1912 Florida Gators football team

Florida joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, a large confederation of southern athletic programs that was the precursor to several other regional conferences, including the Southeastern Conference. This raised the profile of the young program (1912 was only the seventh academic year for the modern University of Florida) and allowed more contests against older football programs in the south and elsewhere. As Florida sportswriter and UF alumnus Tom McEwen wrote, "it was in 1912 when the Gators really ventured out into big-time football."{{Harvnb|McEwen|1974|page=47}}

{{CFB schedule

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 12

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Auburn

| site_stadium = Drake Field

| site_cityst = Auburn, AL

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 13–27

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36567880/|title=Florida holds Auburn close|newspaper=The Tampa Morning Tribune|date=October 13, 1912|accessdate=May 18, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 19

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = South Carolina

| site_stadium = University Field

| site_cityst = Gainesville, FL

| score = 10–6

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93275903/florida-courage-triumphs-in-test-with-so/|work=The Tampa Tribune|title=Florida courage triumphs in test with South Carolinians|date=October 20, 1912|accessdate=May 18, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 26

| w/l = l

| neutral = y

| opponent = Georgia Tech

| site_stadium =

| site_cityst = Jacksonville, FL

| score = 6–14

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news-showing-of-tech-is-d/147614756/|title=Showing of Tech is disappointing|newspaper=The Birmingham News|date=October 27, 1912|accessdate=May 18, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 4

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1912|team=College of Charleston Maroons|title=College of Charleston}}

| site_stadium = University Field

| site_cityst = Gainesville, FL

| score = 78–0

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-times-charlestonians-were-outc/147614936/|title=Charlestonians were outclassed|newspaper=The Tampa Daily Times|date=November 5, 1912|accessdate=May 18, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 15

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Stetson

| site_stadium = University Field

| site_cityst = Gainesville, FL

| score = 23–7

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser-florida-defeat/147615068/|title=Florida defeats Stetson|newspaper=The Montgomery Advertiser|date=November 16, 1912|accessdate=May 18, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 28

| w/l = t

| neutral = y

| opponent = Mercer

| site_stadium =

| site_cityst = Jacksonville, FL

| score = 0–0

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-journal-mercer-tied-by-flori/147615160/|title=Mercer tied by Florida|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal|date=November 29, 1912|accessdate=May 18, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 21

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Tampa Athletic Club

| site_stadium =

| site_cityst = Tampa, FL

| score = 44–0

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-rondofootball1tampatri/19328370/|title=Alligators romp on local footballers in uninteresting game|newspaper=The Tampa Morning Tribune|date=December 22, 1912|accessdate=May 18, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 25

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Vedado Athletic Club

| site_stadium = {{Flag icon|Cuba}} Almendares Park

| site_cityst = Havana, Cuba

| gamename = Bacardi Bowl

| score = 28–0

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-times-florida-beat-cuban-foot/25103121/|title=Florida beat Cuban football team at Havana on Christmas|newspaper=The Tampa Daily Times|date=December 28, 1912|accessdate=May 18, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

}}

[http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2015/media_guide.pdf 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208143532/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2015/media_guide.pdf |date=2015-12-08 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.

The season began with the first-ever game against coach Mike Donahue's Auburn Tigers, a 13–27 loss. Florida was unable to gain on Auburn's line, and made its scores off Auburn miscues.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5968061/the_atlanta_constitution/|page=13|title=Auburn 27, Florida 13|work=The Atlanta Constitution|date=October 13, 1912|access-date=July 22, 2016|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} "The team, the coach and the University are happy over this honorable result, and grant cheerfully that Florida is not master; but only the worthy opponent of the Southern team, which, with Vanderbilt, claims the Southern pennant." Though a loss, the Gators scored more points than any other Auburn opponent that year.

File:1912ufusc.jpg

{{AFB game box start

|Title=South Carolina at Florida

|Visitor=S. Carolina

|Host=Florida

| V1 =3| V2 =0| V3 =3| V4 =0

| H1 =0| H2 =0| H3 =3| H4 =7

|Date=October 19

|Location=University Field • Gainesville, FL

| Attendance =

| Referee =

}}

• Sources:

{{AFB game box end}}

In the second week of play, the Gators defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks for the first time 10–6. One writer labeled it "the most thrilling and hardest fought game ever played on University Field."

Florida came back to win down 3–0 at the half,{{cite web|url=http://floridagators.com/news/2012/10/19/1125.aspx|title=On this date in Gators History: Oct 19, 1912|date=October 19, 2012|author=Chris Harry}} Dummy Taylor had an 18-yard drop kick field goal.{{Harvnb|Carlson|2007|page=18}} After Taylor missed a drop kick, Carolina fumbled, and Florida's Hoyle Pounds recovered for a touchdown.

