1926 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team

1926 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football
Conference	Southern Conference
Record	4–5 (4–3 SoCon)
Head coach	William Alexander (7th season)
Offensive scheme	Jump shift
Captain	Owen Poole
Home stadium	Grant Field
Uniform

1926 Southern Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 7 Alabama $	8	–	0	–	0			9	–	0	–	1
Tennessee	5	–	1	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
Vanderbilt	4	–	1	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
South Carolina	4	–	2	–	0			6	–	4	–	0
Georgia	4	–	2	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Virginia	4	–	2	–	1			6	–	2	–	2
VPI	3	–	2	–	1			5	–	3	–	1
Washington and Lee	3	–	2	–	1			4	–	3	–	2
Georgia Tech	4	–	3	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
North Carolina	3	–	3	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Auburn	3	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
LSU	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Ole Miss	2	–	2	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Mississippi A&M	2	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
VMI	2	–	4	–	0			5	–	5	–	0
Tulane	2	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	1
Maryland	1	–	3	–	1			5	–	4	–	1
Clemson	1	–	3	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Florida	1	–	4	–	1			2	–	6	–	2
Kentucky	1	–	4	–	1			2	–	6	–	1
NC State	0	–	4	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
Sewanee	0	–	5	–	0			2	–	6	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from Dickinson System

The 1926 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team[note 1] represented the Georgia Tech Golden Tornado of the Georgia Institute of Technology during the 1926 Southern Conference football season. The Tornado was coached by William Alexander in his seventh year as head coach, compiling a record of 4–5.

Before the season

Doug Wycoff had graduated.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 25	Oglethorpe*	Grant Field Atlanta, GA	L 7–6	10,000	[3]
October 2	VMI	Grant Field Atlanta, GA	W 13–0		[4]
October 9	Tulane	Grant Field Atlanta, GA	W 9–6		[5]
October 16	Alabama	Grant Field Atlanta, GA (rivalry)	L 21–0	20,000	[6]
October 23	Washington & Lee	Grant Field Atlanta, GA	W 19–7		[7]
October 30	at Notre Dame*	Cartier Field South Bend, IN (rivalry)	L 12–0	11,000	[8]
November 6	Vanderbilt	Grant Field Atlanta, GA (rivalry)	L 13–7		[9]
November 13	Georgia	Grant Field Atlanta, GA (rivalry)	L 14–13		[10]
November 25	Auburn	Grant Field Atlanta, GA (rivalry)	W 20–7		[11]
*Non-conference game

[12]

Game summaries

Oglethorpe

Oglethorpe at Georgia Tech

1 2 3 4 Total • Oglethorpe 0 0 7 0 7 Ga. Tech 0 0 0 6 6 Location: Grant Field Atlanta, GA Sources:

The season opened with a great upset and perhaps the greatest victory in the history of the Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels when they downed Tech 7–6. Halfback "Cy" Bell ran for a 42-yard touchdown run, and "Nutty" Campbell got the game-winning extra point.[13] After the game, Oglethorpe fans reacted to the victory by staging a spontaneous parade through downtown Atlanta.[14]

The starting lineup was Irwin (left end), Gaston (left tackle), Lillard (left guard), Poole (center), Drennon (right guard), Hood (right tackle), Hearn (right end), McRae (quarterback), Brewer (left halfback), Parham (right halfback), Holland (fullback)[15]

VMI

In the second week of play, Tech shutout VMI 13–0. The starting lineup was Marshall (left end), Tharpe (left tackle), Martin (left guard), Poole (center), Angley (right guard), Hood (right tackle), Crowley (right end), McRae (quarterback), Smith (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Murray (fullback)[16]

Tulane

Tech edged Tulane 9–6. The starting lineup was Crowley (left end), Tharpe (left tackle), Martin (left guard), Poole (center), Angley (right guard), Hood (right tackle), Marshall (right end), Brewer (quarterback), Parham (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Murray (fullback).[17]

Alabama

Wallace Wade's national champion Alabama Crimson Tide surprised and held Georgia Tech to two first downs in a 21–0 victory. Hoyt Winslett passed for all three touchdowns.

The starting lineup was Crowley (left end), Tharpe (left tackle), Martin (left guard), Pund (center), Angley (right guard), Hood (right tackle), Marshall (right end), McRae (quarterback), Smith (left halfback), Reed (right halfback), Murray (fullback).[18]

Washington and Lee

Tech beat the Washington & Lee Generals 19–7.

