1909 college football season

1909 college football season
Tennessee football program
Regular season	September 25–November 25
Champion(s)	Yale
football seasons

The1909 college football seasonwas the first for the 3-pointfield goal,which had previously been worth 4 points.The season ran from Saturday, September 25, untilThanksgiving Day,November 25, although a few games were played on the week before.

The 1909 season was also one of the most dangerous in the history of college football. The third annual survey by theChicago Tribuneat season's end showed that 10 college players had been killed and 38 seriously injured in 1909, up from six fatalities and 14 maimings in 1908.

Schools in the Midwest competed in the Western Conference consisting ofIllinois,Indiana,Iowa,Minnesota,Northwestern,PurdueandWisconsinandChicago.Iowa was also a member of theMissouri Valley Conference,which included futureBig 12teamsIowa State,Kansas,Missouri,andNebraska,as well asDrakeandWashington University in St. Louis.In California, intercollegiate football programs (such as those ofStanford Universityand theUniversity of California) had been discontinued after the 1905 season, andrugbywas the autumn intercollegiate sport.

Although there was no provision for a national championship, major teams played their regular schedules before facing their most difficult matches late in the season. The most eagerly anticipated games were theNovember 10matchups, withPrincetonatYale,DartmouthatHarvard,Michiganvs.Pennsylvania(in Philadelphia), andCornellatChicago.

Rules

The rules for American football in 1909 were significantly different than the ones of a century later, as many of the present conventions (100 yard field, four downs to gain ten yards, and the 6-point touchdown) would not be adopted until 1912.

Beginning in 1909, the worth of a field goal dropped from 4 points to 3 points. Touchdowns remained at 5 points. "This has come about gradually," noted one report, "owing to the feeling of players and spectators that two field kick goals should not be reckoned of greater value that a touchdown from which a goal is scored. As it is now, a touchdown if a goal results, counts six points, and two field goals count but six in the aggregate."For the first time, ineligible receivers were identified.

The rules in 1909 were:

• Field 110 yards in length
• Kickoff made from midfield
• Three downs to gain ten yards
• Touchdown worth5 points
• Field goal worth3 points
• Game time based on agreement of the teams, not to exceed two 45 minute halves
• Forward pass legal, but subject to penalties

Conference and program changes

Conference changes

• TheColorado Faculty Athletic Conference(CFAC, later theRocky Mountain Athletic Conference) began its first season of play in 1909 with four teams inColorado.

Membership changes

School	1908 Conference	1909 Conference
ColoradoBuffaloes	Colorado	CFAC(Rocky Mountain)
Colorado AgriculturalRams	Colorado	CFAC(Rocky Mountain)
Colorado CollegeTigers	Colorado	CFAC(Rocky Mountain)
Colorado MinesOrediggers	Colorado	CFAC(Rocky Mountain)
HawaiʻiFighting Deans	Program Established	Independent
Troy Normalfootball	Program Established	Independent

September

TheCarlisle Indiansplayed a Wednesday afternoon game on September 22 at home against Lebanon Valley, winning 30–0. The previous Saturday, they had beaten a non-college team from Steelton, Pennsylvania, 35–0.

OnSeptember 25,defending championPennsylvaniabeat Gettysburg College 20–0 on two touchdowns, and a field goal (one of the first three-pointers) by Edmund Thayer.Carlislebeat visiting Villanova 9–0.Washington and Jeffersondefeated Denison College 13–2.Lehighbeat Lebanon Valley 24–0. To the west,Ohio Statedefeated Otterbein 14–0,Minnesotabeat Lawrence 26–0, andKansascrushed Kansas Normal (now Emporia State) 55–0.St. Louisedged Shurtleff College 12–11. In the South,Virginiadefeated William and Mary 30–0 in a short (two 15 minute halves) game at homeandVanderbiltdefeated Southwestern Presbyterian (now Rhodes College) 52–0.

Defending co-championHarvardopened its season in a Wednesday afternoon game, beating Bates College 11–0 onSeptember 29.In other home openers,Brownbeat Rhode Island 6–0,Yalebeat Wesleyan 11–0, andDartmouthbeat Massachusetts 22–0.Pennsylvaniamoved to 2–0–0 with a 22–0 win over Ursinus.