{{AFB game box start

|Title=Georgia Tech at Florida

|Visitor=Ga. Tech

|Host=Florida

| V1 =7| V2 =0| V3 =7| V4 =0

| H1 =0| H2 =6| H3 =0| H4 =0

|Date=October 26

|Location=Jacksonville, FL

| Attendance =

| Referee =Pat Murray

}}

• Sources:

{{AFB game box end}}

In their first time facing John Heisman's Georgia Tech team, Florida fell 6–14 in Jacksonville. Down 7–0, Florida scored after two passes from Tenney to Pounds, the first netting 40 yards. Alf McDonald made Tech's second touchdown.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5967895/the_atlanta_constitution/|page=9|title=Fast End Runs Win For Tech|work=The Atlanta Constitution|date=October 27, 1912|access-date=July 22, 2016|via=Newspapers.com|author=Kid Woltz}} {{Open access}}

The starting lineup was Mosley (left end), Coarsey (left tackle), Wilson (left guard), Watt (center), Baker (right guard), Sutton (right tackle), Pounds (right end), Buie (quarterback), Tenney (left halfback), Taylor (right halfback), McCullock (fullback).

The Gators beat the College of Charleston 78–0. Florida used several forward passes.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5967872/the_tennessean/|work=The Tennessean|title=Charleston Beaten|page=10|date=November 5, 1912|access-date=July 22, 2016|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

Florida gave Stetson its worst loss on the year, 23–7.[http://www.gohatters.com/pdf8/748668.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=14600 A History of Stetson Football] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304125820/http://www.gohatters.com/pdf8/748668.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=14600 |date=2016-03-04 }} This was considered Dummy Taylor's greatest game.{{Harvnb|McEwen|1974|page=48}} He kicked three field goals, two extra points, and ran for a touchdown.{{Harvnb|Carlson|2007|page=12}}

The Mercer Baptists fought the Gators to a scoreless tie. Mercer outweighed Florida, and both squads attempted several field goals.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5968027/the_atlanta_constitution/|title=Mercer Holds Florida Team|work=The Atlanta Constitution|page=9|date=November 29, 1912|access-date=July 22, 2016|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} Mercer had shut out Florida each time they had met.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t8BABAAAQBAJ&pg=PT18|author=Jon Nelson|title=A History of College Football in Georgia: Glory on the Gridiron|page=18}}

Before the contest in Cuba, the Gators stopped in Tampa and defeated the Tampa Athletic Club 44–0.{{cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2007/09/28/news_pf/Sports/Tampa_s_top_10_games.shtml|title=Tampa's top 10 games|author=Greg Auman|date=September 28, 2007}} Rex Farrior, a high school senior who would become the captain of Florida's football team soon thereafter, played on the amateur home squad.{{Harvnb|McEwen|1974|page=49}}

In December, the Florida Gators team competed in their first ever post-season games: the Bacardi Bowl, a two-game series in Havana against squads from two Cuban athletic clubs.Antonya English, "[http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/27/Sports/100_things_about_100_.shtml 100 things about 100 years of Gator football] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904141255/http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/27/Sports/100_things_about_100_.shtml |date=2016-09-04 }}", St. Petersburg Times (August 27, 2006). Retrieved March 1, 2010.College Football Data Warehouse, [http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_game_by_game.php?coachid=1919&year=1912 1912 Game by Game Record] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525230838/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_game_by_game.php?coachid=1919&year=1912 |date=2011-05-25 }}. Retrieved February 23, 2009.

The first game was held on Christmas Day, and the Gators defeated the Vedado Athletic Club, 28–0. The second game, which pitted the Gators against the Cuban Athletic Club of Havana, ended abruptly when Coach Pyle realized that the officials were running the game according to football's old rules and that the head referee was the former coach of his opponent.{{Harvnb|Carlson|2007}} Pyle pulled his players off the field during the first quarter and was arrested for violating a Cuban law prohibiting a game's suspension after spectators' money had been collected."[https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/12/29/100076213.pdf Football Row in Havana; Florida University Students Hooted for Breaking Up Game]", The New York Times, p. S1 (December 29, 1912). Retrieved July 31, 2010. A trial was scheduled and Pyle was released on bail, at which point he, the team, and the Gators' entire traveling party quickly boarded a steamship for Tampa, an escape which caused the coach to be branded a "fugitive from justice" by Cuban authorities.

Bacardi Bowl officials declared that Florida had forfeited the second game and listed the result as a 1–0 win for the Cuban Athletic Club, while the University of Florida declared the game a 1–0 forfeit win for the Gators. In later years, the incomplete game was dropped from the university's official football record, and Florida's football teams would never again compete against a squad from Cuba.

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book|last=Carlson|first=Norm|title=University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators|publisher=Whitman Publishing, LLC|location=Atlanta, Georgia|year=2007|isbn=0-7948-2298-3}}
• {{cite book|last=McEwen|first=Tom|title=The Gators: A Story of Florida Football|publisher=The Strode Publishers|location=Huntsville, Alabama|year=1974|isbn=0-87397-025-X}}

• [http://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00002859/00001 Bacardi Bowl game program]

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