Notre Dame

Knute Rockne's undefeated Notre Dame beat Tech 12–0. Red Barron stood out in the cold weather.[19]

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech

1 2 3 4 Total • Vanderbilt 0 0 7 6 13 Ga. Tech 7 0 0 0 7 Location: Grant Field Atlanta, GA Sources:

Vanderbilt beat Georgia Tech 13–7. Tech scored on an off-tackle play when Carter Barron got loose for a 50-yard run. Bill Spears faked a pass and ran for 24 yards to spark a drive to tie the game at 7, and added two field goals to beat the Tornado.[20]

The starting lineup was Crowley (left end), Tharpe (left tackle), Martin (left guard), Poole (center), Lillard (right guard), Thrash (right tackle), Marshall (right end), Randolph (quarterback), Horn (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Murray (fullback).[21]

Georgia

Down 13 to 0 at the half, rival Georgia came back to beat Tech.[22] Herdis McCrary and captain George Morton made the touchdowns.

The starting lineup was Crowley (left end), Hood (left tackle), Martin (left guard), Poole (center), Angley (right guard), Tharpe (right tackle), Marshall (right end), Brewer (quarterback), Parham (left halfback), Horn (right halfback), Murray (fullback).[23]

Auburn

In the annual rivalry matchup, Tech beat Auburn 20–7. The starting lineup was Erwin (left end), Tharpe (left tackle), Martin (left guard), Poole (center), Drennon (right guard), Hood (right tackle), Marshall (right end), Brewer (quarterback), Parham (left halfback), Barron (right halfback), Murray (fullback).[24]

Players

Depth chart

The following chart provides a visual depiction of Tech's lineup during the 1924 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses. The chart mimics the offense after the jump shift has taken place.

LE Ed Crowley (4) Bull Irwin (2) Johnny Marshall (1) LT LG C RG RT Mack Tharpe (5) Firpo Martin (5) Owen Poole (6) Tom Angley (4) Papa Hood (5) Gaston (1) Peter Pund (1) Raleigh Drennon (2) Mack Tharpe (1) Papa Hood (1) John Lillard (1) RE Johnny Marshall (5) Ed Crowley (1) Tiny Hearn (1) QB Finley McRae (4) John Brewer (3) Bob Randolph (1) RHB Carter Barron (4) Bob Horn (1) Bob Parham (1) Reed (1) FB Sam Murray (6) Ralph Holland (1) LHB Bob Parham (3) Shorty Smith (2) John Brewer (1) Bob Horn (1)

Notes

1. Although Georgia Tech's teams are officially known as the "Yellow Jackets", northern writers called the team the "Golden Tornado" in 1917; the name was commonly used until 1928 and for many years afterwards as an alternate nickname.[1] It may have been coined by Morgan Blake.[2]

Endnotes

1. Van Brimmer & Rice 2011, p. 147
2. "Golden Tornadoes". Retrieved January 28, 2015.
3. "Oglethorpe achieves ambition, beats Tornado 7 to 6". The Atlanta Constitution. September 26, 1926. Retrieved February 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Tech beats V.M.I." The Atlanta Constitution. October 3, 1924. Retrieved December 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Tornado halts Green Wave by 9 to 6 margin". St. Petersburg Times. October 10, 1926. Retrieved April 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Tech loses to Tide, 21–0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 17, 1926. Retrieved February 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Golden Tornado trims Generals". The News and Observer. October 24, 1926. Retrieved December 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Notre Dame rips Georgia Tech". The Indianapolis Star. October 31, 1926. Retrieved December 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Spears leads Vanderbilt to 13 to 7 win over Tech". The Knoxville Journal. November 7, 1926. Retrieved December 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Bulldogs nose out Georgia Tech team". Orlando Morning Sentinel. November 14, 1926. Retrieved December 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Georgia Tech comes from behind to win over Auburn 20 to 7". Greensboro Daily News. November 26, 1926. Retrieved December 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "1926 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
13. "Oglethorpe".
14. "Reference at georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu".
15. Woodruff 1928, p. 128
16. Woodruff 1928, p. 136
17. Woodruff 1928, p. 143
18. Woodruff 1928, p. 149
19. "Reference at archives.nd.edu" (PDF).
20. Woodruff 1928, p. 165
21. Woodruff 1928, p. 166
22. Rebecca Evans Stone. "UGA's "Ma" Hale". Archived from the original on February 10, 2013.
23. Woodruff 1928, p. 179
24. Woodruff 1928, p. 190

References

• Van Brimmer, Adam; Rice, Homer (2011). 100 Things Yellow Jackets Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-61749-703-2.
• Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 3.