The Best Team You've Probably Never Heard Of

The University of the South, or Sewanee, is located on the top of Monteagle, about halfway between Chattanooga and Nashville, TN. The school was founded in 1857 on 13,000 acres atop the Cumberland Plateau. In 1894, the school was a charter member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) and quickly became a Southern powerhouse in college football, winning their first conference championship in 1898 with a record of 4-0. The Tigers would win the SIAA three times between 1898 and 1909.

Out of all the championship teams, the 1899 squad coached by Billy Suter is the one that deserves consideration as one of the best teams to ever take the field. Led by captain Henry Seibels and Ormand Simpkins, the Tigers went 12-0, outscoring their opponents 322-10. The team went on a legendary 10-day, 2,500-mile train trip that saw the Tigers play five games in six days without giving up a point.

1. Sewanee vs Georgia (Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GA. October 21)-The Tigers scored two touchdowns and shut out the Bulldogs for their first win of the season, 12-0.

2. Sewanee vs Georgia Tech (Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GA. October 23)-This game was over quickly as Sewanee scored 5 touchdowns in the first half (2 by HB Quintard Gray and 3 by HB Henry Seibels). Once again, the Tiger defense didn’t allow a point in a 32-0 win.

3. Sewanee vs Tennessee (McGee Field, Sewanee, TN. October 28)-Seibels was once again the star of the game, scoring 3 touchdowns as the Tigers took the Volunteers to the woodshed, 46-0.

4. Sewanee vs Southwestern Presbyterian (McGee Field, Sewanee, TN. November 3)-The Tigers showed no mercy beating their rivals (now Rhodes College) 54-0.

5. Sewanee vs Texas (Athletic Field, Austin TX. November 9)-After a long train trip, the Tigers pulled into Austin to face the previously undefeated Longhorns. A hard-fought battle ensued, which saw Henry Seibels score both of the Sewanee touchdowns (one in each half) despite having his head split open at the beginning of the game and being covered in blood. The Tiger defense would hold the Longhorns scoreless for a 12-0 win.

6. Sewanee vs Texas A&M (Herald Park, Houston TX. November 10)-FB Ormond Simpkins scored the first touchdown of the game and prevented another one in the second half as the Tigers would blank the Aggies, 10-0.

7. Sewanee vs Tulane (New Orleans, LA. November 11)-Quintard Gray and Rex Kilpatrick would both score two touchdowns each as the Tigers beat Tulane 23-0 in a game that was called early on account of darkness.

8. Sewanee vs LSU (Baton Rouge, LA. November 13)-After taking Sunday off, Sewanee would take on the Tigers of LSU. Seibels would score two quick touchdowns while Kilpatrick would add another as the Tigers of Sewanee cruised to a 34-0 win.

9. Sewanee vs Ole Miss (Billings Park, Memphis, TN. November 14)-The final stop of the Tigers' barnstorming train trip was against Ole Miss in Memphis. Seibels scored a touchdown at the end of the first half and Kilpatrick scored in the second half to lead Sewanee to a 12-0 victory over the Rebels.

10. Sewanee vs Cumberland (McGee Field, Sewanee TN. November 20)-Cumberland, who has the dubious distinction of giving up the most points in a college football game (222-0 to Georgia Tech), didn’t fare much better against the Tigers, losing 71-0. Bart Sims scored 11 extra points, which is a school record that still stands today

11. Sewanee vs Auburn (Riverside Park, Montgomery, AL. November 30)-Auburn, led by head coach John Heisman (yes, that Heisman) faced off against the Tigers in what would be the hardest fought and most controversial game of the 1899 season. Auburn would be the only team to score on the Sewanee defense the entire season, running a fast-paced offense that used a wedge to protect the ball carrier. Auburn would score first in the contest and led at halftime 10-5 (touchdowns were only worth 5 points in those days). A controversial fumble in the second half and subsequent score and extra point by Sewanee would give the Tigers an 11-10 lead. The crowd of over 4,000 people spilled onto the field where fist fights broke out and guns were drawn (it just means more, right?). The referee called the game due to darkness and Sewanee’s undefeated season was preserved. Later, it was said that Heisman was furious about losing to a smaller school from Tennessee.

12. Sewanee vs North Carolina (Atlanta, GA. December 2)-The Tigers would close out the 1899 campaign with a narrow and hard-fought defensive battle against the powerhouse Tar Heels. Ormond Simpkins was roughed after signaling for a fair catch on a punt. The ensuing 15-yard penalty would prove to be decisive as Kilpatrick later scored the only points of the contest giving Sewanee the 5-0 win. After the game the Tigers were declared the “champions of the South.”

In 1932 Sewanee was a charter member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Alexander Guerry, who was the former president of the University of Chattanooga agreed to take the position of Vice Chancellor at Sewanee on the condition that the school stop awarding athletic scholarships. The school agreed and Sewanee withdrew from the SEC in 1940 after deemphasizing athletics.

Sewanee is currently a member of the Southern Athletic Association and compete at the NCAA Division III level. The Tigers are led by Head Coach Andy McCollum and finished the 2023 season 3-7 winning their first road conference game since 2018. 

"Rip'em up! Tear'em up! Leave'em in the lurch. Down with the Heathen and Up with the Church! Yea, Sewanee's Right!"