Angeles, another big game between unbeatens matched Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
and Southern California (USC), both 5-0-0, faced off. USC scored first, but Dick Hyland blocked the extra point; after a second Trojan touchdown, the kick failed, and USC had a 12-0 lead. Stanford scored, but the extra point kick hit the upright, and it was 12-6 at halftime. Biff Hoffman's pass to Dick Hyland tied the game for Stanford, and George Bogue's point after kick proved to be the winning margin in Stanford's 13-12 win.. Lafayette
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
and Washington & Jefferson were both 5-0-0 when they met in Philadelphia; the Presidents lost to Lafayette, 16-10
At Champaign, Illinois (4-1-0) hosted unbeaten (5-0-0) Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, and won 3-0, while at Atlanta, Notre Dame beat Georgia Tech 12-0. Alabama defeated LSU, 24-0 and Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
won at Mississippi State, 33-0. Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
won at Yale, 33-0 and Brown
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
won at Dartmouth, 10-0. Ohio State won at the University of Chicago, 18-0., and Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
won its rematch with the Hoosiers at Indiana, 21-0.
Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
went to 5-0-0 in beating Arkansas, 16-7.
November
November 6Navy played an easy opponent in West Virginia Wesleyan College, winning 53-7. Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
won its sixth straight, a 55-0 whitewash of Franklin & Marshall. Lafayette
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
won again, beating Rutgers 37-0; Brown
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
beat Norwich College, 27-0 and Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
beat Penn State, 3-0.
Alabama beat Kentucky 14-0 and Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
beat Sewanee 12-0. Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
beat Santa Clara 33-14, while USC was idle. Michigan beat Wisconsin, 37-0, Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
beat Purdue 22-0, and Illinois won at Chicago 7-0. Ohio State defeated Wilmington, 13-7. Notre Dame won at Indiana, 26-0. In Milwaukee, Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
suffered its first defeat, losing to Marquette, 14-0.
On Armistice Day (November 11, USC (5-1-0) and Oregon State (4-0-0) played at Portland, OR. USC won 17-7.
November 13 In Yankee Stadium, Notre Dame and Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
, both 6-0-0, faced off in another battle of powerhouses. The Fighting Irish handed the Cadets their first defeat, 7-0. In Columbus, Ohio State (6-0-0) hosted conference rival Michigan (5-1-0). The visitors won by a point, 17-16.
Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
(7-0) and Vanderbilt (6-1) faced off in Nashville, and the Vols suffered their first defeat, 20-3. Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
(8-0-0) hosted Washington State (7-1-0) in another big PCC game, and won, 29-10.
Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
, meanwhile, beat Chicago 38-7. Illinois defeated Wabash 27-13
Navy defeated Georgetown University, 10-7, and Lafayette
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
recorded a fourth shutout, over Susquehanna, 68-0; Alabama beat Florida, 49-0; Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
lost again, at Nebraska, 3-0. Brown
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
won at Harvard, 21-0 and Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
beat Columbia 3-0.
November 20 Navy played Loyola College of Baltimore, winning 35-13, and Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
beat Ursinus, 21-15. Lafayette
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
completed its season with a 35-0 win in its annual game against Lehigh
Brown
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
defeated New Hampshire, 40-12, to extend its record to 9-0-0.
Ohio State closed its season with a 7-6 win at Illinois, while Michigan recorded the same score in a rematch against the Gophers at Minnesota. Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
defeated Iowa, 13-6. All three schools finished 7-1-0, with Michigan and Northwestern being 5-0 in Western Conference play.
Notre Dame beat Drake, 21-0. Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
, after winning its first five, lost its next three, including a 3-2 defeat by visiting Iowa State; the Wildcats' final record was 5-3-0. USC defeated Idaho, 38-6. Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
closed the regular season with its traditional finale against California. Though the Golden Bears had the home field, they were also having their first losing season since 1916, when their program began. California lost, 41-6.
On Thanksgiving Day, November 25, Alabama hosted Georgia winning 33-6, and USC crushed Montana, 61-0. Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
closed its season with a 10-10 tie with Cornell.
On November 27, Notre Dame was shocked by Carnegie Tech, 19-0. The 1926 Army-Navy game took place in Chicago. Navy, at 9-0-0, was unbeaten, while Army (7-1-0) had a single loss, to Notre Dame. The two teams played to a 21-21 tie. In Providence, Brown
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
and Colgate tied, 10-10.
December 4 In Los Angeles, Notre Dame closed its season with a 13-12 win over USC.
At season's end, there were two "unbeaten and untied" teams, the Indians (later, "the Cardinal") of Leland Stanford University, and the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama. Alabama, which had won the Rose Bowl at the beginning of 1926, was invited to return to Pasadena to face Stanford's PCC champion team.
