Nov. 10, 2017
Each Friday during the 2017 football season, AuburnTigers.com will feature a column from Auburn historian and Athletic Director Emeritus David Housel to commemorate the 125 year history of Auburn football. We hope you enjoy!
By David Housel
Coach Shug Jordan loved the Georgia game. It was his favorite rivalry: so many great games for so long a time, so much intensity, so many good friends and associates on both sides, mutual respect and, occasion, grudging admiration.
Often times during the week of the Georgia game he would smile and say, "After all these years, after all the mud, the blood, and the beer, Auburn and Georgia are just about even. Maybe that's the way it should be…"
The current record in the South's Oldest Rivalry is listed as 57-55-8, Georgia's way.
But is that right?
Is there another story hidden deep within the annals of the Georgia rivalry?
Dan Hollis thought so.
In his meticulously researched book, "Auburn Football-the Complete History, 1892-1987," Hollis accounts for every point Auburn scored in its 95-year history. Every single point.
He also came up with some rather interesting information about the 1899 game listed as a 0-0 tie by both schools.
Here is Dan's account:
On November 18, 1899 Auburn met Georgia in a game in Atlanta. It was a hard fought game and Auburn was leading by a score of 11-6, when with only 30 seconds left in the game (time enough for one more play), the umpire, a Mr. Rowbotham of Atlanta, called the game 'on account of darkness.' Rowbotham declared the official score of the game to be 0-0.
But Auburn protested the actions of Rowbotham to the Southeastern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, and on November 19, 1900, the executive committee of the SIAA ruled that Auburn was the winner by an 11-6 score. The order was signed by Vanderbilt's William A. Dudley, SIAA president.
So, does the South's oldest series actually stand 57-55-8, or should it be corrected to 57-56-7?
Based on Dan's meticulous and respected research, a letter was sent to Georgia in the mid-to-late 80's asking if the series record should be amended or at least discussed.
No response was ever received.
None was expected.