October

OnOctober 2,Brownbeat Colgate 12–0,Yaledefeated Syracuse 15–0 andHarvardwon against Bowdoin 17–0.Armyopened its season with a 22–0 win over Tufts.Pennsylvaniaearned its third win, over Dickinson, 28–0. Elsewhere,Auburnwon 11–0 over Howard College (now Samford University),Pittdefeated Ohio Northern 16–0,North Carolinabeat Wake Forest 18–0,Arkansaswon 24–0 over Henderson State, andKansasbeat little St. Mary's College of Kansas 29–0.State Collegeof Pennsylvania rolled over Grove City, 31–0,North Carolina A&M(now N.C. State) trampled Maryville (Tennessee) College 39–0. In Western Conference play,Chicagooverwhelmed Purdue 40–0, andMinnesotacrushed Iowa 41–0.Carlisleyielded a score in a 48–6 win over Bucknell, andPrincetonsurrendered two touchdowns in a 47–12 win over Stevens.Dartmouthwas unable to score in a 0–0 tie with Vermont.Lehighlost at home to Franklin and Marshall, 10–0. In a game the day before,Virginiaheld off Davidson, 11–0.

In four midweek games onOctober 6,Navyopened its season with a 16–6 win over the other Annapolis school, St. John's College, andPrincetondefeated Villanova, 12–0.Yale,in a 12–0 win over Holy Cross, andBrown(which beat Bates, 17–0), both stayed unscored upon and upped their records to 3–0–0.

October 9:Fewer teams stayed unscored upon.Yalewon 33–0 over theSpringfield Training Schoolcollege team,Penndefeated West Virginia 12–0, andBrownwon 10–0 over Amherst College. Further south,Virginiabeat St. John's of Maryland, 12–0. All four winners were 4–0–0.Harvardwas surprised by Williams College, which led in the first half before the Crimson eked out an 8–6 win, andPrincetonstruggled against Fordham, averting defeat with a last minute field goal, 3–0.Pittbeat Marietta College, 12–0, andLafayetterolled 50–0 over Hobart College.

Opening their seasons were defending southern championLSUwith a 10–0 triumph over visiting Ole Miss,Kansas(11–0 over Oklahoma),Texas(12–0 over Southwestern),Texas A&M(17–0 over Austin),Wisconsinopened with a 22–0 win over Lawrence College. andMichigan,which struggled in a 3–0 win over Case.Alabamadefeated Howard College 14–0, andArkansasallowed at TD in beating Drury, 12–6. Western Conference games sawChicagobeat Indiana 12–0 andMinnesotadefeat Iowa State, 18–0, butIllinoiswas surprised by visiting Kentucky State College (later the University of Kentucky), 6–2. When the Kentucky team was welcomed home, Philip Carbusier said that they had "fought like wildcats", a nickname that stuck.Navywon 12–3 over Rutgers andArmybeat Trinity College of Connecticut, 17–6.

The biggest game of the week was atWilkes-Barre,wherePenn StateandCarlislemet on neutral ground. Down 6–5 when Larry Vorhis missed the point after, State was up 8–6 on a Vorhis field goal. Vorhis was sacked in the end zone by Emil Wauseka during a punt return, and the game ended 8–8.

October 13:In a midweek game,Princetonfound itself losing 6–5 to visiting Virginia Tech after an interception was returned for a touchdown. The Tigers stayed unbeaten (4–0–0) on a drop kicked field goal in the last four minutes.

October 16:At Philadelphia,PennsylvaniahostedBrown.Both were unbeaten (4–0–0), and neither had been scored upon. Penn shut down the Bears offense and won 13–5.Yale,also 4–0–0 in four shutouts, earned a fifth, handingArmyits first defeat, 17–0. In an intersectional battle of Tigers,Princetonhanded visitingSewaneeits first defeat, 20–0. Once-tiedCarlislefaced Syracuse at New York'sPolo Groundsand won 14–11.Pittyielded its first points in an 18–6 win over Bucknell, andHarvardhandled Maine, 17–0.Navywas upset by Villanova, 11–6.

In the South,Virginia,unbeaten (4–0–0) and unscored upon, was upset by a (1–1–1) Lehigh team, 11–7, in a game at Norfolk.LSUbeat Mississippi A&M (now Mississippi State), 15–0.Alabamaedged Clemson, 3–0, at Birmingham.Arkansasdefeated Wichita State, 23–6.Texas A&Mand Texas Christian played a scoreless tie. To the West,Chicagobeat Illinois, 14–8.Minnesotadefeated Nebraska, 14–0.Michiganhanded Ohio State its 10th consecutive defeat.Kansasdefeated Kansas Agricultural (now Kansas State), 5–3, andMissouribeat visiting Missouri School of Mines (of Rolla, now Missouri S & T) 13–0.

