Sewanee 1899 College Football Team
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"In six days Sewanee beat Texas, Texas A&M, Tulane, LSU and Ole Miss. On the seventh day, they rested."
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[edit] Sewanee: The Setting
The University of the South or Sewanee, as it is commonly known, was one of the first college football powers of the southern United States. How this small Episcopal University, half hidden in the mountains of Tennessee, came to dominate the region in football during the closing years of the 19th and early 20th centuries has been analyzed over the decades: it was due in part to them being one of the first in the region to have a team and the school session running through the summer with a long winter break, giving them a jump on practice compared to their opponents.
A visitor to Sewanee today may be forgiven if they see no visible evidence of the greatness there was a century ago. There is no grand stadium and today’s NCAA Division III team members are offered no athletic scholarships and must put academics first. Although Sewanee was a charter member of the NCAA Southeastern Conference when it was formed in 1932, they never won a game and withdrew in 1940. Like some other football powers of yore such as the University of Chicago, Sewanee today emphasizes scholarship first and foremost.
[edit] The 1899 Season
But if one listens, there are echoes from that other time. And the loudest comes from the “Iron Men” of the extraordinary 1899 season.
Sewanee’s 1899 season will never be equaled or probably not even approached. From October 21 through December 2, under the leadership of Coach Billy Sutter and future hall of fame captain Henry “Diddy” Seibels, Sewanee played and won twelve games, was unscored upon except for one game, outscored their opponents 322 to 10, and were champions of the South. Ten of their twelve opponents are familiar to anyone today as big time college football powers including National Champions from 1998 (Tennessee), 2003 (LSU), 2004 (Auburn), and 2005 (Texas). And the Auburn team they beat was coached by none other than the legendary John Heisman after whom the trophy is named.
[edit] The Greatest Road Trip
What really sets the ’99 Iron Men apart was a six day period from November 9th through the 14th 1899 which is easily the greatest road trip in college football history. Manager Luke Lea put together an improbable schedule of playing five big name opponents in six days, all on the road. Sewanee played and shutout them all while hopping on and off the train for 2500 miles. This feat, barring fundamental changes in modern day football, can never be equaled.
[edit] The 1899 Sewanee Football Schedule and Results
Record: 12-0-0 Points: Sewanee 322, Opponents 10
- Oct. 21 at Atlanta: Sewanee 12 Georgia 0
- Oct. 23 at Atlanta: Sewanee 32 Georgia Tech 0
- Oct. 28 at Sewanee: Sewanee 46 Tennessee 0
- Nov. 3 at Sewanee: Sewanee 54 Southwestern 0
- Nov. 9 (Thursday) at Austin: Sewanee 12 Texas 0
- Nov. 10 (Friday) at Houston: Sewanee 10 Texas A&M 0
- Nov. 11 (Saturday) at New Orleans: Sewanee 23 Tulane 0
- Nov. 13 (Monday) at Baton Rouge: Sewanee 34 LSU 0
- Nov. 14 (Tuesday) at Memphis: Sewanee 12 Ole Miss 0
- Nov. 20 at Sewanee: Sewanee 71 Cumberland 0
- Nov. 30 at Montgomery: Sewanee 11 Auburn 10
- Dec. 2 at Atlanta: Sewanee 5 North Carolina 0
