Georgia football: Top five games played at Sanford Field (1911-1928)

2. 1912 vs. Sewanee

You can’t tell by looking at the Sewanee Tigers football program today, but for the first few decades of football in the south, Sewanee was a powerhouse. In 1899 they went 12-0 with 11 shutouts and won five games in a period of six days, all on the road. Until the 1920’s they were a force every year.

1912 was no different. The 4-0 Sewanee football team traveled to Athens to play the 3-1 Georgia team. Georgia’s only loss that season was to Vanderbilt, who won the SIAA Championship. Sewanee were slim favorites, but they were unable to steal a victory. The game ended tied 13-13.

Sewanee scored first, but Georgia’s first All-American Bob McWhorter answered and tied the game 7-7 after one-quarter. Sewanee later scored in the first half but missed their extra point. They led 13-7 at halftime.

McWhorter then delivered the play of the game in the fourth quarter. Still down 13-7, McWhorter ran 50 yards down the left sideline to the end zone for the game tying touchdown. But Georgia missed the extra point and the game remained tied.

Georgia got the ball back on the 20-yard line with a little over two minutes remaining. McWhorter rushed for 70 yards and got Georgia near the goal line. But time expired before Georgia could score a game-winner.

Sanford Field may have only been a year old, but the Red and Black Newspaper called the game the prettiest game ever played on Sanford Field. The tie ended up being Georgia’s last blemish of the season. They ended the year with three-straight victories to finish the year 6-1-1 and 5-1-1 in the SIAA.