October 23:InPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania(5–0–0) hostedPenn State(2–0–1) in a battle of unbeatens. Penn fumbled away two chances to score in the first half, but took a 3–0 lead on a 35–yard field goal. Penn State came within 15 yards of a touchdown, but settled for a dropkicked field goal to tie the Quakers.HarvardhandedBrowna second straight loss, 11–0. At Pittsburgh,Pitthosted unbeaten (3–0–1)Carlisleand won 14–3.Yale Bulldogsstayed unscored on and reached 6–0–0 with a 36–0 win over Colgate. The other major unbeaten team in the east,Princeton,was upset by visitingLafayette,after the Leopards' Frank Irmschler blocked a field goal in the final six seconds and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown, winning 6–0 in what the New York Times termed "probably the most sensational finish that has ever been seen in a football game."Navywas defeated at home, 5–0, byVirginia.

In the South,VanderbilthostedAuburnin a meeting of 3–0–0 teams at Nashville, with Vandy winning 17–0.AlabamaandOle Missplayed a scoreless tie at Jackson.ArkansasdefeatedOklahoma21–6.SewaneebeatGeorgia Techin Atlanta, 15–0. To the West,Michiganaverted being tied by Marquette, 6–5.Wisconsinbeat Indiana 6–3.Missouriwas tied by Iowa State, 6–6, andKansas(4–0–0) hosted Washington University in St. Louis (2–0–0) and won 23–0.

OnOctober 30,the fatal injury ofArmyplayer Eugene Byrne, at a game against visitingHarvard,overshadowed the other games of the day. With ten minutes left to play, Byrne had broken his neck in a collision with three Harvard men. The game was halted with Harvard ahead, 9–0.Byrne died the next morning, and Army canceled the remainder of its schedule, including the annualArmy-Navy Game.

In other contestsPennbeatCarlisle,29–6.PrincetonbeatNavyat Annapolis, 5–3. TheLafayette Leopards,who had upset Princeton the week before, tiedPenn State,6–6, giving the Nittany Lions a record of 2 wins, 3 ties, and no losses. Meanwhile, theYale Bulldogsremained unscored upon as they registered their seventh consecutive shutout, a 34–0 win over visiting Amherst College. Yale had an average score of 21–0 against its opposition, but still had to face Brown, Princeton and Harvard.

In Western Conference play (the future Big Ten) between two unbeatens,Minnesotadefeated visitingChicago,20–6.Wisconsinwon at Northwestern, 21–11. Further west,Missouriedged Iowa, 13–12, andKansaswon at Washburn, 17–0.

In a big game atNew Orleans,theLSU Tigerssuffered their first defeat in almost two years, losing toSewanee's Tigers, 15–6. AtNashville,Vanderbiltbeat Ole Miss, 17–0, and atAtlanta,Alabamabeat Georgia, 14–0.Texas A&Mwon at Baylor, 9–6.N.C. State(North Carolina A&M) beat visiting Maryland 31–0,Virginiabeat VMI 32–0, andArkansasclobbered Ouachita Baptist, 56–0.TCUlost at Texas, 24–0.

In intersectional games,Michiganbeat visiting Syracuse 44–0, whilePittsburghwas upset by visiting Notre Dame, 6–0.

November

OnNovember 6Yaleremained unscored upon, beatingBrown,23–0.Harvardbeat Cornell 18–0, andPenn Statebeat Bucknell 33–0.Pennaverted a defeat by visitingLafayette,managing a 6–6 tie. Other ties were betweenPrincetonand Dartmouth (6–6),Pittsburghand West Virginia (0–0), andNavyand Washington & Jefferson (0–0). The "Jeffs" had a 7–0–0 record before meeting Navy, against smaller schools. To the west, previously unbeaten (5–0–0)Michiganwas upset at home by unheraldedNotre Dame,11–3. Michigan's CoachFielding H. Yosttold a reporter after the game, "I take my hat off to the Irishmen", and a story in theDetroit Free Pressthe next day made the "Fighting Irishmen" a nickname that would ever after stick with Notre Dame.Kansaswon at Nebraska 6–0, to stay unbeaten, and once-tiedMissouribeat Washington University in St. Louis, 5–0.MinnesotaandWisconsinwere both idle and preparing to meet at Madison on November 13. In the South,Vanderbiltdefeated visiting Tennessee, 23–0, and North Carolina A&M (N.C. State) won at Washington & Lee 3–0.Virginiabeat visiting VMI 32–0.LSUhad won earlier in a Thursday game at Louisiana Tech, 23–0. Further west, theUniversity of Californiaplayed a football game, beating the University of Nevada 19–8, and theUniversity of Coloradobeat the University of New Mexico, 53–0.In a Monday game at Houston,Texas A&Mdefeated Texas 23–0 to stay unbeaten.

