1931 Georgia Bulldogs football
ConferenceSouthern Conference
Record8–2 (6–1 SoCon)
Head coach
CaptainAustin Downes
Home stadiumSanford Stadium (30,000)
Uniform
1931 Southern Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Tulane $ 8 –0 –011 –1 –0
No. 3 Tennessee 6 –0 –19 –0 –1
Alabama 7 –1 –09 –1 –0
No. 6 Georgia 6 –1 –08 –2 –0
Maryland 4 –1 –18 –1 –1
Kentucky 4 –2 –25 –2 –2
LSU 3 –2 –05 –4 –0
South Carolina 3 –3 –15 –4 –1
Duke 3 –3 –15 –3 –2
Auburn 3 –3 –05 –3 –0
Sewanee 3 –3 –06 –3 –1
Vanderbilt 3 –4 –05 –4 –0
North Carolina 2 –3 –34 –3 –3
Washington and Lee 2 –3 –04 –5 –1
Florida 2 –4 –22 –6 –2
Georgia Tech 2 –4 –12 –7 –1
VMI 2 –4 –03 –6 –1
NC State 2 –4 –03 –6 –0
VPI 1 –4 –13 –4 –2
Clemson 1 –4 –01 –6 –2
Ole Miss 1 –5 –02 –6 –1
Virginia 0 –5 –12 –6 –1
Mississippi A&M 0 –5 –02 –6 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Dickinson System

The 1931 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia during the 1931 Southern Conference football season. Members of the Southern Conference, the Bulldogs completed the season with an 8–2 record (6–1 SoCon).[1] The two losses were to the Rose Bowl and national champion USC Trojans, and to SoCon champion and the team defeated by USC in the Rose Bowl, the Tulane Green Wave.[2]

Before the season

Georgia's team was led by a group of veterans in end Catfish Smith, fullback Jack "The Ripper" Roberts and captain and quarterback Austin Downes. Buster Mott was a promising sophomore.[3]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 3VPI
W 40–0[4]
October 10at Yale*
W 26–770,000[5]
October 17at North Carolina
W 32–717,000[6]
October 24Vanderbiltdagger
  • Sanford Stadium
  • Athens, GA (rivalry)
W 9–0[7]
October 31at Florida
W 33–620,000[8]
November 7at NYU*
W 7–665,000[9]
November 14at Tulane
  • Sanford Stadium
  • Athens, GA
L 7–2035,000[10]
November 21vs. Auburn
W 12–6[11]
November 28Georgia Tech
  • Sanford Stadium
  • Athens, GA (rivalry)
W 35–6[12]
December 12at USC*
L 0–6075,000[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

Season summary

Yale

Georgia at Yale
1 234Total
• Georgia 0 13013 26
Yale 0 070 7

For the third straight year, Georgia's Bulldogs triumphed over "superstar" Hall of Famer Albie Booth and Yale's Bulldogs 26–7.[14] Yale once had the ball on its own 45-yard line. "Tommy Taylor dropped back to pass. Catfish Smith hit Taylor as he released the ball and the wobbly toss was grabbed by guard Red Leathers of Georgia, who proceeded to dash 40 yards to the touchdown."[2] Before the first half was over, Homer Key ran for a 74-yard touchdown, starting through right and cutting back. "He was surrounded by blue-clad players. He shuttled in and out like a white needle in haystack of blue, and finally he shout out and streaked for the goal."[2]

In the fourth quarter, after a short punt, Austin Downes connected with Key on a 27-yard touchdown pass. Later, Dickens intercepted Booth's pass at the 29-yard line,[15] and Georgia drove it in with Gilmore finally going over to end the scoring.[2]

The starting lineup was Crenshaw (left end), Townsend (left tackle), Patterson (left guard), Batchelder (center), Maddux (right guard), Cooper (right tackle), Wilson (right end), Downes (quarterback), Chandler (left halfback), Mott (right halfback) White (fullback).[15]

Florida

The Bulldogs beat Charlie Bachman at Florida for the first time 33–6. Both Florida governor Doyle E. Carlton and Georgia governor Richard B. Russell attended the game.[16] Florida scored when Scabby Phiel blocked a punt. Georgia scored in every period.[16]

Tulane

Tulane at Georgia
1 234Total
• Tulane 7 670 20
Georgia 0 070 7

Georgia lost to the eventual SIAA champion Tulane Green Wave 20–7. Tulane scored first on a 33-yard pass from Don Zimmerman to Vernon Haynes.[2] Nollie Felts plunged in from the 1-yard line for the next touchdown.[2] A pass from Georgia's Homey Key to Buster Mott netted 60 yards and a touchdown.[2] After a botched punt, a double pass play led to Payne sprinting around left end for Tulane's final score.[2]

USC

Georgia was beaten by the national champion USC Trojans 60–0.

References

  1. ↑ "1931 Georgia Bulldogs Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Schmidt, Ray. "The Georgia Armada" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Pack of Veterans Carry on Georgia's Grid Wars". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. October 12, 1931.
  4. ↑ "Georgia smothers Virginia Poly, 40–0". The Bristol Herald Courier. October 4, 1931. Retrieved June 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Yale Bows To Georgia By 26 To 7". The Hartford Courant. October 11, 1931. pp. I-1, IV-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Georgia routs Carolina". The Atlanta Constitution. October 18, 1931. Retrieved June 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Georgia beats two Vanderbilt threats before smashing its way to 9–0 triumph". The Chattanooga Times. October 25, 1931. Retrieved June 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Georgia thumps Florida Gators". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. November 1, 1931. Retrieved June 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Georgia jinxes Violets". Daily News. November 8, 1931. Retrieved June 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Tulane blasts Georgia hopes, 20–7". The Birmingham News. November 15, 1931. Retrieved June 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Georgia licks game Auburn team, 12–6". The Charlotte Observer. November 22, 1931. Retrieved June 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Georgia Bulldogs crush Tech under 35–6 avalanche". Tampa Sunday Tribune. November 29, 1931. Retrieved June 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Braven Dyer (December 13, 1931). "Thundering Herd slaughters Georgia, 60–0: Sheer power of Trojan attack stuns Bulldogs". The Los Angeles Times. p. VI-a-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "1930's Football History". www.georgiadogs.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  15. 1 2 Westbrook Pegler (October 11, 1931). "70,000 Watch Georgia Eleven Beat Yale, 26-7". Chicago Tribune.
  16. 1 2 "Georgia Thumps Florida Gators". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. November 1, 1931. p. 11. Retrieved July 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
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