Conference standings
The following is an incomplete list of conference standings:Conference leaders
| Conference | Champion | Conf. record | Overall record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Coast | Stanford Stanford Cardinal football The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The... |
4-0-0 | 10-0-0 |
| Independent | Brown / Lafayette Lafayette Leopards football The Lafayette Leopards football program represents Lafayette College in college football. One of the oldest college football programs in the United States, Lafayette currently plays in the Patriot League at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level... /Navy Navy Midshipmen football The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007... |
9-0-1 / 9-0-0 / 9-0-1 | 9-0-1 / 9-0-0 / 9-0-1 |
| Western | Michigan Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history... / Northwestern Northwestern Wildcats football The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876... |
5-0-0 / 5-0-0 | 7-1-0 / 7-1-0 |
| Southern | Alabama Alabama Crimson Tide football |TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team... |
8-0-0 | 9-0-0 |
| Missouri Valley | Oklahoma State Oklahoma State Cowboys football The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as... |
3-0-1 | 3-4-1 |
| Southwestern | So. Methodist SMU Mustangs football The SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA... |
5-0-0 | 8-0-1 |
Dickinson System
The AP sportswriters' pollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
would not begin continuously until 1936. (although, the first time was a one instance publishing in 1934) Frank G. Dickinson, an economics professor at the University of Illinois, had invented the Dickinson System
Dickinson System
The Dickinson System was a mathematical point formula that awarded national championships in college football. Devised by University of Illinois economics professor Frank G...
to rank colleges based upon their records and the strength of their opposition. The system was originally designed to rank teams in the Big Nine (later the Big Ten) conference. Chicago clothing manufacturer Jack Rissman then persuaded Dickinson to rank the nation's teams under the system, and awarded the Rissman Trophy to the winning university . Although Dickinson retroactively applied the system to the 1924 and 1925 seasons, the year 1926 was the first in which the trophy was awarded at season's end. In 1926, the results were given on December 17. The system awarded 30 points for a win over a "strong team", and 20 for a win over a "weak team". Losses were awarded points (15 for loss to a strong team, 10 for loss to a weak team). Ties were treated as half a win and half a loss (22.5 for a tie with a strong team, 15 for a tie with a weak team). An average was then derived by dividing the points by games played . Professor Dickinson's ratings were unfavorable to Alabama, which won all nine of its regular season games, but were given an average rating of 16.67, less than the average for wins over weak (20.00 point) contenders. Alabama was the only Southern team in the 1926 rankings.
Final Dickinson rankings
| Rank | Team | Record | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford Indians Stanford Cardinal football The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The... |
(10-0-0) | 22.50 |
| 2 | Navy Midshipmen | (9-0-1) | 21.83 |
| 3 | Michigan Wolverines | (7-1-0) | 21.25 |
| 3 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | (9-1-0) | 21.25 |
| 4 | Lafayette Leopards Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832... |
(9-0-0) | 20.00 |
| 5 | USC Trojans | (8-2-0) | 17.70 |
| 6 | Alabama Crimson Tide | (9-0-0) | 16.67 |
| 7 | Ohio State Buckeyes | (7-1-0) | 16.25 |
| 8 | Army Cadets Army Black Knights football The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946.... |
(7-1-1) | 14.38 |
| 9 | Brown Bears Brown University Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,... |
(9-0-1) | 13.76 |
| 10 (t) | Northwestern Wildcats Northwestern Wildcats football The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876... |
(7-1-0) | 13.75 |
| 10 (t) | Illinois Fighting Illini Illinois Fighting Illini football The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51... |
(6-2-0) | 13.75 |
| 10 (t) | Pennsylvania Quakers University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution... |
(7-1-1) | 13.75 |
Rose Bowl
United PressUnited Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
called the 1927 Rose Bowl "the football championship of America", and the game was considered the most exciting in the series up to that time. The crowd of 68,000 set an attendance record. Stanford's George Bogue missed an 18 yard field goal attempt in the first quarter, then threw a touchdown pass to Ed Walker and kicked the point after to put Stanford up, 7-0. The Indians held that lead through most of the rest of the game, but in the final minutes, they were forced to punt on fourth down. Frankie Wilton's
Frank Wilton
Frank S. Wilton, Jr. was an American football player and coach of football and baseball. He served as the head football coach for Miami University in Oxford, Ohio from 1932 to 1941, compiling a record of 44–39–5...
kick was blocked, and Alabama took over 14 yards from goal. Four plays later, and with a minute left, Jimmy Johnson carried the ball for a touchdown, making it 7-6. The two point conversion, and overtime, were decades in the future. Stanford's only hope was to block the point after, but Alabama ran the play quickly and Herschel Caldwell's kick tied Stanford, and took away an Indian victory in the final minute.