November 13saw a number of intersectional games. Previously unbeaten and untiedVanderbilt(5–0–0) traveled to Columbus, O. and lost 5–0 to Ohio State. On the same afternoon, unbeaten (5–0–2)Pennsylvaniawent to Ann Arbor to meet once-beaten (4–1–0)Michigan,and sustained their first loss, 12–6.Penn Statestayed unbeaten, reaching 5–0–2 after defeating visiting West Virginia 40–0.Lafayettewent to 5–0–1 after beating Stroudsburg, 43–0.

At a Western Conference game between two unbeatens at Madison, Wisconsin,Minnesota(5–0–0) facedWisconsin(3–0–0). The visitors won 34–6. In the MVIAA,Missouri(5–0–1) hosted Drake (4–0–0 against smaller opponents), and Missouri won 22–6.Arkansas(5–0–0) andLSU(4–1–0) met atMemphis,and the "Cardinals" of Arkansas won 16–0. CoachHugo Bezdekremarked that his players were like "a wild band of razorback hogs", giving Arkansas teams a new nickname.Alabamastayed unbeaten with a 10–0 win at Tennessee, andTexas A&Mreached 5–0–1 with a 47–0 win over visiting Trinity College of Dallas (and three days later at Dallas, A&M defeated Oklahoma, 14–8)

KansasandNorth Carolina A&Mwere idle.Virginiawon at Georgetown, 21–0, but the Cavaliers' halfback Archer Christian was fatally injured.

In the East, unbeaten, untied and unscored onYale(8–0–0) hosted once-beatenPrinceton(5–1–1). Yale had a ninth straight shutout, winning 17–0 in its last game before it would meetHarvard,which raised its record to 8–0–0, defeating Dartmouth 12–3.

Yale vs. Harvard

• OnNovember 20Yale,which had allowed no points in nine games, played its only away game of the season, facing theHarvard Crimson,who had allowed only 9 points all season. Both teams were unbeaten and untied, and met before 38,000 at Cambridge. Yale's Carroll T. Cooney blocked a punt by Wayland Minot, who fell on the ball in the end zone for a safety, and a 2–0 Yale lead. Later, Stephen Philbin's 30 yard run brought Yale to the Harvard 20, andTed Coykicked a field goal for a 5–0 Yale lead at halftime. In the second half, Harvard made it past the 55 yard line only once, but still kept Yale out of its end zone. Coy managed another field goal late in the game, and Yale won 8–0.

In other games played on November 20, unbeaten (6–0–0)Minnesotalost, at home, to once-beaten (5–1–0)Michigan,15–6.Kansasstayed unbeaten with a 20–7 win over visiting Iowa. In its annual game against Lehigh,Lafayettewon 21–0, while at New Orleans,Alabamaand Tulane played to a 5–5 tie.

Other teams closed out their seasons with games onThanksgiving Day(November 25). AtKansas City,the MVIAA championship came down to unbeaten (9–0–0)Kansasagainst unbeaten and once-tied (6–0–1)Missouri.The Missouri Tigers won, 12–6.

Arkansasbeat Washington University in St. Louis 32–0 to finish unbeaten and untied (7–0–0).Coloradobeat Colorado School of Mines 16–0 in a season with four college games, for a 6–0–0 finish.

Lafayettebeat Dickinson,Texas A&Mwon at Texas, andPenn Statewon at Pittsburgh; the score was 5–0 in all three games, and all three winners finished unbeaten. At Norfolk, unbeatenNorth Carolina A & M(the future N.C. State) lost to once-beaten Virginia Tech, 18–5, and at Birmingham, unbeatenAlabamalost toLSU,12–6.

Conference standings

Major conference standings

For this article, major conferences defined as those including multiple stateflagshippublic universities.

1909 Missouri Valley Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W L T W L T Missouri$ 4 – 0 – 1 7 – 0 – 1 Kansas 3 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0 Drake 2 – 1 – 0 6 – 1 – 0 Iowa 1 – 3 – 1 2 – 4 – 1 Iowa State 0 – 2 – 1 4 – 3 – 1 Nebraska 0 – 1 – 0 3 – 3 – 2 Washington University 0 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 0 $ – Conference champion

1909 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team W L T W L T Sewanee$ 4 – 0 – 0 6 – 1 – 0 Vanderbilt 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Alabama 4 – 1 – 1 5 – 1 – 2 LSU 3 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0 Georgia Tech 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Auburn 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 2 – 0 Howard (AL) 2 – 2 – 0 5 – 2 – 1 Clemson 2 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Ole Miss 1 – 2 – 1 4 – 3 – 2 Georgia 1 – 4 – 1 1 – 4 – 2 The Citadel 0 – 1 – 1 4 – 3 – 2 Mississippi A&M 0 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Mercer 0 – 4 – 0 3 – 5 – 0 Tennessee 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 6 – 2 $ – Conference champion

1909 Western Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W L T W L T Minnesota$ 3 – 0 – 0 6 – 1 – 0 Chicago 4 – 1 – 1 4 – 1 – 2 Illinois 3 – 1 – 0 5 – 2 – 0 Wisconsin 2 – 1 – 1 3 – 1 – 1 Indiana 1 – 3 – 0 4 – 3 – 0 Northwestern 1 – 3 – 0 1 – 3 – 1 Iowa 0 – 1 – 0 2 – 4 – 1 Purdue 0 – 4 – 0 2 – 5 – 0 $ – Conference champion

Independents

1909 Eastern college football independents records Conf Overall Team W L T W L T Yale – 10 – 0 – 0 Lafayette – 7 – 0 – 1 Franklin & Marshall – 9 – 1 – 0 Harvard – 9 – 1 – 0 Penn State – 5 – 0 – 2 Washington & Jefferson – 8 – 1 – 1 Springfield Training School – 5 – 1 – 0 NYU – 6 – 1 – 1 Ursinus – 6 – 1 – 1 Penn – 7 – 1 – 2 Trinity (CT) – 6 – 1 – 2 Dartmouth – 5 – 1 – 2 Fordham – 5 – 1 – 2 Princeton – 6 – 2 – 1 Pittsburgh – 6 – 2 – 1 Carlisle – 8 – 3 – 1 Colgate – 5 – 2 – 1 Brown – 7 – 3 – 1 Geneva – 4 – 2 – 0 Carnegie Tech – 5 – 3 – 1 Vermont – 4 – 2 – 2 Lehigh – 4 – 3 – 2 Army – 3 – 2 – 0 Villanova – 3 – 2 – 0 Dickinson – 4 – 4 – 1 Syracuse – 4 – 5 – 1 Bucknell – 3 – 4 – 2 Boston College – 3 – 4 – 1 Cornell – 3 – 4 – 1 Rhode Island State – 3 – 4 – 0 Rutgers – 3 – 5 – 1 Wesleyan – 3 – 5 – 1 Holy Cross – 2 – 4 – 2 Swarthmore – 2 – 5 – 0 Drexel – 1 – 5 – 3 Tufts – 2 – 6 – 0 Amherst – 1 – 6 – 1 Temple – 0 – 4 – 1	1909 Midwestern college football independents records Conf Overall Team W L T W L T Iowa State Normal – 6 – 0 – 0 Notre Dame – 7 – 0 – 1 Michigan Agricultural – 8 – 1 – 0 Carthage – 6 – 1 – 0 Michigan – 6 – 1 – 0 Western State Normal (MI) – 6 – 1 – 0 Mount Union – 8 – 2 – 0 Lake Forest – 5 – 1 – 1 Haskell – 7 – 2 – 0 Detroit College – 3 – 1 – 2 Butler – 5 – 3 – 0 Central Michigan – 4 – 3 – 0 St. Mary's (OH) – 4 – 3 – 0 Cincinnati – 4 – 3 – 1 Doane – 3 – 2 – 3 Buchtel – 4 – 4 – 0 Rose Poly – 4 – 4 – 0 Marquette – 2 – 2 – 1 North Dakota Agricultural – 2 – 2 – 1 Wabash – 3 – 4 – 1 Miami (OH) – 3 – 4 – 0 Ohio – 2 – 4 – 2 Saint Louis – 3 – 5 – 0 Michigan State Normal – 2 – 4 – 0 Western Illinois – 1 – 2 – 0 Fairmount – 2 – 5 – 1 Northern Illinois State – 2 – 6 – 0 South Dakota State – 1 – 3 – 0 Heidelberg – 0 – 7 – 2	1909 Southern college football independents records Conf Overall Team W L T W L T Arkansas – 7 – 0 – 0 Texas A&M – 7 – 0 – 1 Mississippi College – 3 – 0 – 0 Stetson – 3 – 0 – 1 Kentucky State – 9 – 1 – 0 Virginia – 7 – 1 – 0 North Carolina A&M – 6 – 1 – 0 VPI – 6 – 1 – 0 Florida – 6 – 1 – 1 Elon – 4 – 1 – 0 Louisiana Industrial – 4 – 1 – 0 Spring Hill – 4 – 1 – 0 Catholic University – 0 – 1 – 1 North Carolina – 5 – 2 – 0 Kendall – 2 – 1 – 0 Southwestern Louisiana Industrial – 5 – 2 – 2 Marshall – 3 – 2 – 1 VMI – 4 – 3 – 0 Navy – 4 – 3 – 1 Texas – 4 – 3 – 1 Tulane – 4 – 3 – 2 West Virginia – 4 – 3 – 2 Washington and Lee – 4 – 3 – 0 Oklahoma – 6 – 4 – 0 Georgetown – 3 – 2 – 1 Oklahoma A&M – 5 – 3 – 0 Davidson – 3 – 4 – 2 George Washington – 3 – 4 – 1 Chattanooga – 2 – 3 – 2 Wake Forest – 2 – 4 – 0 Maryland – 2 – 5 – 0 South Carolina – 2 – 6 – 0 Delaware – 1 – 6 – 1
1909 Western college football independents records Conf Overall Team W L T W L T Washington – 7 – 0 – 0 St. Vincent's – 6 – 0 – 0 Montana – 6 – 0 – 1 Utah – 4 – 1 – 0 Washington State – 4 – 1 – 0 Denver – 7 – 2 – 0 Arizona – 3 – 1 – 0 New Mexico – 4 – 2 – 0 USC – 3 – 1 – 2 Oregon Agricultural – 4 – 2 – 1 Oregon – 3 – 2 – 0 Hawaii – 2 – 2 – 0 Utah Agricultural – 2 – 2 – 1 Idaho – 3 – 4 – 0 Wyoming – 3 – 5 – 0 New Mexico A&M – 1 – 3 – 1

Minor conferences

Conference	Champion(s)	Record
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference	Kansas State Agricultural	5–0
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association	Olivet	4–0
Ohio Athletic Conference	Oberlin	4–0–1

Minor conference standings

1909 Colorado Faculty Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W L T W L T Colorado$ 3 – 0 – 0 6 – 0 – 0 Colorado College 2 – 1 – 0 5 – 2 – 0 Colorado Mines 0 – 2 – 0 3 – 3 – 0 Colorado Agricultural 0 – 2 – 0 1 – 2 – 0 $ – Conference champion

1909 Eastern Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team W L T W L T William & Mary 2 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Randolph–Macon 2 – 1 – 0 3 – 2 – 2 Richmond 1 – 2 – 0 3 – 5 – 2 Hampden–Sydney 1 – 2 – 0 3 – 5 – 0

1909 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W L T W L T Oberlin$ 4 – 0 – 1 5 – 1 – 1 Case 5 – 0 – 2 6 – 1 – 2 Ohio State 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Western Reserve 2 – 1 – 1 5 – 3 – 1 Kenyon 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Denison 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 1 Ohio Wesleyan 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Wittenberg 1 – 3 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Wooster 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 6 – 0 Heidelberg 0 – 5 – 0 0 – 8 – 1 $ – Conference champion

Awards and honors

All-Americans

Main article:1909 College Football All-America Team

The consensusAll-Americateam includedWalter Camp's selections:

Position	Name	Height	Weight (lbs.)	Class	Hometown	Team
QB	John McGovern	5'9 "	155	Sr.	Arlington, Minnesota	Minnesota
HB	Stephen Philbin					Yale
HB	Wayland Minot				Cambridge, Massachusetts	Harvard
FB	Ted Coy	6'0 "	195	Sr.	Andover, Massachusetts	Yale
E	Adrian Regnier					Brown
T	Hamilton Fish	6'4 "	200	Sr.	Southboro, Massachusetts	Harvard
G	Albert Benbrook		240	Jr.	Chicago, Illinois	Michigan
C	Carroll Cooney			Sr.		Yale
G	Hamlin Andrus				Yonkers, New York	Yale
T	Henry Hobbs			Sr.		Yale
E	John Kilpatrick					Yale

Statistical leaders

• Rushing yards leader:Jim Thorpe,Carlisle, 781